Dreaming of Christmas... in Mozambique!

 It blows my mind every once in awhile that it was in 2008 that I first felt called to spend Christmas in an orphanage. Now for my 2^nd year in a row, I will celebrate Christmas in an orphanage… who cares that it isn’t on December 25^th. I’m happy to celebrate the birth of Jesus any day of the year and so are the kids and staff in Mozambique!

As if it’s not enough work to raise financial support for myself, I’ve been busy collecting money and gifts for the kids in Mozambique. I have to say that it’s a really hard balancing act… since I don’t have all of my financial support raised I should probably be focusing more on that, but I really want the kids & staff at the Center to be blessed this Christmas!

It thrills me that people are so generous and it’s so awesome to see how faithful God is with carrying out the crazy things he lays on my heart! I also love that God has given me the gift of giving and I get to put it to such good use!

This Christmas God has given me big ideas for the kids… well maybe the ideas aren’t big but when you are trying to buy gifts for 15 – 40 people and then travel 8000 miles with them… it’s a big deal! I’m planning to take as many water bottles, headlamps, pairs of underwear, watches, coloring books, crayons and key chains over as my bags will allow! I’m also excited that I will be able to buy bigger things like shoes and soccer balls in Maputo (the capital city).

Here are a few specific things I’ve been doing to gather donations for the kids & staff this Christmas...

Two weeks ago Genesis: the Church held it’s annual Hope for the Holidays market. I sold items hand-made in Mozambique and also collected donations for the things I plan to purchase in Maputo.

I’ve also had an amazing opportunity this year at Barnes & Noble (in Grosse Pointe, MI)… I’ve been wrapping presents for donations! I love wrapping and I love that the donations will help us to buy Christmas presents in Pemba this year!

I’m such a planner when it comes to things like this. I’ve budgeted out everything from a low to high figure and how many each dollar amount allows me to buy for. Also as the number goes up it allows me to splurge a little more and buy good shoes for each child and a few fun things for the kids to share… like a few remote controlled cars =) Who doesn’t love a remote controlled car?!

I’m happy to say that I’m right around my low figure and I think after wrapping gifts this Friday and Saturday I will have enough money to buy all the kids (in the house) new shoes! And these are just my efforts alone! 

So I guess that means it time to get back to my own fundraising.

But one last thing… I’m featured in the Christmas video this year, so be sure to check it out, it's only 2 minutes long.

The Dream Project Christmas 2011

Support Update:

I’ve raised 68% of the funds needed for my trip in January and 21% of my goal for monthly support for long-term ministry.

Prayer Requests:

-  With 20 days before my trip, I’m starting on some of my final preparations. Just that I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed with all that I need to accomplish in 20 days.

-  I sent my visa application off on Monday (passport included). Join me in praying that I filled everything out correctly and that I will get everything back in a timely manner.

-  That God would continue to give me peace and direction about the role I’m in. That He would give me more ideas than I know what to do with and the resources to see them through!

Official Countdown Clock!

One Month from TODAY!!!!

One month from today… I will be leaving for Africa!! I’m excited and nervous.

My trip plans are coming together slowly yet surely. I still need to apply for my visa. I just need to go over all my paper work one last time, go get a money order and then I will be all ready to mail it off to the Mozambican Embassy in Washington.

My plans as of right now are to fly from Detroit to Washington… where I will meet up with my friend Karin. She is spending the year in Lesotho and so we are flying from Washington to Johannesburg together! This is a 17-hour flight and so I couldn’t be happier to have one of my best friends on it with me! We will arrive in Johannesburg Friday night and spend it in a hostel with some friends… before Nunu and I take the 8 hour bus ride to Maputo!

When I’m in Maputo, I will be staying at a guesthouse for Missionaries. Nunu and Sumate (national missionaries who work up in Pemba) will also be in Maputo visiting family. They will be about 1.5 hours away but have agreed to show me around and help me buy Christmas presents for the kids… things like shoes and soccer balls. I have a feeling I won’t leave the guesthouse unless I have someone by my side.

Nunu and I will also be traveling to Ponta de Ouro for a few days. The Dream Project has 6 acres of land in Ponta. My hope for the trip is to be able to document the land by taking pictures and measuring anything possible so that one day when The Dream Project is ready to build, I will have a good sense of the land and be able to do some architectural drawings for them.

The final leg of my trip is to Pemba, to celebrate Christmas with my boys! I’m going by bus and I’ve heard this trip can take up to 3 days! I feel like this is going to be a whole new experience for me and I’m hoping I will have lots to blog about… or maybe I should be hoping for the opposite! I think I will be up in Pemba around February 1^st, but it will depend on when Nunu’s work in Maputo is done. I’m surly not brave enough to take a 3 day bus ride alone in Mozambique!

It is hard not having exact days, but this is life in Mozambique and it’s good for me to get used to being laid back about things. I’ve heard the bus to Pemba doesn’t really run on a schedule… I mean I’m sure it’s supposed to but just because the schedule says it goes on Wednesdays and Saturdays doesn’t mean much. When Nunu & Sumate were looking into their bus rides from Pemba to Maputo, one of them was telling me that there are no buses at the station and so they couldn’t find out when the next bus would leave until a bus arrived from Maputo.

I’m trying to learn to go with the flow and not build up my expectations… as I realized on my last trip that if you don’t expect much, you’re never let down.

Support Update:

I’ve raised 66% of the funds needed for my trip in January and almost 21% of my goal for monthly support.

Specifically a few of my needs are:

1. Financial Support – You could personally support me or you could host a book party or fundraiser of any sort.
2. Communication Support – I have a few people on my mailing list that don’t use email and I’m hoping to find someone that would be willing to mail them an update or two while I’m gone.
3. Logistical Support – While I’m gone someone that would be willing to follow up with some of my contacts and arrange book parties or speaking engagements. 

Prayer:

- Visa preparation and approval.

- Keep my focus… as I was challenged last week in my small group, remembering the Gospel everyday.

- Not getting caught up in the details… going with the flow!

- I’m collecting Christmas presents for the kids. I’m trying to keep things organized… what’s been donated… what do we still need… how much money has been collected… what can I buy with that in Maputo… and of course will it all fit in my suite case!

- Support raising!

Wedding Bells are Ringing!

I’m not really sure where November went?! It was a busy fast moving month for me! For the first two weeks I was in Chicago.

I spent part of the first week working in my old Architecture firm! It’s defiantly not the same without my co-workers, but it was nice to have a “real” job for a few days. I’m now able to work there remotely… so anywhere that has the internet! I haven’t been able to do much as of yet, but I’m going to start putting aside 1 day a week for this. As my Christmas list is long this year (living in an orphanage will do that), I’d better start logging some hours! Seriously it really is a blessing to be able to make a good hourly wage with a completely flexible schedule.

I had two weddings this November… my brother and good friend from High School. They were the reason for the lengthy trip. My brother’s wedding was really nice, but I think the best part was that people got to see a side of him they didn’t know existed. The way he looks at Priscilla would melt many hearts. I couldn’t be happier for them.

One of my oldest friends, Erin, whom I met in 8^th grade also got married… 1 week after Josh. I’m equally excited for her and Ryan! The wedding was very Erin… Elegant with a hint of pizazz… that’s my girl!

The nice thing about my "job" or the position I'm working toward, is that I can do much of it from anywhere. I always love my trips to Chicago and being able to spend time catching everyone up on my life and the ministry I'm working with.

Support Update:

I’ve raise 63% of the funds needed for my trip in January and almost 18% of my goal for monthly support. 

Monthly financial support is still my greatest need. Click here for more information about giving and my other support needs.

Prayer Requests:
- I'm gathering Christmas presents for the kids and national staff, pray that we would raise enough to provide a great Christmas in Mozambique!
- Visa applications
- That I would be able to build a solid support team. Click here for information about support.