If you have a few extra minutes this weekend, you can go, too. Grab a cup of coffee and if you are anything like me, tissues, and read through the posts I linked to up above.
Take a journey through the beautiful country of Tanzania, meet her people and be moved. If you would like to become a sponsor or find out more about sponsorship, just click on the banner.
Friday evening I received my first assignment as a Compassion Blogger. It seemed like an easy first assignment. I was excited. It was pretty straightforward. Simply read the blog posts from fellow Compassion Bloggers on their trip to Tanzania, share the ones I found especially meaningful with my readers and then write about what I learned from their trip when they get back.
Nothing difficult about that, right?
Ha. Every post that I've read by these passionate, motivating, gifted writers, has been meaningful. Every picture breathtaking. Every story real and moving. No gimmicks or manipulation, just love being shared and hearts being changed. Pretty much every post has reduced me to tears.
Each post has a beautiful story to tell, but since it's getting late, if you read nothing else tonight, grab your tissue box and read this one, then let go.
Have you ever been in love with a place you have never visited or loved a group of people you have never met? If you have, then we have something in common.
Under this tree, the love of Jesus has been shared through song, games, hugs and Bible stories.
For me, that place is a care point in Swaziland, Africa, named Thulwane. The people are the go-gos (care-givers) and the children that frequent the care point. Over the years, we have heard their stories. We have looked at hundreds of pictures brought back the teams who visit. We have prayed for them. We have wept over children who have been hurt in ways we can hardly comprehend. We have rejoiced over big, life changing improvements on the grounds of Thulwane. We have mourned for a little boy we never met, but loved because his big personality spanned miles. He lost his life in a senseless act of evil. These precious people have become a part of our family in a real way.
I first learned about Thulwane through my friend Crystal. I could write a whole post about Crystal and I probably should. From our first meeting, her passion grabbed me. She is the one who introduced me to Children's HopeChest and Tom Davis and HopeChest's work in Russia and around the world. We have one of those kindred spirit friendships. What a gift.
Anyway, I'm sure I had heard of Swaziland before the HopeChest meeting, but I couldn't have told you where it was on the continent of Africa. I surely could not have told you the difficulties her people were facing on a daily basis. My introduction to Thulwane came through a video about bananas and pizza.
And, it wasn't long after watching that video that we began sponsoring this little guy.
Our love for Thulwane and Swaziland grew. We began working on what Crystal and her husband Squeaky call the "Thulwane home team" doing what we could to help.
Now, fast forward a few years. After suffering our second miscarriage, I came to the place where I truly believed that the door to having a second child was closed and I was finally ok with that. That sounds so easy and simplistic typed out like that. It wasn't. It had been a long, hard, painful process.
With that closed door, though, I saw another one opening. And, in spite of the unknowns, I sent an email to Crystal and said- "Ok, I'm going to Africa with you the next time you go" (or something like that.)
I started getting ready. I filled out all the paper work. I prayed for a job to raise the extra money we would need to pay for this trip. God provided one. I didn't even apply for it. I got a phone call asking if I might be interested in a K4 teaching job at Grant's school. "Well, as a matter a fact, I would," was my answer (or something like that.) I applied for my passport. Details were coming together. My friends were getting excited about my trip and what it might mean for our community when I got back.
Then, we got a big surprise. On the day I received my passport in the mail (seriously, the same day), I received some other big news. I was pregnant. After years of infertility and two miscarriages this was an amazing gift.
Needless to say, Gabe was born days before we were supposed to leave for Africa, I didn't make it on that trip.
Life was good. We had our beautiful baby boy, the long awaited little brother. It was exactly how we had hoped it would be. But, there was a tiny bit of sadness for the other dream that was not meant to be, at least for now.
Fast forward a few more years. Going to Africa still has not become a reality for me. I don't have sadness about that now. It's ok. When it's time, I'll know. Thankfully, God has allowed me to see that I don't "have" to go to be involved in bringing hope and help. Being on the "home team" is a job I love and look forward to every time the planning for the next trip begins.
Actually, my place on the home team, is the reason for this post and that very long back story. Are you still with me?
The children at Thulwane have a need. In Swaziland, children are required to wear uniforms to attend school. That doesn't really sound like a big deal until you realize that $55.00 for uniform and shoes is pretty much an impossibility since the average family lives on less than $2.00 a day.
Education is so important. It helps break cycles. It gives the Swazi children a chance to help their people as they become the future leaders. These kids, so very much like our own, have much to offer.
The desire that Crystal's team has for each of the kids at Thulwane is simple- a new uniform and a new pair of shoes. Here's a part of an email she sent me...
"The kids LOVE school. They love learning and many of their classes
are in English. So many of our kids love to have us teach them new
English words and how to spell them.
The thought of going to University is only a dream for most.
Sandi, we have 15 year old boys who are in second grade. If they
can't go to school for a year or two, whenever they come back it's like
they pick up where they left off... it breaks my heart, but they just
see it as normal.
A new uniform and a new pair of school shoes means hope to them...
They walk taller in new shoes...they are careful with them, they are
proud of them...
I honestly do not know how they will react to new uniforms... It makes me cry just thinking of it."
For the last couple of weeks, I have not been able to get away from knowing that I need to do more to get the word out about this need for uniforms. I have started several posts on this topic, then scrapped them. I couldn't get the words right. This weekend I started thinking and typing and my heart took this one to a more personal place than I had planned for it to go. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The simple truth is these kids and this place are close to my heart. It is personal.
