Do Good on Good Friday for Zambia!

***Impact Zambia Update: 77 commitments with 1 day to go!


Will you consider impacting a life like Lyness?

Lyness is just ONE of the twenty-two 7th grade students at Lifesong Zambia. Like Lyness, each student has their own story, their own past, and their own hurts. Because of the opportunity to attend the Lifesong School, each student now has the chance to find HOPE as they hear the gospel of Jesus Christ while receiving a quality education from the Lifesong Staff.
 
They are receiving HOPE in a way that many of them have never experienced before. A hope that never dies.

Grade 7 students

It is our desire to build High School classrooms for these 22 students by the fall school year. Not only to see them through graduation, but to invest in the rest of their lives as they grown into young men and women for Christ, breaking the cycle of poverty & unemployment. 
 
Thankfully, in lieu of this expansion, a donor has generously offered to MATCH dollar-for-dollar the funds raised! The time to give is now!
 
We have 1 day left of the Impact Zambia 100 campaign. We are still praying for 41 commitments to supporting students like Lyness.  
 
Will you consider joining Lifesong Zambia in changing lives for Christ? 

To join Impact Zambia 100, email info@lifesongfororphans.org

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'" Matthew 24:40

Impact Zambia in Progress!

***Impact Zambia Update: 30 commitments...4 days to go. Needing 70 more Impacters!

Impact children like Bwalya Bwayla & have your gift MATCHED!!

As you saw in the video, Bwalya Bwalya became a double orphan because of HIV/Aids when he was only five years and now he, too, is HIV+.  Thankfully, Bwalya Bwalya lives with his grandparents and is able to attend the Lifesong Zambia School. Despite his uncertain past, he has a hopeful future because of the presence of Christ in his life and the opportunity to receive an education.

We have launched an Impact Zambia 100 campaign that will help build a high school for Bwalya Bwayla and other children in similar life situations.  We are nearly 1/3 of the way there and have only 4 days left.  

We are looking for 100 people to make a monthly commitment of $20 for one year to help complete this building project.

MATCHING GIFT OPPORTUNITY! 
(that's right--gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to a generous donor!)


Sixty-seven cents a day from 100 people for a year can make this vision a reality for children like Bwalya Bwalya.

4 days left 70 people to go...Will you join us?

To join Impact Zambia 100, email info@lifesongfororphans.org

To learn more about Impact Zambia 100, click here.

Impact Zambia 100, Join With Us to Support Zambia!

 Join us to IMPACT lives in Zambia...   

    

"Hi.  My name is Richard.  I am in grade 7.  I stay with my sister, Josephine.  I have three brothers and two sisters.  My other sister attends Lifesong and is in grade 5.  Her name is Emelia.  My mother stays in a village far away.  My father died in 2006.  Thank you for supporting me and may God bless you and add more days to your life.  My favorite subject is art."

Richard is just ONE of the 253 students that we are blessed to serve at Lifesong Zambia.  He is also one of the students that will be moving on to grade 8 this fall.  

Without the construction of new classrooms, Richard may join the 95% of Zambian children that are not able to attend High School. 

Will you join us in impacting the lives of children like Richard?

To add to the excitement--thanks to a generous donor, all donations will be matched up to $225,000!!

  

To join the Impact Zambia 100 team, email info@lifesongfororphans.org! be sure to mention Abba CCBC or Nuckels if you decide to join with us to Impact Zambia

Shopping Intentionally

Living intentionally takes practice and discipline. There are times that I struggle with my desire for something new and cute for me or my children, the temptation of want vs the realities of others in need. Budgeting for our family needs and additional giving or gifting was realty hard a few years ago...and sometimes a challenge when looking at what is not needed but would be super cute on my daughter. Shifting my focus and wallet to others is getting easier, but at times is not easy.

Shopping intentionally with our children has been a powerful lesson for them and for me. We've taken the children with us to shop for the vulnerable in Russia, China, Ethiopia, Joplin, DFW metroplex and right here in Collin County. The temporary pleasure of purchasing something we wanted pales in the lasting joy of purchasing for others in need. It is for Our Father's glory and His heart for the world that motivates us. It is amazing to watch the way the kids make their selections. Guiding them through the process of looking at the needs and how they can make the most of their purchases. It is also amusing to hear the kiddos sweetly answer some of the questions we sometimes hear about the amount and kinds of items we may be purchasing. Try to not giggle when you hear your child say, "We're buying for orphans/homeless/hungry etc because God loves orphans/homeless/hungry. and we love God." Be sure to give the glory to God and not yourself or your kiddos...it is easy to get caught in a compliment and not realize that you are actually taking glory that is not yours...a lesson that your kiddos will find difficult to unlearn.

* I challenge you to shop intentionally this week for the vulnerable needs of your community or if you are in Collin County purchase shoes in various kid sizes from toddler to teen for Orphan Soles and drop them off at Cottonwood Creek Saturday Morning.

Family Fun Run & Shoe Drive

Come join us on March 31 for the 2012 Family Fun Run at CCBC.

This is great event for the whole family. There is a 1 mile fun run or 5K with chip timing. Face painting, bounce houses and an Easter Egg hunt too!


Make an additional donation to Buckner International's "Shoes for Orphan Souls".
Each gift of $25 will help provide a pair of shoes for at-risk children and orphans in the U.S. and around the world. If you would prefer to bring a new pair of shoes we will have a collection box at the church now until race day.

How awesome to have fun with your family and reach out with the love of Christ by providing new shoes for children!

Check out Cottonwood Creek to register and for more details.

Empowered to Connect & Show Hope

Brian & I went to the recent Empowered to Connect Conference held at Irving Bible Church. It was our first time to hear Dr. Karen Purvis speak. We were greatly encouraged by the speakers and by a few surprises that God had planned for us.

We went to a local fast food place on the lunch break. I was excited by what we were learning and kind of tired too. We sat down at the only open seats and waited for our food. There was an older man sitting alone eating at the table next to us. I knew God was speaking to me to talk to the man, I didn't want to. I tried to relax and eat, but couldn't ignore the pull in my heart.

God is pretty persistent and reluctantly, I commented to the man on how yummy the food was or something like that. Over the next forty minutes or so I listened to how God has moved in this man's life. I was blessed in this reminder of how God makes beauty from ashes and hope where there was only shame. It was time for him to get back to work and we quickly prayed together.

It was His power that we were able to connect. A blessing. But God wasn't done yet.

There were a few other people that God put in our path over the next two days. Videos of parents speaking who had journeyed much like we had from hopeless to hope-filled. Speakers that understood what it was like to come from a hard place and to love children that also come from hard places. The Show Hope banners that served as stage backdrop, reminded me of why we were there...to show hope.

There have been some big challenges and lonely valleys in growing an adoption & orphan care ministry. There have also been some difficult and painful places in this mountain climb of an international adoptive journey over the past seven months.

We have not been alone and until God says stop, we will keep moving. Grateful for the experiences and wisdom shared to help us be empowered to connect. Humbled by His divine appointments and surprise blessings in the reminders to keep moving and to show hope.

Why we are grateful for birthmoms and how we can tell our kiddos they were always loved:)