Giveaway for a Good Cause!

A few weeks ago my friend Allison posted some pictures of really cute items to facebook & I loved what I saw. I figure until I learn to sew, I will happily support those who do!

Allison is going to be going with a group from her church to Monrovia, Liberia for 13 days this summer. Her talented friend Jen who sews has offered to help her raise some of her support by selling cute checkbook covers with 90% of the proceeds going towards Al's trip!

If you are anything like me, you have to look at a map to identify where exactly in Africa Liberia is. It is on the West Coast and here is a little visual:


One thing that is really cool about this opportunity is that their church does trips like this multiple times a year to Liberia, meaning that there is a partnership present and not just a one time experience. Allison will be working with a team to continue the relationships their church has built with teachers and leaders along with doing some ministry with kids. While she is in Liberia, she will miss her cute little son Will's second b-day which to me is a sign of how called she feels to be on this trip, at this particular time.

Here's a pic of the Kemmerer family around Will's first b-day last year:

As just a small piece of support for her trip I want to give one of the checkbook covers away. All you have to do to enter is comment with your favorite of the four designs pictured below by Sunday at noon!

Here are a few of the other fun items Jen makes and even if you do not win the giveaway, the checkbook covers are still available for purchase with 90% of the sales going towards Allison's trip. For info on the other items pictured here, email me at bekah_wallace@yahoo.com. Enjoy!

cute headbands, perfect for spring!

custom boy onesies ($12)

custom girl onesies ($12)

count by number 1-9 ($34 for rice filled, $23 for washable numbers)

flower pins that can go on a bag, a shirt, a headband. anywhere really. ($8 each)

to the ends of the Earth

So if you have been around here for awhile you know how much I love these week long trips with the students. Working all day and staying up late. And maybe a little caffeine outing or two for us leaders (I mean, we are staying within 2 miles of JPs Coffee).

We kick the week off tomorrow by heading out to Tunnel Park after our commissioning at EGM where we will grill out & enjoy time together as a team. From there, we move into a local church for the week and get to spend Monday-Thursday from 8-5 rotating through 3 local ministries. 2 kids clubs and 1 MAJOR exterior painting project. Laura and I have TONS of surprises up our sleeves for the students to reward them for their hard work and I am so overwhelmed by how God lined all of this up for us. Just a week ago our housing fell through and with it our transportation our food. We now have a bus and ALL of our food coordinated by our own leader Kelsey *who just happens to have the gift of hospitality. Wow.

I think the biggest thing that I am excited about with this trip is that we are staying local. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Bilouxi and Jacksonville too but I think there will be something really meaningful and lasting about seeing needs in our own corner of the world. I love Laura's heartbeat for to students to have the chance to live out and experience Acts 1:8 through their four years.

"you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,and in all Judea, and Samaria & to the ends of the Earth."


picture taken on the shores of Caeserea, Israel with my feet pointing west. Amidst marble scrap from columns delivered from Rome and remembering what it means to take what you know out to the corners of the world.

lessons on how to love

Last Wednesday morning we had the joy of something that happens from time to time in our office. After our normal meeting, we invited some special guests who are participating in ministry around the world into our space. And what unfolded was such an encouragement. The couple whose story was shared spent their first 20 years of marriage working overseas, translating the Bible into a language that was never before written.

When they returned home, one of the first things they did was go to a grocery store in Miami & the girl at the checkout asked them "paper or plastic" and they thought she was asking if they were paying with cash or credit. Funny story, yes, but at the same time, a realization of how much life took place in the 20 years that they were overseas. There were so many awesome testimonies that they had to share but also some really practical resources as a result for those who are back home, praying for them and supporting them. Some of the things they shared really surprised me and reminded me that I too easily assume I know what people need.
Here are a few of the things that were surprising...and helpful:

-find out what kind of software upgrades are needed and mail a copy
-Send local newspaper stories and even cartoons to your friends overseas, reading about things that are familiar will be interesting and fun for them to read
-make sure to include them on your invitation list for weddings, graduations, baby announcements, even if you know they cannot attend the events, they love to be included
-decaf coffees & teas are often hard to find overseas and are easy and light to mail
-encourage your missionary friends with devo books written in English, they probably don't have the same access to those as you do at your local Family Christian Store

Taken from "65 Ways to Love & Encourage Missionaries"- Ed & Linda Speyers

I know for me it is so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day of my own life and I am always encouraged to hear about what is going on to advance the gospel in other parts of the world. So here are a few ministries I know of and would love to hear from you on others you read about/are praying for. Feel free to add to the list below: