Photo disclaimer: All of these photos are old.
😊 Most were not taken in Colorado. And no, I am not pregnant again. 😊 😊 😊
Also, this post is a long one, be sure to read or at least skim on if you are interested in putting your kids in music lessons, like to win things, have gifts to buy or want to hear about incredible HOPE being brought to Uganda!
It's March! Spring is on it's way! Things are beginning to green.
Today, March 19th, marks 9 years since this wonderful man asked me to marry him!
Do you have any special occasions coming up in your life?
Today is also the day that I want to tell you that World Water Day is coming up!!!
Wednesday, March 22nd is World Water Day and once again I am joining The Adventure Project to change lives in real ways in Uganda, Africa! The Adventure Project doesn't exist just to give hand outs or build wells that can then fall into disrepair. They are all about jobs and providing for LONG TERM success and hope!!
My dear, dear friend Mandy (we actually met through The Adventure Project's fundraising for World Water Day when I had first moved to town and discovered that someone in my new home was fighting for clean water the same way I had been and our friendship has blossomed and grown and she is now a mentor and life-giving encouraging friend to me!) has been hosting a water raffle to raise money for clean water and JOBS and HOPE in India and Uganda for several years now. Each year the raffle and the money raised gets a little bit bigger and a little bit bigger.
All of that "little bit" - items donated by friends, services offered, Mandy putting it together and getting the word out, encouraging us to share as well . . . all of that "little bit" has raised A LOT of money (in the tens of thousands!) over the past several years.
Mandy got to meet Diana, the well mechanic we have been working with these last several years! She talked about HOW BIG these small gifts are to them! I tried to upload the video but it won't load. You can check it out here!
When Diana was four years old the well in her village broke and she can remember her dad and others standing around trying to figure out how to get clean water back for their village. A desire within her at a young age was born to be a fixer for this problem and that is what she is doing today!
Heaven is coming to Earth!
We love, we care, we give because we love Him and because of what He has already given to us!!!
If you desire to donate you can do so here.
Do you have any gift giving occasions coming up?
Birthdays, Easter baskets, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Teacher Gifts, Graduation, Wedding???
You could potentially win a really awesome present to give or have a fun something for yourself!
Check out these offerings!!
There are BUNCHES of things you can bid on!!
(and if you like reading "favorite things" lists my friend Melissa has put a GREAT one together with this offering! Check it out in the link above!)
can be bid on on Wednesday! Special reserve raffle item for World Water Day itself!
scroll to bottom of post
Starbucks gift card, $100 Amazon gift card, favorite things baskets!, homemade enchilada dinner, Proper wine, greeting cards, haircut gift cards, massages, Homestead basket, Rodan and Fields, photo sessions in Colorado Springs, San Antonio, Washington D. C., jewelry, books, JJ Heller cds and SO MUCH MORE!!!
AND you don't have to live in Colorado Springs to participate in the raffle. Many of the prizes can be shipped!
It is such a joy and honor and privilege to be able to bless other families with what we have soo easily! Clean water, jobs, ways to provide for their families and the HOPE that their water sources will be around for their whole lives because people who are in their own communities are trained and equipped to fix them and keep them maintained.
Here is the specific scoop on this year's project in Mandy's words from her blog:
when water for people was visiting western Uganda and trying to figure out the best system for getting water to these 4 villages ( Bubare, Muragyi A, Muragyi B, and Kabuye, in Western Uganda), two women over heard the plans to pipe water closer to their families.
they immediately sought some extra work at a nearby farm and in 5 days they each proudly contributed 10 dollars toward this new piping system. becky straw (co-founder of the adventure project) says that each family from these villages is giving what they can to make this piping system a reality.
these brave, hard working women gave what they could in 5 days, and this raffle is going to follow their lead.
5 days. 15k.
because of an astounding match from one days wages, every dollar raised starting today will be matched. turning our 15k into 30k.
you know, in heaven none will be thirsty. and so today, this week, we fight to restore a bit of order to this old, dusty earth.
we fight to bring heaven here.
may these loaves and fish multiply into miracles.
you will find the bidding page with all of our amazing raffle items here.
after you look through the items and submit your bids, go here to donate.
if you are the very first one to bid on an item, your name automatically goes in twice for that item!
we will draw winners at 8pm mountain time on world water day, wednesday, march 22nd.
So if you have made it this far in this blogpost, here is a little something more to tell you about.
Two years ago I knew that besides just giving money and getting the word out, I wanted to offer something to be raffled also. God gave me the idea to offer a music camp to last year's raffle. I had no idea who would win it or how it would work out but I committed to a four morning camp in my home for whoever won it.
I didn't know the winner at all but she gathered several of the families from their small group and these women and their kids were a complete delight and blessing to me! We had SOO much fun and they are now treasured friends!!
I mean look at that!!!
So, again this year, I would love to offer your kids or your grandkids (this would make a GREAT gift!!) a music “camp" experience (4 mornings one week to be determined between the winning bidder and I) at my home in Colorado Springs. (a $100 value per child!!)
I will work with the winner to tailor the camp to the ages of your kids (best for preschool - early elementary) AND you can invite friends of similar ages, up to 8 children!
This music camp experience will provide your kids with great opportunities to sing, play instruments, dance and learn other musical skills such as learning to read music all while having a lot of fun with friends and siblings. The kids will also enjoy confidence building as they build on the skills they are learning throughout the four days.
Soo . . . would you like to get in on all this goodness???
Bringing Heaven to earth?
ALL Mamas want clean water for their babies!
photo: Iceland when I was pregnant with Cora
There is something magical about the way working toward peace and hope on behalf of someone else invites the very same peace and hope to seep into the cracks and broken places of our own lives.
We were made to give.
We were made to be a blessing and made to receive a physical and emotional benefit from serving and sacrificing and advocating. This is beautiful and extraordinary and we all have known this abstract principal to be true in our own lives, but it's easy to forget when you are walking through the hard.
The pathway to joy is in sharing the gifts we have.
p.s. in the past $150 has been donated from this little circle of you guys! What if we did even more this year??!!!
Kelly
