Adoption Fundraiser!!

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted.....time has gotten away from me again.  I am BACK!!!!!!

My best friend Mandy and her husband Drew are in the process of adopting a special needs baby from China.  They are in the paper process as we speak.  In May they will be having a silent auction in Alabama to raise money to bring their baby home.  I am asking, praying, hoping that I can gather some donations for their auction.

If you sell something like Pampered Chef, Thirtyone, Premier Designs, etc. and are willing to donate to this wonderful cause, please let me know!  If you make stuff like glass, wood stuff, sewing, and are willing to donate, I would be so appreciative!  If you live in Alabama (she is near Birmingham) and have a hair salon, massage place, photography, restaurant and can donate something like this, please let me know!

You may be asking yourself, why do people adopt if they don't have the money?  The honest answer is that no one would adopt if they only thought about money.  No one really has the money to do it.  When we are talking 30-60 grand, it isn't just saving up a couple paychecks.  But the kids still deserve a home.  God still puts a call on some of our lives.  So we do it the best we can because the Lord tells us to do it.  We fundraise, we go into debt and pay it later, we sell our stuff at garage sales, we have silent auctions, etc.  Is it ideal?  No it isn't.  But it is the way adoption works for most people who step out and do it.  So if it is in your heart to help and you are able, I am asking for stuff!  Also, prayers are very much needed for this fundraiser.  And I thank you, and the Golightly family also thanks you!!

If you are interested in a donation of any sort, here is my email........
amylooaac@aol.com

Amy

Operation Christmas Child update!!

To God be the GLORY!!!!!!

Our church has collected 125 shoeboxes and is in the process of collecting all the stuff to fill them up.  We were praying and wondering how we would be able to pay for the shipping.  Each box costs $7 to ship and we wanted to send the money with the boxes.  That's $875 that we didn't have.  We decided to do a fundraiser for 3 Sundays.  After the second one, we had enough to ship only 58.  We prayed and asked the Lord to get his hand in it and do what he would.  Well, after the next Sunday, I am HAPPY and PRAISING THE LORD and EXCITED to report that we have collected enough money to ship ALL 125 boxes.  But wait, there is more.  We actually have about $300 left over!  So we will be able to purchase more to fill the boxes, and if we have an abundance, we will be able to send more than 125. 

I just gotta say that the LORD is good.  His mercies endure forever.  He cares about every hair on our head, and even more, he cares about every child on this earth.  He cares about their needs, yes, but he cares also about their hearts.  He promised that he would not leave them as orphans, but that he would come to them.  Every orphan has a father, and is not a spiritual orphan.  I pray that every box sent over helps these children realize that very truth.  We may be sending them an earthly gift.  But my prayer is that it will be the vessel to show them that our heavenly Father has given them a spiritual gift.........A SAVIOR.  One that will never leave or forsake them.  One that will wrap his loving arms around them.  I don't know what it is like to live in a third world country.  To live in extreme poverty.  I would imagine that feeling secure, feeling loved, and feeling safe is something these kids truly long for.  I pray that the God I serve will use these boxes to wrap his loving arms around each child and show them they are loved.  They are valued.  They are God's treasure. 

Do you want to be a part of this?  Let me say that no one will ever give you recognition.  No child will ever tell you "thank you."  No one will give you a metal or a blue ribbon.  No one will put you on Oprah and make you a public display of what a good person does.  Your fulfillment from this will come from within your heart.  It will come from YOU and GOD.  You will know that someone somewhere is smiling, is laughing, has a little joy in their life.  All because you gave unselfishly, wanting no recognition.  Just doing something out of the kindness of your heart.  Doing something that has NOTHING to do with you and your life.  Selfless.  It ain't all about us.  The bible tells us so.  And God has to hit us over the head with a two-by-four sometimes to get this point across.  Do we listen, or just put a bandaid on it?  Let's listen. 

