Oh what a night!!

Tonight was a fabulous night to hang out with friends, to talk, play games, eat food and laugh AND to bless a family and little girl we may never meet and advance the kingdom of God!! 

Tonight was my adoption party.  Just to remind you, the idea for the adoption party was started by the writer of this blog http://momentswithlove.blogspot.com/, a lady who has a heart for the justice of God and has a heart for the orphan.  She had an idea that if 150 people had a party where they invited 9 people and that the 10 people at the party donated $20 each (at total of $200); we could raise $30,000 which would be the majority of the cost of the adoption of this little girl:

Beautiful little Anika.  She is from Eastern Europe and is HIV positive. When Love first came up with the party fundraiser idea Anika didn't have a family yet BUT in just a few short weeks Anika's family found her.  In fact they had met Anika once before in February 2011 but their adoption request was refused at time.  When they saw the tweets, blog posts, facebook messages about fundraisers for a little girl on the Reece's Rainbow website, they decided to check it out and saw it was the little girl they had tried to adopt earlier this year. So, they prayed and decided to try again.  AND GOD IS MOVING MOUNTAINS!!! They are in the process of adopting her now. 

It is so fun to be a part of this story even in just a small way. To know that God is not hindered by space, time country boundaries or country rules. It is so amazing to think that I can be in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, and be a part of something that will have an eternal impact on a little girl from Eastern Europe and a family from the USofA just by praying, hanging out with friends and giving a little bit of our finances away. It is just good plain fun I tell you!!

If you were not able to make it to the party tonight but would still like to make a donation, you can do so here http://reecesrainbow.org/sponsorfreeland You can also read the family's whole story there and get a link to the mom's blog to follow their story in more detail by clicking the link I just gave you.  

Thanks to everyone who came tonight and donated it was great fun to hang out with you and to mash that donation button and see Anika's adoption fund go up to $3198.00 after our donation.  I can't wait to see how God will move and bring the rest of the finances that this family needs and how He brings her home to her family!

Blogger Photo Challenge Blitz!! Day 26, 27, 28, 29 AND 30!!!!

Oh I know you are excited. Don't try to hide it!  In the interest of wanting to complete this challenge and to move on in my little blogger world here I am presenting the last 5 pictures all at once.  Enjoy! 

Day 26: Something that means a lot to me: This little glass globe was given to me by a good friend as I left Korea.  It is near and dear to my heart; it is a reminder that I am being prayed for and a reminder to pray. 

Day 27: A picture of your last meal: These are leftovers from last nights supper.  Pasta with grilled zucchini and broccoli.

Day 28: A picture of something you are afraid of: Clowns and Mascots.  I don't do well at circuses or sporting events.  

Day 29: A picture that makes you smile:  I found this one in a box.  It is the cast and crew pic from my high school's rendition of Anne of Green Gables.  I remember how much work it was to get this production going, but it was worth it.  I was on the props crew and we had so much fun back stage.  I am one of the ones dressed in black in the back row if you can find me. :-)

Day 30: A picture of someone you miss: My Grandpa.  He passed away about 6 years ago now, but he was one of my heroes, and I miss having him around sometimes.

Adoption Party!

OK, I am going to write about something that I don't talk about a lot but is very near and dear to my heart - adoption and justice for orphans.  I came across this blog Moments with Love last year. It is the blog of a mom in the US who has an amazing heart for orphan's.

The reason I am sharing the link to her blog is because I want us to join in with something she is doing. She has a blog post about a little girl named Anika who is waiting to be adopted.  There are two "barriers" to this little girls adoption that as Love explains are not really barriers.  The first one, Anika is HIV positive.  The second, her adoption would cost $33,000.  Love had a great idea to help with the "money issue" and that is where we come in.  She explain in her blog that if,

150 people [you!] have a get together in the month of May.

they invite 9 of their friends to have a night in instead of a night out.

each of those 9 friends [and you!] bring $20 to donate to Anika's adoption fund.

150 parties x 10 people x 20 dollars = $30,000

Anika's life spared from an institution & the hope of being part 

of a loving family simply because you shared her story & had

a fun night with your friends in her honor!

I know that this little girl is many kilometers away from us, and none of us may ever meet her. But I want to put feet to the stirring that God has put in my heart for the orphan and adoption. I want to sow into the kingdom and truly partner with God's Father's heart in this one.  Let's pray that the family that is to be the forever family of this little girl will be directed to her and they will find each other. Let's sow our finances into something that can make an eternal impact in this little girl's life and that family's life.  So, if you are in the Winnipeg area, expect to get an email or phone call from me to come and join me for a fun party with a purpose.  If you read this blog and just want to invite yourself to the party go ahead and email, call, text or Facebook me and let me know you will be coming.  I will post details about time, theme etc later today.