Would you prayerfully consider how you might be involved in providing uniforms for the kids of Thulwane. I know $55.00 is no small amount, so I am asking humbly. If you can't give that much, please don't let that stop you from giving what you can. Any amount will help.
If you would like to contribute to the uniform/shoe purchase you can do so online through Westwood Baptist Church. In the comments area please put "Swaziland Uniform/Shoes". The shoes and the uniforms will be purchased in Swaziland, which makes your donation a double blessing to the people of Swazi.
Even after fundraising, many families still need a little extra to complete the adoption process. There are fantastic organizations that offer grants and no interest/low interest loans for adoptive families.
Some grants have very specific requirements such as the family must be adopting from Kazakhstan or the applicant must be from Kansas. Others are open to anyone who does the work and gets accepted.
Here are just a few of the organizations that are determined to help every child find their forever family.
Founded by Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth in 2003, Show Hope, (originally named Shaohannah's Hope after their first adopted daughter) helps provide homes for waiting children through adoption aid grants and provides life-saving medical care for orphans with special needs.
"Bringing joy and purpose to orphans" is the mission of LifeSong. One of the ways they accomplish this goal is through their adoption grant program. LifeSong grant process
The Sparrow Fund offers regular training opportunities as well as grants
to families in financial need to enroll in programs specifically
designed to provide counsel and comprehensive medical reviews of their
referred child.
The Gift of Adoption Fund provides grants for families participating in either foreign or domestic adoptions. Over $1.9 million has been awarded by Gift of Adoption for foreign adoptions and nearly $120,000 in domestic adoption
assistance grants have been given. Through these grants, over 40 U.S. born children and more than 650 children from countries around the world have been united with their ‘forever’ families.
The Cade Foundation
The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation’s Family Building Grant provides grants to help families with the cost of domestic adoption and medical fertility treatments.
To qualify for this grant the applicant must have a diagnosis of infertility and be a citizen of the United States.
Here are two additional companies with a heart for people and adoption.
Please check them out and pass the word along to someone you know in the process of an adoption if you think these fundraisers would work for their family.
1. Pick your word. It could be your child's country of origin, a word that is meaningful to your family through the journey, etc.
2. Choose your band color.
3. Decide on the quantity (the more you purchase, the better the price)
4. Simply email your order to luke@mudlove.com.
- Example: "Journey" x 100, 50 blue, 50 red
5. Watch for your invoice. When you receive it, make your payment. Every five dollars you spend purchasing your fundraising bracelets helps give an African clean drinking water for a year! These little bracelets pack a double blessing.
6. Receive package & start selling Mudlove bands!!!
- All packages are shipped 2-3 day priority mail 2-4 weeks after the total invoice is paid (depending on order size).
7. Anything you make over the price of your invoice will be your profit to use toward your adoption. This program works for both domestic and foreign adoptions.
To find out more about pricing or to get your sale started- check out the MudLOVE site.
Everyone loves a fun t-shirt! Adoption Bug (now partnering with Show Hope) is a great little company that allows adoptive families (domestic or foreign adoptions) to sell up to 6 t-shirts from their fundraiser t-shirt designs. Once the adoptive family has filled out the required paperwork, Adoption Bug will set up an online store for their family. There is no start up cost or minimum orders. All the adoptive family needs to do is promote their sale. Adoption Bug even helps on that front with product photos, fundraiser store links and online banners. Adoptive families earn 25-45% of the sales, depending up on the product sold.
If you are interested in more information or getting the fundraising process started send an email to fundraiser@adoptionbug.com with the following information: name, country you’re adopting from, where you are in the process, agency name, and your email address.
Chances are good that you have spotted someone wearing one of these magazine bead necklaces. Chances are also good, that said necklace was purchased through 147 Million Orphans to help make an adoption possible, feed an orphan or both!
Gwen and Suzanne met several years ago while each was journeying through their first adoption. Seven adoptions later, the two friends are joined together in their mission to live out James 1:27.
147 Million Orphans, the organization Suzanne and Gwen founded, now feed orphans in 5 countries, help Ugandan women have a sustainable income for their families, aid churches in building orphan care/adoption ministries and partner with adoptive families to raise the necessary funds to bring their children home.
147 Million Orphans work with families who are involved in the adoption process, both domestically and internationally. They have two methods of fundraising: bulk ordering or the partnership program. Both options have great fundraising potential. Information about and the necessary forms for partnering with 147 Million Orphans can be found here.
Here are some ways you can join 147 Million Orphans in their quest to benefit adoptive parents and orphans around the world...
The adoptive family enlists the help of 10 volunteers who will assist by carrying out the following tasks:
sending sponsorship letters
Putting in a full day of manual labor at the home of a widow
100% of the donated funds will be given as a LifeSong Adoption Grant. Based upon prior events, the Both Hands project could earn $10,000+ (on average) toward adoption costs.
A local widow is helped by significant improvements being made to her home and property. Often great encouragement is brought to the ladies being served by the demonstrations of love and kindness these work days produce.
3. Support a Widow by donating supplies or funds to help renew homes and yards. 4. Volunteer Volunteers are responsible for sending letters to 50 friends that have a heart for adoption. Both Hands composes the letter, the volunteer can make necessary changes to tailor the letter to fit the current situation. Volunteers spend a full Saturday working on a widow’s house. All skill levels are welcome! Application to Volunteer
5. If you know an adoptive family who would benefit from a partnership with Both Hands or perhaps a widow who needs home or property maintenance, please share the information you have learned about Both Hands. The links below provide the applications necessary to "get the ball rolling."
This ministry is James 1:27 in action. "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