To join with me and my church, you can do 2 things.......do a box by yourself.  Send it by yourself.  If you want to do this, here is the link for more information...

Operation Christmas Child

If you want to join with me, send me an email!  I would love to hear from you.  You can also send stuff to me to fill the boxes, or cash for me to do the buying.  Whatever it is, I know there are people out there that would love to participate.  Here is my email and my address.

Amy Adkins
5644 S Ingalls St
Littleton, CO  80123
amylooaac@aol.com

Blessings,
Amy

HELP baby Ari get adopted!!!!!!

Please join me in helping the Boesem family make Ari forever theirs!!  This wonderful family has 8 other adopted kids, most with special needs.  Little Ari was a preemie, and has struggled with medical issues since her birth.  But thanks to the Lord, she has a wonderful family that wants to make her their daughter FOREVER!!  The Boesem's have to re-do their home study and need to raise the funds to do it.  Please consider taking part in this fundraiser for their family.

I will be doing an online book drive for their family.  For every purchase you make, I will donate 100% of my commission to their family.  The more we sell, the more they will receive.  Also, Nora will get free books after the fundraiser, depending on the total sales.  Can you imagine the blessing we could be to her 9 children with not only the profit, but FREE books?

I am starting the BABY ARI Usborne books adoption fundraiser TODAY, and it will go through September 5th.  Please click on the link below to order.  Thank you from the Boesem's, Baby Ari, and me!!!

Baby Ari's fundraiser

HURRY!!  ENDS  SEPTEMBER 5th!!

God Bless,
Amy

New Fundraising Opportunity!!

CARDS FOR A CAUSE

Dear friends who need money,

I have a great fundraising opportunity that I want to share.  It is called "CARDS FOR A CAUSE."  My dear friend Mandy has gotten me hooked on it and I want to share it with everyone I know.  For all my friends who are in the adoption process in the fundraising phase, this is for you!  Also, it will work for any organization trying to raise funds.  Schools, sports teams, ministries, etc.  I am trying it out at church to raise money for our Operation Christmas Child project we have this year.  Let me lay it out, the down and dirty...

Here is how it works............You sell a beautiful box of cards.  There are 30 gorgeous, embellished cards in a cute keepsake box and it costs 30 bucks.  You as an organization get to keep $13 bucks for every box you sell.  That is a 43% profit my friends.  There are very few fundraisers that yield this much.  In my opinion, the cards will sell themselves!!  Everyone needs cards, and you just can't get a decent card for a buck.  Well, yes you can with Cards for a Cause.  Get a booth at a fair, sell them at a Garage sale, sell them door to door, sell them to your friends and family, and keep 13 bucks out of every box.  A little math for you...
Sell 100 boxes, get $1300 bucks (enough for a plane fare to Ethiopia or Russia)
Sell 150 boxes, get $1950 bucks (enough for a homestudy)
Sell 200 boxes, get $2600 bucks (enough for part of your dossier fee)

Small details......
1. You gotta sell at least 15 boxes
2. You take orders for them (unless you want to pay up front for them)
3. You have to charge the customer tax unless your organization is tax exempt

I will take care of all the details and can help answer any questions you may have because I am the Consultant for Cards for a Cause, which is part of Usborne Books.  God bless you all and I pray the Lord will bless what he has placed on your heart.

