Online Norwex Fundraiser Event for Ethiopia...

Hi everybody! Just wanted to let you all know about an online Norwex event that is going on from now until October 1. Miranda Schlatter is hosting it, and has agreed to donate all of her host benefits and commission from the sale to our next project in Ethiopia....Mission: Metekle. Mission: Metekle is a $120,000 project to add a second story onto Metekle primary school in Mekele, Ethiopia. This will give children the opportunity to receive a quality education so they can break the cycle of poverty. 

To order, go to www.MirandaSchlatter.norwex.biz. Please put "Miranda Schlatter" in at check-out under "Hostess".

Norwex makes safe, environmentally-friendly, chemical-free cleaning products for your home. I have been using the products for about a year and absolutely love them. While they may seem expensive at first, you will soon find yourself saving money since you will no longer be buying paper towels, cleaners, mop pads, etc. If you buy Norwex products, the only thing you have to add is water to have a sparkling clean home! Their anti-bac products actually have silver in them, so they are self-cleaning. Just use them, rinse them out, and hang them up to dry. I bought the towels and wash cloths for my family, and it has cut down tremendously on the amount of towels I have to launder. We use them over and over again before I wash them, and they don't smell. When I do wash them, I use Norwex's chemical and dye-free laundry detergent which keeps the cloths at their best. I also love the enviro-cloth, which I use to clean my bathrooms, windows, mirrors, and other surfaces in my home. All I add is water. The window cloth and dusting mitt are fabulous, too, and I replaced my Swiffer wetjet with the Norwex mop. I no longer have to buy Swiffer spray and pads. If you have any questions about the products, don't hesitate to let me know. 

Thanks so much! Ethiopian children will be blessed because of your support.

Heading Back to Ethiopia...

To love the Lord our God

Is the heartbeat of our mission

The spring from which our service overflows

Across the street

Or around the world

The mission's still the same

Proclaim and live the truth

In Jesus' name.

-"The Mission" by Steve Green

Next weekend, I am heading back to Ethiopia with 2 women from Oregon: Kiersten, our mission team leader, and Kerri, another AGCI adoptive mom and advocate. While there, we will do some work at Hannah's Hope and will also fly to Gambella, the region Jalen, Jordan, and Kerri's daughter are from.

Gambella is one of the most devastated, isolated, and poorest regions in Ethiopia. Though the land is rich in natural resources, most families in the region live in extreme poverty. Gambella has also been deeply impacted by the political conflict in South Sudan, which has caused thousands of refugees to seek shelter, safety and resources in Gambella. Lack of food, money and safety has also meant a rising number of orphaned children. Many children are displaced and have nowhere to go. They are congregating in churches and community centers, desperately in need of care.

In June of 2014, AGCI staff learned of about 40 orphaned children being served by Foten Child Development Center. Currently, the home operates as a feeding center and daycare for children ages 0 to 12 years. With nowhere to go at night, many of the most vulnerable children are sent to makeshift foster care homes to sleep. With more orphaned children arriving each day, the home needs to expand their services to offer the children full-time care.

This is where our team will come in. We will transform Foten Center into a home that offers full services by supplying it with beds, kitchen supplies, and playground equipment. Can you help us provide the things the center needs in order to welcome the first children into their home? The total project cost is $8925.00, and $6615.00 has been donated. We have 8 more days to raise the remaining funds, so if you feel led to give, please click here: http://allgodschildren.org/get-involved/projects-that-need-you/crisis-shelter-ethiopia/.

Also, we would greatly appreciate your prayers for:
- safe travels
- our health in a land full of disease and unsafe food and water
- Chris, as he manages 6 kids, the house, and his work while I am gone
- the children, as they miss their mommy
- their mommy, as she misses them
- God's will to be accomplished
- discerning hearts and minds
- shining the light of Jesus to the people of Ethiopia
- peace and strength for Jalen and Jordan's birth family, whom I hope to meet again

Thank you all, so very much!!!!

Mission: Metekle (Our team's next project in Ethiopia)

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21.

In 2011, our lives were changed forever when we adopted twin boys from Ethiopia through All God’s Children International (AGCI). While not everyone has the desire or calling to adopt, we agree with AGCI that our dollars are very effective in helping children to thrive in their native land, too. After seeing the need and desiring to become involved, we, along with some of our friends and family members, have partnered with AGCI to complete several projects that bring hope to orphans and destitute children. Last year, due to the generous support of our community, Kelsi Manz and Tiffany Spangler raised the funds to build a library and supply it with books at Kisanet Primary School in Mekelle, Ethiopia. After traveling to the Tigray region of Ethiopia to complete the project this summer, the “Bookin’ It to Ethiopia” team has decided to reach out to their friends in the Mekelle community once again and to provide an education for more children. The “Bookin’ It” team is back with “Mission: Metekle,” a $120,000 project to build a second story onto Metekle Primary School in Mekelle. The project will be completed in two stages, and the team needs to raise $68,000 by February 1, 2015 to begin construction.

Here in the United States, we sometimes take a quality education for granted. But in Ethiopia…..

*1 in 6 children die before the age of 5.

*Most families live on less than $2 a day. 

                                                                  

*Half of the children will never attend school.

*Due to the impacts of extreme poverty, on-going drought, and disease on families, only 18% of all children in Ethiopia stay in school to grade 5.

*The overall literacy rate is 42%.

The school addition at Metekle will be a huge benefit and will help children get the education they need in order to break the cycle of poverty. Currently, Metekle School is bursting at the seams and the classrooms are not sufficient to accommodate all of the children. We hope to change that with this project, and would love to give you a chance to help in one or more of the following ways:

1      1. Pray for our team, our work in Ethiopia, the children we serve, and that God will be glorified. This is the most important thing you can do to help us.

2      2. Mark your calendars and attend our spaghetti dinner and silent auction on October 17 at the Paulding County Extension Building. Doors will open at 5:30, and a buffet-style meal will be served starting at 6:15. If you RSVP before October 10, tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for children ages 3-12, and free for those 2 and under. After the 10th, prices will be $2 more per ticket. We will collect all money at the door. Please RSVP by emailing me at shanaraena@gmail.com. 

3      3. Donate an item for the silent auction. Again, email shanaraena@gmail.com if you are interested.

4      4. Give a tax-deductible donation to support our project. You may either:

a.       Write a check payable to All God’s Children International. On the memo line, please write “Metekle.” Send your check to:

All God’s Children International (AGCI)

Attn: Mission: Metekle

404 E. 15^th, Suite 14

Vancouver WA 98663

                                                                                                                                                                         

b.       Donate online at http://allgodschildren.org/get-involved/projects-that-need-you/metekle-primary-school/.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. Together you can help us in our efforts to give Ethiopian children a quality education. These children will be blessed by your generosity and support.

Catching Up...

* We are so thankful that our nephew Symon is on the road to recovery! On Labor Day, a tree fell on him and he was life-flighted to Parkview hospital in Fort Wayne. He had surgery to repair his fractured skull, and his body is working to rid itself of pneumonia, too. But he is doing much better, and I was amazed at how great he looked last night when we went to visit him. We are praying for his complete healing, and we are humbled at the outpouring of love and support from the community.

* Adrian is now the owner of 2 sheep named Bo and Jeff. (Who names a sheep Jeff, anyway?) 

* School is going well so far this year, and the twins love it!

* This past weekend, we had a garage/craft/bake sale to raise money for our team's next project in Ethiopia. I will share more about our project later, but for now, here are some pictures of our little helpers that sold lemonade at the sale:

* Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day, and we spent some time at a park. Summer is over and fall is here, but we'd love the warm weather to last as long as possible!