Yes, it's that time of the year again!! Only 2 months until one of my favorite days of the year: Christmas! I love the anticipation of the little children, the sparkling lights, the brightly colored packages under the tree. I love the joyous music, the children in the Christmas plays, and the yummy goodies on the red and green trays; but most of all, I love the wonder of the story of the virgin Mary and my Savior who was born as a humble baby in a stall where cattle feed. The message of the Savior is meant for all mankind. I want to encourage you today to plan with your family to do something special this Christmas season for someone in need. Mission 1:27 has gathered a Christmas wish list from several of our orphanages around the world. There is such great need and so many children who need to feel the love of the Savior this Christmas. We are working with many missionaries all over the world that work with orphanages and children's homes. So many of them do not have the funds to provide for all the needs. Here is a sample of our Mission 1:27 Christmas wish list:
1. $100 for an awareness campaign on human trafficking in Nepal
2. $150 for a girls feeding program in Bangladesh
3. $150 for to support a Bible club in Lithuania
4. $150 for VBS material in the Philippines
5. $150 for a feeding program in Jamaica
6. $150 for housing in Guatemala
7. Up to $5,000 for multiple orphanage needs in Mexico, Including $200 for Christmas dinner for one orphanage.
8. Any amount for camping supplies in Russia
Thanks for showing God's children that He truly cares for them!! Any donations can be given at http://www.mission127.com/ securely through paypal. Be sure to put in the memo line which project you wish to donate to so we can give proper credit! A little gift can go a LONG way! God bless!!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I Give Up!
I have to be honest with you. I'm frustrated. I am a planner. I like to have everything prepared. I'm a doer, a "Martha", per say. I NEED to be working, serving, doing something! I have difficulty "giving up", basking in God's presence, and trusting Him to take care of me. I have trouble being "Mary" sitting at His feet, worshipping Him, without a worry in my mind of all things that need to be accomplished. God asks us to "serve", "do", and "work" to accomplish His purpose; however, at this point in our adoption journey, I feel God telling me to "give up", rest at His feet and simply trust Him.
I've spent the last few weeks scouring the internet to find adoption grants, filling out the application paperwork, laying awake at 1:00 AM wracking my brain for effective fundraisers, sending out letters to family and friends, listing items on e-bay and NONE of it is getting us anywhere close to where we need to be. We are only $40.00 closer to our goal (Thank you to the 4 friends who donated $10 each through facebook! We do appreciate your effort and every bit of support helps!!!) We have cut back on our personal expenses, given all our tax refund toward our adoption, and prayed for inspiration. We've literally done all we can do. So, I am giving up. Yes, we may get a call any day and need $6,100.00 at the drop of a hat. No, we don't have $6,100.00 in the bank and I don't want to go into debt to pay for this adoption. There will be numerous expenses once the adoption is complete, including medical bills, additional furniture for the new child, and of course the day to day expenses. It doesn't make sense to go into debt and I don't think that is God's will for us.
Is it easy to sit back, trust God and not worry about how we are going to pay for it? Not at all! I am struggling with the overwhelming stress of it all, but I know He is guiding our steps. Since God has called us to this adoption, He is going to take care of every aspect of it, including the finances. Sometimes, we just need to "give up", sit at His feet and TRUST Him to take care of all our needs. Sometimes we need to spend time basking in His presence, worshipping Him without worrying about how His plan is going to come together and remember that He can make it happen-without our help! "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths..." Prov. 3:5-6
I've spent the last few weeks scouring the internet to find adoption grants, filling out the application paperwork, laying awake at 1:00 AM wracking my brain for effective fundraisers, sending out letters to family and friends, listing items on e-bay and NONE of it is getting us anywhere close to where we need to be. We are only $40.00 closer to our goal (Thank you to the 4 friends who donated $10 each through facebook! We do appreciate your effort and every bit of support helps!!!) We have cut back on our personal expenses, given all our tax refund toward our adoption, and prayed for inspiration. We've literally done all we can do. So, I am giving up. Yes, we may get a call any day and need $6,100.00 at the drop of a hat. No, we don't have $6,100.00 in the bank and I don't want to go into debt to pay for this adoption. There will be numerous expenses once the adoption is complete, including medical bills, additional furniture for the new child, and of course the day to day expenses. It doesn't make sense to go into debt and I don't think that is God's will for us.
Is it easy to sit back, trust God and not worry about how we are going to pay for it? Not at all! I am struggling with the overwhelming stress of it all, but I know He is guiding our steps. Since God has called us to this adoption, He is going to take care of every aspect of it, including the finances. Sometimes, we just need to "give up", sit at His feet and TRUST Him to take care of all our needs. Sometimes we need to spend time basking in His presence, worshipping Him without worrying about how His plan is going to come together and remember that He can make it happen-without our help! "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths..." Prov. 3:5-6
Monday, October 17, 2011
One Hundred Good Wishes
Dear Family and Friends,
We have one more fundraiser going on right now in order to raise the money needed to bring our child home. We are still waiting for the official approval to adopt a little 6 year old girl. We are not allowed to post pictures or give any other specific information on-line about the child, but as soon as (IF) we get the approval (hopefully any day now!!) we need to send in $6100 to the Philippines for her medical appointment, visa processing, donation to her orphanage, etc. This fundraiser is called One Hundred Good wishes. This will be sort of a documentation of all the people who are supporting us through this adoption. You can send us encouraging words for a donation of any amount and we will be able to someday share with our child the many "wishes" ( or blessings) given to him or her. Just click on the One Hundred good wishes link on the side of my blog and it will take you to our page. All payments go securely through paypal. Thank you again for your love and support. We cannot do this without you!
