Milestone reached!

We reached our first big milestone of $1,000 this week!  Thanking everyone who has contributed with prayer, time, moral support and financial support!

This is not all we have raised - when all the party funds and stromboli money is in, I will add that too.  

A little is lost to credit card fees (Go Fund Me site takes 5% and Paypal another 2.8%) but most has been cash or check, so we are doing pretty good!

 Want to help?  See our Support page for info.
http://www.boldlycompassionate.com/p/support.html

Manuelito kids pay it forward

I love this. Last week the kids got new mattresses for their beds at the Manuelito Project, and they chose the pay the blessing forward.

This was posted on their Facebook page:

"The project got new mattresses yesterday so the kids from town asked if they could have our old ones. Many of these kids don't have their own. We give thanks to God for allowing us to serve and better the lives of those in our community who have nothing."

More shots and some $$ adjustments

A belated realization that on top of the previous round of shots, we also need typhoid. Unfortunately our doc doesn't do that. Walgreens do immunizations but in PA, they can't give them to minors. So we have a trip to make. Estimate for our typhoid alone is going to be around $400 for the 3 of us.

Shopping around....

Fundraiser event

We had a great evening last night at our fundraiser evening at Gretchen & Craig's house.

We had vendors from Pampered Chef, Silpada Silver Jewelry, Mary Kay, 31 Gifts, Rada Cutlery. Ice cream pie was  donated by our local homemade ice cream store, and Jason was selling some of his metal signs, as well as his homemade soaps, bath salts, pure maple syrup from the trees on our property and handmade hickory nut chocolate!

Some of Jason's homemade goodies for sale

My friend Chelsae donated some of her handmade items - like this pretty fairy ornament!


The house was filled with goodies, and over the next few days we will work out what was made.
 

There is still time to order from these vendors for it to count for the mission fundraiser!  Info is below. Order by April 25.

Silpada Jewelry Order at the link		Rada Cutlery Use account 504334 Password: mission Just enter your address at checkout!
Pampered Chef  Order at the link		Thirty One Gifts See catalog online but orders must be direct through me to count so please get in touch

Mission Prep Meetings

Every two weeks, our team gets together to prepare ourselves for our trip. There are 13 of us in total: 3 from my family, Craig & Gretchen and their 3 girls, Rob (our church's director of discipleship), Christine & Monica (sisters), Wendy and Daphne.

At each meeting, we do a short bible study and some other business. This week we read Proverbs 3:5-6 and discussed being obedient to God's call, and how this verse helps - especially if we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations.

Inspirational Bible Quote Proverbs 3:5-6

We also took time to get to know one another a little better. Though I knew most of our team in some way or another, nothing can gel or split teams more than how you prepare and how you deal with trying situations. Over the weeks ahead, we will discuss issues such as what are our fears and how we will prepare for them (example, not liking local food, coping with the skeeters or the humidity, being without home luxuries like your bed or 20 minutes in a hot shower, culture shock and not speaking the native language....).

We are all reading the missionary team book suggested to us by WGM (out of print so hard to find at reasonable prices though an old version is around $2.99) and it was suggested to find others, such as biographies of missionaries and so on. Rob suggested a day or two of fasting to prepare for days of irritation or discomfort.

One thing is clear: in times of discomfort, our true spiritual heart will surely be revealed - do we truly rely on God or do we just talk about it? Do we really have the fruits of the Spirit, or when it gets tough do we let emotion take over? As I've said before, I think we will probably get more blessings from this experience than we can possibly give others, but if I remember God's call then I remember this:

I am there at God's invitation. Which means He is already at work and I am joining Him - not the other way around. If I remember that I am not just doing His business but He is working through me, then I can do as Solomon said in Proverbs - lean not on my understanding but trust where the Lord takes me.

Honduras Kids go walking

Last Friday was International Day of the Street Child, and the kids from Manuelito Project walked for awareness.

Pastor Jorge Pinto

Later the same day, the kids received a donation from Toms shoes!

How amazing is technology that we can see these pics from thousands of miles away, moments after they were taken? 

When your heart changes, God's at work, so listen..

It was a scary night as we marched through part of Panama in 1989. We were in near constant small arms fire fights, fires lit the night skies, people in disorder, lights flickered as power was cutting off and coming back on. Like in most combat situations, the screams and cries of people become less alarming. Because as a Soldier you are trained to drive forward on your mission/orders with complete disregard to everything else except fellow Americans and people in your sight.

You have to understand I was not a regular Army Soldier, I was an Airborne Ranger. My job required much more efficiency with more results in a shorter period of time than regulars.  I covered more ground, and was expected to seek and destroy my enemy with great vigor.

