I will continue with fundraising activities such as craft tables, etc., but I have started the last phase of fundraising for our January 2013 mission trip to "my" orphanage through soliciting financial contributions from family, friends, and interested parties.  The mailing list was very hard to come up with, as it is SO NOT my thing to ask for money, although in the "mission" world, it is supposedly a "normal" practice.  So, letters went out last week and I am praying for a good response!  Awaiting the arrival of our passports now, and hopefully I will be able to secure airline tickets once they arrive.  I cannot thank everyone enough for all of their support- both the big gestures as well as the little ones!

I'm back!

Life has been very busy lately, and our fundraising efforts have been at full force!  We hosted two yard sales this summer, with the first netting about $1,100 and the second $750!  We had a lot of donations from friends, and good people showed up to help with the sale and to shop.  So, we have been able to pay for all of our lodging expenses at the orphanage, plus our passports.  Now, to get those airplane tickets...

GREAT news about Sebastien, our kid we sponsor at the orphanage.  He had his legs casted and can now walk with his new casts.  I believe he may even now have his casts OFF!  How exciting for him....

My dad had a heart attack and bypass surgery last month, and my sister and I flew out to Colorado to be with him.  He is slowly on the road to recovery! 

Joe, the kids and I went to Chincoteague this year and tried our hand at kayaking again...

We also had to say goodbye to our Skipper this summer as well.  His vet made us this sweet paw print mold...

Deborah

Update on sponsored child, Sebastien!

Sebastien received the second gift package from me and the kids.

"Great news Deborah!  Your package arrived for Sebastien!  Here is what Molly had to say about when he opened it-     Sebastien loved the package! He studied your photos and asked me to read the captions you wrote beside them.  He was very pleased with the color by number, both because he loves color by number and because it is his favorite subject, horses. "

Again, it is so satisfying to see the direct impact of our sponsorship, both in a monthly financial contribution and with the ability to send packages.  If you would like to change the life of a precious Haitian chlild, visit GLA's website:

http://godslittlestangelsinhaiti.org/

Deborah :-)

First fundraiser under our belt!

Copy and pasted from my Facebook page:

So, sold crafts today @ at the Carver Elem. School PTA craft fair/yard sale, with all of the proceeds going toward our Haiti mission trip. Foot traffic was VERY, VERY slow, though. Baked goods did well (thanks Sandi Philpott Hauenstein and Meg!) Met some nice vendors and got some good ideas. Also, figured out that my prices were just about right. I made $62.50. So, still A LOT of work to do before we can get to Haiti, but with helpers like Rachel Swisher, Hannah, and Bella (and the support of friends and family), we'll get there :-)

Deb

First official fundraiser on Saturday!

This Saturday, March 24th, Rachel, Hannah and I will be selling crafty things at the Carver Elementary School PTA yard sale and craft show from 9am to 1pm.  I have been staring at this stuff for weeks now, and am convinced a 2nd grader could have done better, but, yet, I forge ahead taking the leap of faith in my craftiness!  Pray that we make a buck or two...

Here is a list of what our trip will cost:

Passports $165 x 2 = $330

Airport transportation $50

Round-trip plane tickets $500 x 2 = $1,000

Vaccinations $50 co-pay x 2 = $100

Room and board $560 x 2 = $1,120

Spending money $250 x 2= $500

Misc. expenses $500

Donation to orphanage $500

Grand total $4,000

If you have been considering a way to contribute to our cause, but want to get a tax receipt for your records, you may mail a check to:

God's Littlest Angels
C/O Kate Bickel-Benson
2283 A Waynoka Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80915

email: volunteers@glahaiti.org

Checks must be made payable to God's Littlest Angels and clearly marked in the memo something like "Deb Bello's support on the mission field".

Deb

Good video....

Here is a good YouTube video on the volunteer duties at God's Littlest Angels, and where exactly Rachel and I will be staying...

If You Could Only Imagine...

...being born into a world where you collect drinking water from the same place raw sewage collects.

And your parents scavenge for food from the city dump...

 ...to find old bones that will serve as a protein source.

Going to the grocery store isn't an option in your world, so your family waits for the dump truck to unload its goods. 

You are land-locked, born into a virtual prison.  And even with 316,000 of your fellow citizens gone in a devestating earthquake, your country is still desperately overpopulated.

But it's not your fault.

You are a victim of circumstance.

And it just as easily could have been me, or my children.

I recently asked a Haitian colleague on mine "is there hope for Haiti?"  And after a long pause, he said "yes, I believe there is". 

I believe so, too.

Deb