Here is my link
Cards for a Cause

Here is my e-mail
amylooaac@aol.com

Amy

Dolly Donations

     Wow! I am soooooooo excited about this opportunity!  A fellow adoptive family, The Wade's, are currently in the adoption process in Ethiopia and are doing something wonderful.  This family will be taking handmade dolls with them to Ethiopia to pass out to every kid in several orphanages.
     Directly from the Wade's blog........."The dolls we bring with us to Ethiopia will be taken to the children at the government orphanage, and if we have enough, we would love to bring one to every child at the America World Adoption Association transition home, Abenezer Orphanage and KVI orphanage.  These dolls are so simple and can be made out of any scrap fabric or old clothes.  I am actually using an old pillow to stuff them, so I haven't bought a thing."
     Seriously, we are talking 100's of kids here.  100's of dolls needed.  What an awesome opportunity for you sewing people out there.  I have personally been to several orphanages in Ethiopia and when I say these kids have nothing of their own, I mean NOTHING.  what a blessing it would be to bring a doll to every single child, a doll absoltely all their own.  I can picture the smiles on their faces already.  I just know from seeing it with my own eyes the joy it brings to these kids when they get a small gift of their own.  Visualize yourself with a scratch lottery ticket that is a $1000 winner.  I imagine the feeling of getting a doll is the same to these precious little ones.
     Let us not talk about loving people.  Let us love people with our actions, our deeds, our hands, our hearts, just as the bible tells us so.  Take a moment to decide today to make your life not about you.  I know for me, without loving people, life just doesn't satisfy.  There is a gift that I receive, too, when I make this life about more than just me and mine.  If you choose to participate in this project, I pray that HIS blessings be poured out upon you, and that you would be an inspiration for others.

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth."  1 John 3:18

Here is the link to Logan and Brandy's blog for more information, but HURRY!!  You must have them to the Wade's by the end of JULY!!!!!

Dolly Donations

Blessings,

Amy

USBORNE books Fundaiser

My dear friend Mandy Golightly is an Usborne books consultant and has generously offered to donate 50% of her profits to a wonderful family in the adoption process.  Thank you Mandy for your giving, generous heart.  May God bless you in return!

Charlie and Bonnie Schilling have a wonderful family.  3 biological kids and 3 kids from Ethiopia.  Recently, their son's 2 brothers from Ethiopia have become available for adoption and this family is raising funds to go bring them home!  What a blessing, and what a step out in faith.  They have listened to the call that the Lord has placed in their hearts, and even though the task is scary, they believe that the Lord is leading them.  I am believing with them for every penny for this adoption of these two boys who need to be with their brother, and need a forever family.

Would you think about helping them bring their sons home?  You don't have to do a thing except place an online order.  You can do it in the comfort of your own home, in your jammies, in your undies!  These books that you order are absolutely great books, of high quality and kids love them.  The best part is that they will ship directly to your own home.  You get something wonderful out of it, books for kids, but the best part is that you could be helping take care of orphans like the Lord commanded us to do.  Thank you for opening your heart to this family. 

For the fundraiser and to place an order, please go here:
Usborne books fundraiser

Blessings,
Amy

My Stuff Bags

I just cannot stand the thought of kids in pain.  Especially emotional pain.  I have had the privilege of being raised by 2 wonderful parents, which today seems like a total luxury.  I am blessed.  Why should I be blessed because I was born on the right continent?  Why should I be blessed because I was born into the right family?  The fact is that I have no right to live in my blessed little world and turn my head away from those kids that don't have the same luxury that I do.  I simply can't turn my head away.  I hope you can't either.

MyStuffBags is something I came across when searching for children's charities in the United States.  It is an awesome organization.  Many kids get ripped from their homes and end up in foster care.  Most if those kids leave their home with a small trash bag of belongings and enter their new home with next to nothing.  But this organization's goal is to give every child entering the foster care system a bag full of their very own stuff.  Stuffed animals, toiletries, school supplies, baby items and blankets.  My eye caught this because I am not great at knitting or crocheting, but I can make those cute little flannel knot blankets and there is a quick pattern on the website.  You can get the kits at most fabric stores, and with a coupon they would be an awesome price!  There are dimensions on the site for the blankets that they need, as well as the address of where you can send the stuff.

There are so many kids in the world that could use your help. Some right in your own backyard.  One blanket could make a difference.  You will never see who gets it, where it goes, or the joy that it will bring.  But God will see, and it will make his heart so happy.

Here is the link to the website:

My Stuff Bags

God bless you dearly,
Amy