So as we walked in a line formation down the street, at least 3 machine guns opened up on us, splitting us up to find cover. I saw and hid under a bus bench, which was the only thing I could see to protect me. The PDF (Panama Defense Force) Rebels knew I was there as they placed direct fire upon that bench.

As that bench took fire, it began to crumble, and I had begun to pray to God. Well that isn't really true, I began to lie to God. I told him ( self proclaimed Roman Catholic) that I would go to Church every Sunday, read my Bible if he would save me. Over and over I prayed as the concrete leg of that bus bench continued to crumble.

Let's go back to 1984 for a minute and talk about my childhood. My biological father was a Policeman, and he was also a Racist and taught me how to look at people of different skin color. As I got older I took on a slightly different view of acceptance but it was never certified in my heart. I was, from time to time a Racist, sometimes out of anger/not understanding or as to join in with the people around me.

Back to 1989...

So there I was lying to God, asking him to save my hide, thinking nothing more than about myself. I couldn't get a shot off at the enemy as the suppression fire was far to great. Closed eyes, laying in a fetal style position, I began to feel the bench fall on my head, and it was hot. I opened my eyes and was trying to remove those pieces, when I looked, there was another Soldier standing over me firing his M-249 towards the enemy line. He began to shout in a deep, drawn out southern accent, arm extended to me, " come on man, I am running out of ammo, lets get the @#$* out of here ". He basically pulled me to my feet where I began to return fire as well.

Built like a football player, he was of African American decent, or then known as a Black Man. This man of color saw no color of mine and saved my life. He could have been killed, but I was just a Brother in Arms to him, and he did what he did with complete disregard for his own life or my skin color. I thanked him several times as I made my way back to my unit.

From that moment on, I was never a Racist again and later I would visit that unit to thank the man again. When I found him he didn't remember what he had done. It was like he was never there, was he ever there?

I often wondered after I didn't "find" him again if that was some one God had sent to teach me how to love others no matter what their skin color was. That lesson was taught to me and I have never spoke such words or had a Racist attitude ever again.

Later in life I would live in a community where I was the only white person living there. I lived in harmony and kindness with them. Although there was some lashing out at me, I didn't lash back and generally I was well respected as a human.  

Sometimes, I believe in my heart, God teaches us, and those lessons we will carry with us the rest of our time on Earth. 

A note from Jessica

Hi my name is Jessica and I'm 13 years old. I'm in 7th grade and I go to BJHS. Some things I do outside of school are lots of sports, swimming and track. I also help out at my church, such as I help in the pre-school room at Sunday school, and help with my family at events. I also do Nerve to Serve which is a week in Summer when we do things to help people in our community, and of course this mission trip.



I'm looking forward to Honduras, because its not just a working mission trip, it can also be some fun. The type of things I want to do there, is not just donate money to a couple kids, I want to actually talk to the kids there, maybe play some games with them, and give them some good memories to hold on to because they probably won't have them very often.

I want to help them by letting them know about Jesus. He helped me realize there is much more to life than what I see here and now. He gave me a lot of hope, and I want to show that the kids can have that too because they have had a lot of bad things happen to them.

My favorite bible verse is Romans 1:16 " For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes:"

Copper Crosses for sale

Our company, The Metal Peddler, will be making copper crosses to donate for sale to the mission trip fundraiser.  They are 9 inches tall, and there are 2 options - with or without our "Boldly Compassionate" fundraiser heart cut-out. They are available to purchase, and also as a thank you gift for our highest level supporters.

Each cross is made from 48 oz copper (1/16 inch thick) and is handrubbed raw copper. It will develop a patina over time. The patina will differ whether you hang this inside or out, exposure to dry or humid air etc.


Price: On ebay we have these for $47.99/ 48.99.
Special fundraiser price until April 19: $35/ $37
Also available in steel (painted black) $15/17

Want to order one? You can order here and pay by credit card or paypal. Click Buy Now & follow instructions. Allow a week or two for your cross to be made. For credit cards, you don't need a paypal account. 

Option 1: Local Pick Up If you live in the area, you can pick these up from us in West Sunbury or from church.		Option 2: Shipping within USA  adds $6.60 Ships with US Mail
Type Make selection... $0.00 USD Copper, Plain (no heart) $35.00 Copper, heart cut-out $37.00 Steel, Plain (no heart) $15.00 Steel, heart cut-out $17.00		Type Make selection... $0.00 USD Copper, Plain (no heart) $35.00 Copper, heart cut-out $37.00 Steel, Plain (no heart) $15.00 Steel, heart cut-out $17.00

Fundraiser with Rada Cutlery

Rada Cutlery -

This company makes great kitchen knives & serving utensils, made in USA. And they are really great prices! 

We will make up to 40% of the order, proceeds to the Mission Trip!

For internet ordering # 504334
Password: mission

http://www.helpourfundraiser.com/

Click to enlarge

Price examples: Paring knives $4.25. Set of 6 steak knives under $30!

 Shipping is very reasonable too.

To order, visit the site and use the account number & password above.

Silpada Jewelry fundraising

In a couple of weeks, Gretchen and I will be hosting a fundraiser open house. Gretchen and her family will also be traveling to Honduras, and it was them who got the ball rolling for the trip to even happen. It will be a wonderful experience for us all together!

So Gretchen and I are planning a fun evening to fundraise. We have several vendors lined up, and most can take orders online - so even if you cannot come, you can browse the catalogs and order!

The first is Silpada Design Jewelry - this is all sterling silver. My friend Amy will be our consultant for the evening! Amy and I have spent the best past of the last year in bible study small groups together, and this is our first "out of group" fun activity!

★ Silpada Design Jewelry - Until April 28

25% of proceeds go to our trip, for orders placed by April 28.
All orders will ship after this close date and will arrive by Mother's Day!

Visit: http://sild.es/3HW











[Friends! Want to come? The party is April 19th. Contact me for details!]

The Manuelito kids!

This is a recent photo of some of the kids at Manuelito Project, in Honduras! In just a few months, we will get to meet them in person. Look at the age range! Hard to imagine kids that young living on the city streets.  I pray for them, and any healing that they need, and that in our short visit we can be a blessing in their lives!

If you'd to find out more about the project in Honduras, visit their website http://www.projectmanuelito.org/

If you would like to know more about our fundraising, please see http://www.boldlycompassionate.com/p/support.html 
We are accepting donations, but we do also have fundraiser products for sale and events going on!

Events: http://www.boldlycompassionate.com/p/events.html


.

Mission prep! Shots - ouch!

If you know me well, you know that while I might be a mental toughie, I am a  wimp when it comes to physical pain. I don't like pain. So this part of preparing for our trip made me squeamish: shots.

The CDC has good info for about health precautions when traveling abroad. For Honduras, the recommended vaccinations are tetanus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and malaria. A couple of these have 2 or 3 rounds, so we will be going back for more. The malaria gets done around 6 weeks before travel. I didn't know until today that a completely effective vaccine is not yet available for malaria - that people who have been vaccinated are still at risk in some regions.

Skeeters are the part of the trip I look forward to the least. While Jason can go outside for 8 hours in the garden and come in without a single bite, I can pop my head out the door, call "Dinner's ready!" and find a bite on my arm. My plan will involve wearing long light (color and weight) fabrics, eating Marmite on toast (I love it, but apparently mosquitoes don't!) and stocking up on insect repellant. Name your favorite in the comments below - I am up for suggestions!

Goal focused and on the right track for my Mission

The time has come for me to make some lifestyle changes. I remember all to well the conditions of the region from my first go around during my combat tour in Panama.

If you know me you know that I am over weight, and after some personal tragedy in my family, I just let myself go. I stacked up 86 pounds in just over two years. When I got bigger I just bought bigger clothes. Prior to that I was not taking care of myself as I should have.

With this in mind, I had laid those problems before God, and he did help me get through those tough times. I stayed faithful and continued to love him as I dealt with my issues.

SO two weeks  ago I started a diet and exercise routine... So far I have lost 10 pounds and tomorrow is weigh in...

Even though I get to get rid of that skeleton I told you about, but it is also has motivated me to get fit and healthy. Just another praise to God for this Mission trip, what a Blessing.

Fundraiser: Strombolis For Sale!

Strombolis For Sale!

click to enlarge

I've been told that Jane's Strombolis are fabulous, so we are selling these as a fundraiser for our mission trip. 
They arrive frozen for you to bake so this is only for our friends in the Butler PA area.

And since they are frozen for your baking, you can order a whole stack of them for your freezer!
We will take orders until April 14; delivery approx April 23. Price $3 each.






Let me know (below) how many and what flavors: Broccoli, Pepperoni, Deluxe, Combo and Chicken. Comments below and I will be in touch!
We will arrange a couple of days for pick up. We can bring to church (Crossfire or FUMC downtown), you can pick up from us in West Sunbury, or we can have an afternoon at the mall & Target for folks to pick up. We will accept checks or cash.