Friday, September 7, 2012

HUNDREDS unite...ONE in spirit






It's time to lace up your shoes again and run/walk for the orphans in Haiti!  Phase II of the building project is about to begin at the orphanage, Village de Vie, where we helped build the children's home from proceeds from FEET for the FEAT of ORPHANS.  This includes a school for not only the children from the orphanage, but hundreds of children in the community will also be able to attend.  The Haiti Orphan Project (HOPE) who I've partnered with at Village de Vie is having their 2nd Annual HOPE 5K (in the St. Louis area), and they've gone International.  This means that no matter where you are, we can unite and join together for a great cause.  There are teams in Haiti running as well as people from other states.  I've formed a team, FEET for the FEAT of ORPHANS, to help raise $$ for the building project and 100% of the donations will go towards the school.  So, I'm hoping you will join me on Saturday, October 6th at 8:00 am at the Concord/Civitan Park (same place as our 5K last year)I'd love to have a big crowd there....we'll take pictures and video clips and send them to be included in HOPE's Race Day video. Registration is $25 and if you register by Sept. 10th, you'll receive a t-shirt (I know, time is short, so don't delay).  Watch the video below to find out more (and be sure to look for Jimmy's "flight" with the orphans at the end). 



If you can't join us at the park, run/walk wherever you are that day at ANY time, gather your family for a Saturday run/walk/hike, tell your running groups and run for a cause, get your childs' baseball, football and/or soccer teams involved...together, we can make a difference!  

As many of you know, Jimmy and I had the privilege to go to Haiti in April to see Village de Vie and visit other orphanages (villages). We heard testimonies from the children and I can't begin to tell you how touching it was.  They shared how their lives have been changed since living at Village de Vie.  They shared how thankful they are that they're no longer abandoned and have mamas and papas who love them and take care of them.  They talked about how much they adored the pastors of the church, Philadelphia Evangelical Church, who oversee the day-to-day operations at the village and how these pastors have shown, through word and deed, the love of Jesus.  They talked about how their lives have been transformed through the power of Jesus Christ!!  We saw them worship with their arms held high and pour out their love to God through song and dance.  We met other children in the community and you can instantly discern the ones who are not able to attend school.  And I'm convinced that receiving an education is KEY and a CRITICAL element to changing this nation.  




I've set a lofty goal of raising $7000 so together, we can sponsor an entire classroom at the school.  Will your family join ours???

To register, go to www.hope5k.org
Click the orange "sign-up" button
 Then you will go to the actual registration page. You will see "me" and "me and others" options. Choose "me."

Next will be two green button options. You and your Brentwood/Feet for the Feat team choose HOPE 5K International option.

Go thru the usual name, address, etc. and then come to the page where it will ask you for a team name. Type in FEET for the FEAT of Orphans.

If you want to register additional family members/participants, you will see a grey box that says "another" - click this and go through the prompts as you did before.

Once you're finished entering all the participants, click checkout

If you're interested, here's another video that shows some of the children in Haiti who will attend the school.  


Let's do this....our FEET can make an imprint in these children's lives.  Join me in Brentwood or wherever you are...We'll be united in spirit with the HOPE team in St. Louis, others around the US and in Haiti

 Together, we can be the hands and FEET of Christ...making a difference and giving these children a brighter future


Thursday, February 16, 2012

Home Sweet Home

I'm overjoyed that some of these children now have a place to call home and a caretaker to call "momma". I am way behind on updating the progress since the race, but am SO excited to tell you that the children's home is BUILT (thanks to so many people who made this possible, and truly, to God be the Glory!) and these children have a firm foundation to live their lives. 12 boys and 12 girls now have a solid structure to protect them, a new hope to stand on. They are being given a firm, spiritual foundation in The Word and will know how much very Jesus loves them. The man with the yellow shirt and the big, handsome smile in the picture above is Pastor Innocent of the Philadelphia Evangelical Church. Pastor Innocent and the church oversees the day-to-day operations of the orphanage, "village", and of the children.
The name of the village is Village de Vie which means Village of Life. And how fitting is that! It's located in Gonaives, Haiti. I've partnered with The Haiti Orphan Project (along with The Global Orphan Project) in sponsoring this home. You can go to their website www.haitiorphanproject.org to read more and you will see a post about FEET for the FEAT of ORPHANS.
Anyway, there are so many exciting things to share, but for now, THANK YOU SOOOOO much to everyone who helped make this project and this burden on my heart a reality!!!!! Words can't express my gratitude! My eyes fill with tears just thinking about this fresh new start for these children. The Haiti Orphan Project (HOPE) posted from one of their trips to Haiti where they met with Pastor Innocent and the children, and the boys and girls shared some of the dreams they had. They had dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers, etc. Until their own school is built in the village, they are attending a nearby school and what a tremendous blessing to be able to give these children the opportunity to meet their dreams! They now have a foundation to build upon these dreams. Lives are truly being transformed! And it's my heartfelt prayer that they know God's unfailing love and stand strong on His Word and promises in Jeremiah, " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "

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