Change for Change

We told our kids that Meseret and the kids at Trees of Glory needed a teacher and we wanted to help. Our family eats pizza a couple of times a month and we told them that if we would eat pizza just one less time per month, then we could help sponsor the salary for the teachers. They got very excited and wanted to bring me the change from their piggy banks, so we decided to empty all of the change out and use it to help hire teachers for Trees of Glory.

I was amazed at how much change we had just sitting in piggy banks and jars around the house. All together, we counted up a little over $70! That was enough for almost three months of the amount that we had committed to send for the teacher fund. I was very proud of their generous spirits and told them what a difference our little sacrifice of pizza and piggy bank money would make for Meseret and her friends. I'm just loving watching the wheels turn in their heads as they think of other ways to help. After we talked, Meron ran and got a pair of shoes that she had outgrown and wanted to send them to the the kids. I pray that they will grow up with servant hearts and a great love for others.

So the need for teacher salaries is nearly met. Of the $250 per month that was needed to hire a teacher and an assistant, all but $50 has been committed. With the school year quickly approaching in September, I'm hoping that one, two, or even five families will be burdened to provide the remaining $50/month to ensure an education for these kids who, without the help they are receiving from Trees of Glory, would have very little hope of a future.

I challenge you to count up your spare change and help be the change for the kids at Trees of Glory.

To contribute to this fund, please contact Karen Wistrom at kjwistrom@yahoo.com

Colton the 2 Year Old Tornado

Colton is always keeping us on our toes-getting into everything, afraid of nothing and generally a lot of fun. When we travelled to visit Nick's parents, he slept in a pack-n-play and climbed out of it every day that we were there. Up until now, he's been sleeping (and staying) in his crib. He's two and a half and he's stayed in the crib longer than any of the other kids (we were always making room for the next baby, so the others moved to big kid beds earlier). I wasn't going to mess with it because he is such a good sleeper-no need to rock the boat. Well, as I expected, he immediately climbed right out of his crib the first time we put him in it after returning home. So he is now in his big boy bed.

It's the end of an era as we've had the crib continuously in use for almost seven years. It is the first time we've moved a baby out without another baby moving in. My husband had a moment of celebration as I had my moment of nostalgia. I told him to store it away-you never know what God will do and we might need that crib one day. He thinks I'm a little crazy, but agreed to store it. I keep telling him we have one more seat in our car and one more seat at the table-again, he thinks I may have lost a few marbles in Ethiopia. For now, we are a happy family of seven with all of our little ones growing up before our eyes (a little too quickly I might add).

Getting the new bed set up.

Colton looking quite pleased with the new sleeping arrangement.

Pretending to sleep. He got up too many times to count during the first week in the new bed.

We found him like this one night-fast asleep on the floor (we put pillow next to his bed after that).


He came out of his room on the second or third night like this-covered in lotion (we thought he was sleeping already).


This is the contraband he had stashed in his bed when I went to put him back to sleep-some of the girls' hair products, lotion and rubber bands. I guess he was giving himself a spa treatment.

Korah

I've learned a little more about how you can make a difference for Korah and the many children that are literally living in trash. Below is the information regarding sponsorship there and general donations. I hope to be able to travel back to Ethiopia next year and serve in this community as well as with our sponsor child Meseret at Trees of Glory.

Thank you for your interest in sponsoring a child from Korah! These kids, many of whom are orphans, currently spend most of their days and nights in the local trash dump trying to find food to survive. By sponsoring them to go to boarding school, their life circumstances are completely changed, and they are able to focus on having a better future. At the school, they will also learn about Christ, who is our Only Hope for the future!

Once we have a firm commitment that someone is willing to sponsor a child at $700 per year (payment information attached), we will assign a child to them. By sponsoring them, you pay for their tuition to go to boarding school, 3 meals a day, dorm room, books, uniforms, bedding, hygiene items, school supplies, and fees. We would like for our sponsors to commit to the child until they are finished with school. This can be done individually, as a group, or as raised support. Once you are assigned a child, we encourage you to exchange letters and pictures with him or her to establish a supportive relationship.

There are also young adults that would like to attend technical school to learn a trade. These sponsorships are $600, paid one time. We also encourage these sponsors to exchange letters and pictures with them to encourage them along the way. Learning a trade can totally change these young adults' lives, as they can look for a job to support themselves and their families.

Project 61, the ministry established to meet the needs of orphans in the community of Korah, would also welcome any general donations.

Checks may be made out to Project 61 and mailed to:
Project 61 Ministries
P.O. Box 126
Thompson's Station, TN 37179

For additional information, contact Erin Allen at erin@p61.org

Be the change for one!