Bummed

We did not get the house and we are pretty bummed... it is hard to play ball when you are bumping right up against the maximum. Ben says there is another house... I say, I wanted that one.

There is a plan and somehow we will find a home for all 3 of us.

Keeping it in

Yesterday we put an offer on a house...
Trying not to get too excited...
Since we may not get it...
Obviously, since I am blogging about it and losing sleep about it, I am getting too excited.
Lord help us!

300 Voices- Providing Water for Africa

I copied this post from jodyrlanders.com- we are joining in this effort because we know that it is good. We can change things in this world when we join together as a group of people who believe the world can be better then it is. Join us in this cause- make the difference in a village of people who desperately need a cup of water. Being Jesus in this world by giving people clean water.

Washing the feet of African people by giving them clean water for a life time.

“Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world; indeed they’re the only ones who ever have.” (Margaret Mead)

OK, here we go.

Sometime in December, I did some rough math. I was all excited because I thought I was onto something. I wondered, “So if we raise $60,000 every year at Water For Christmas, how many years would it take us to give Liberia clean water?” I furiously typed numbers into the calculator. Hit the equal button….

300 years.

Hmmm.

That’s a little discouraging.

But it haunted me. And I couldn’t shake it.

We have to use this. This is too important.

I might be busy in 300 years. And more importantly, the thirsty cannot wait that long.

Wrestled with it. Heard from so many of you that said, “Now what?”

And settled that we simply will kick it up a notch…or 300.

We will expand our borders, involve more people…300 times.

And then it won’t take 300 years, we can do it in one year.

So here’s the plan. Stay with me.

We need 300 people.

300 people to make a committment to 300 Voices…Water for all Seasons. This will be a commitment of $20/month. (that’s $5 a week, $240 for the whole year). WFC fund will stay open all year. We get 300 people to commit to $20 a month for 2009 and that’s an additional $72,000.(Did you get that? For your $20 a month, combined with 299 others and their $20 a month that is $72,000 in 2009. That’s 15 wells!) That’s a lot of money. For little sacrifice personally. (as always, 100% of money goes to charity: water. They use 100% to drill fresh water wells and clean water solutions).

But beyond that the idea is to keep water on the hearts and minds of a 300 person team. For where our treasure is, there will our hearts be. So we give all year. We pray. We dream. We plan. And then in November 2009, we kick off Water For Christmas with a team of 300. (Now, you are not committing to anything as far as next years campaign goes…you don’t have to do anything. But I think you will want to. But there will be no obligation to be involved in Water For Christmas 2009).

This is how it will work:

water4christmas.com is being developed. And will be ready for launch later in the year.

But for now, go here to sign up. (Kari has been working extremely hard to get this ready. Many, many thanks.) Give us your name and location. We will start of list of people around the country who are committing to Water. (you can do your donations with $5 weekly, or $20 a month, or a $240 donation for the whole year–whatever is best for your budgets). We will not bombard with emails–but if you want monthly or weekly reminders to donate we will do that. If you don’t do online giving, and would like to mail in checks, you can still do that by making checks payable to Charity Global with Water For Christmas in the memo line. (mailed to 150 Varick St. 5th Floor New York, NY 10013.) I will even send you a set of 12 envelopes if you want to do a monthly $20 donation that way.

We will have a counter showing how close we are to getting 300 people.

There’s a new blog badge for the 300 Voices…use it if you want.

Anyone can join us. Talk about it. Blog about it. I know many of us who participated in WFC 2008 were having a hard time shaking it. A hard time letting it go. So this is for you. But even if you were not a part of WFC at all but would like Water to be one of the things you give to in 2009, you can still join us now.

At this point, all it means is a $20/month commitment. The giving is just to force a us to put action behind our causes. And provide clean water for thousands in the process. And then ideally in November 2009, we have people whose treasure has followed their heart and they are ready to go. We reach 300 times more people with awareness about clean water. The money is multiplied. And clean water will erupt from the dirt of Africa’s floor.

We will be one voice. 300 strong. For clean water. For life.

By signing up you are simply saying, “Water matters.” And we believe that enough to give $20 of my treasure each month. It’s that simple.

I want to make it clear that this is merely part of who we are. It’s simply part of loving people the way Jesus taught us to. We cannot love thirsty people without giving them water to drink.

I wouldn’t do this if I wasn’t confident in you guys. I’ve talked to you on the email, on the blogs, in the churches, at the schools. I’ve heard the stories of others that I don’t know. And I just believe there is a force here. A force we can combine and channel. And use to make big impact.

I’m so excited to partner, to team up. 300 times.

Now there will be resources available and developed throughout the year to help us all at WFC time. But right now, I want to see if we can build a team of 300. Simply 300 people willing to give to Water throughout the year. $20 a month.

So. You want in?

Go. Sign up. We’ll add your name to the growing list in the sidebar. (we have to input them manually so it may take a couple hours)

(There will be continued updates about all the WFC wells throughout the year. It looks like I may personally be on the ground in Liberia to report back to you about how the Water money is changing and saving lives. And clarify further why we can’t stop. Why we must keep it fresh on our hearts and minds. Even if it’s only $20/month. Times 300. )

(photo taken by charity: water staff in Liberia.)

And clean water will erupt from the dirt of Africa's floors.

Someday

I will tell my children- I will tell them that I was alive the day that the first black man became President.

I will remember this day for the rest of my life... we have come a long way and this day is one for the history books. I was trying to explain to my students today how amazing it is that they get to be alive for this event, for this moment, for this day in history.

I am honored to be a part of something so much larger than myself... I want to carry this legacy for the future... I want to remember this day as one of great victory for the human race... for the cause of Christ

This afternoon my husband attempted to convince me that Starbucks should come out of our tithe... I love my husband more than words!

Day two with kids and I have already broken my resolution... trying again... maybe next week God will bestow some patience upon me... maybe

Today was my (Sarah's) first day back with kids... I remember the reasons that I love these kids and the reasons that they drive me crazy!!

One of my New Year's resolutions is to be more patient with my students : ) we will see what happens with that...

I am truly grateful, even on the hard days, for the amazing kids that God has placed in my life and for the ability that he has given me to go back each day, even when things are hard. This year, a lot is happening for us, but when it comes down to the day-to-day, things are very much the same and we are both thankful for that.

Updates: We are working on buying house (no time like the present)
Ben got a promotion, he is now supervising 5 people
I got a raise
We are both starting school back up on the 20th- please pray for energy!
GOING TO AFRICA!!!!!!
Growing our family (wink) : )
Training Oliver

I think that is it for us! Another update next month when I have the motivation to blog again... if only our lives were more interesting... hmmmm

No religion in the world that teaches anything contrary to love and tolerance.

-Unknown Mauritian Citizen

Are we really all so different?