PS Don't forget the scentsy fundraiser: http://www.stephanielush.scentsy.us/ under the Lewis Adoption Fundraiser link. GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS! We also we have listed some things on ebay under the seller "revsnoopy". All proceeds will be going toward our adoption!! Thank you!
We have one more fundraiser going on right now in order to raise the money needed to bring our child home. We are still waiting for the official approval to adopt a little 6 year old girl. We are not allowed to post pictures or give any other specific information on-line about the child, but as soon as (IF) we get the approval (hopefully any day now!!) we need to send in $6100 to the Philippines for her medical appointment, visa processing, donation to her orphanage, etc. This fundraiser is called One Hundred Good wishes. This will be sort of a documentation of all the people who are supporting us through this adoption. You can send us encouraging words for a donation of any amount and we will be able to someday share with our child the many "wishes" ( or blessings) given to him or her. Just click on the One Hundred good wishes link on the side of my blog and it will take you to our page. All payments go securely through paypal. Thank you again for your love and support. We cannot do this without you!
PS Don't forget the scentsy fundraiser: http://www.stephanielush.scentsy.us/ under the Lewis Adoption Fundraiser link. GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS! We also we have listed some things on ebay under the seller "revsnoopy". All proceeds will be going toward our adoption!! Thank you!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Fundraisers: We need your help!
We are still waiting....I feel that this waiting time is our time to prepare the funds needed when we get the referral, so we have a couple fundraisers going on, lots of prayers and faith that God knows what we need! Many people have helped us get to this point and we are so very thankful for that; however, we have also sacrificed much of our own funds and our savings account is basically nil. It seems like every time we save a little, an unexpected expense arises. (for example: air conditioning out in my car in middle of the 100 degree weather; several doctor visits for various members of the family; etc!) I KNOW that God is faithful and He will help us have the funds we need when we need it. We have a $4,000 Show Hope Grant and my boss at work recently told me that my employer will donate $1,000 toward our travel! Praise the Lord! That should cover our travel expenses in full!
My immediate concern is the $6,100 that will be due less than 2 weeks after we recieve the official "referral". (Which could be any day!) This money goes to the Philippines to provide the visa, medical exams, orphanage donation, and paperwork for our child to come home. We have very little in our account toward this expense, so we are working on some fundraisers: 1) My friend Stephanie Lush is doing a scentsy fundraiser for us. These are wickless candles-and they are amazing! The initial investment is a little more than candles, but the scented wax is less costly than candles...and the commission is donated toward our adoption! Check out http://www.stephanielush.scentsy.us/ and click on the Lewis Adoption Fundraiser to order on-line. 2) Also, over the next couple weeks, we will be putting various items on e-bay. Check out the seller "revsnoopy" and all items will be going toward our adoption. 3) We are doing a $10 friend donation on Facebook. My friend suggested if each of our facebook friends donated just $10, we would be at our goal!
If anyone has any other great fundraiser ideas for adoption, please post them here! We need your help!!! This is one of those things that takes the body of Christ working together for a common good and we appreciate all of you who continue to support us through prayer and finances! We can't wait to see this come together in His perfect timing!!!
My immediate concern is the $6,100 that will be due less than 2 weeks after we recieve the official "referral". (Which could be any day!) This money goes to the Philippines to provide the visa, medical exams, orphanage donation, and paperwork for our child to come home. We have very little in our account toward this expense, so we are working on some fundraisers: 1) My friend Stephanie Lush is doing a scentsy fundraiser for us. These are wickless candles-and they are amazing! The initial investment is a little more than candles, but the scented wax is less costly than candles...and the commission is donated toward our adoption! Check out http://www.stephanielush.scentsy.us/ and click on the Lewis Adoption Fundraiser to order on-line. 2) Also, over the next couple weeks, we will be putting various items on e-bay. Check out the seller "revsnoopy" and all items will be going toward our adoption. 3) We are doing a $10 friend donation on Facebook. My friend suggested if each of our facebook friends donated just $10, we would be at our goal!
If anyone has any other great fundraiser ideas for adoption, please post them here! We need your help!!! This is one of those things that takes the body of Christ working together for a common good and we appreciate all of you who continue to support us through prayer and finances! We can't wait to see this come together in His perfect timing!!!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Waiting.....
Well....we are still waiting. Waiting to hear the news of whether or not this little girl will be our daughter. It has been 2 weeks today since we sent in our letter of intent to adopt her. The waiting gets harder every day!!! I have learned through the amazing world wide web that there is another family wanting to adopt the same little girl. They adopted her best friend 3 years ago...so I am thinking that maybe the Philippine government will have that family adopt this little girl. I am fine with that. I really am. I want what is best for everyone involved. I just don't like to wait. And please...for the sake of the little girl, make a decision so she can go home to a family. She's been in an orphanage for all her life! * sigh* Unfortunately, I know that if we are not the family chosen for this little girl, then there will be many more months of waiting. Pray for me....I really don't do waiting well.
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