no more history books!

Well i realize i haven't posted in a long time. School, school, school and more school. Then vacation, vacation, and more vacation. It has been a crazy last two months. School started and we had a huge family trip to France, Africa, New York, and Las Vegas! Yes, those are all very different types of places and yes it was very hard to pack for them all in only one suitcase... but i managed:) I learned so much the past month that i see no need to finish up my history book this year.

But i will start with telling you about France....

If you don't know me... i LOVE food! There was really good food and amazing deserts.

It was beautiful!! We stayed in Nice, France and went to the beaches, village tops, and did some shopping.

 It was one of the last times our family will be together so we had to take our Christmas card

And the two cutest little boys had so much fun!

More pics from other trips will be coming next post:) All i have to say and thank you Jesus for getting us around the world and back home safely.

charity water

The 2011 September Campaign. Our 5-year-anniversary video from charity: water on Vimeo.
Videos like this make me so happy yet so sad at the same time. After raising $15,000........ i am so encouraged to raise even more! I can't wait to go back to Dube Bute, make another video, and spread the word to help make awareness of   what goes on on the other side of our world.

and its finished!!!

Wow! I can't believe it has been almost 9 months since i first drove into the village to Dube Bute. I still remember driving down that long dirt road looking at the kids half naked, animals in the road, kids chasing after the car, women carrying 50 pounds of water, everyone barefoot, looking at all the beautiful faces and soooo much more.
I remember getting out of the car and the kids coming up to touch me because i am white...
Thousands of people singing to the Lord that we have come to help them...
Looking into little babies teary eyes because they are hungry, cold, thirsty...

Getting onto a horse overwhelmed with what God was doing in my life that very moment...
Seeing hope in all the peoples eyes and picking up babies off the road and just crying with them.
I didn't know what to think. It was all so much at such a young age. It honestly just ripped my heart apart. It changed me forever. I will NEVER forget that day.

With God, I was able to reach my goal of raising $15,000 for Dube Bute!!! THANK YOU everyone for all your prayers, love, and donations. Everything you have done has helped make a HUGE difference in so many peoples lives. I am more than happy to know that overall $436,060.00 was raising for Dube Bute!!! Thank You Lord!

In one month i will be back in that village. Holding hands with my little babies who i have fallen in love with the past few times i have been there. The kids who i laughed with trying to teach them English and them teach me Amharic. The people who asked me to move there and live with them. Have running races with the kids. Dance in the rain. Sing songs. Play in the mud. And see all the beautiful faces... I can't wait to see them all!

Remembering Rachael

All i have to say is read this! 

Gods Beauty

Throughout this summer i have been traveling around a little bit and God has really shown me His beauty. Everything from the country to the beach and His children of the world. 

His children and the sparkle in their eyes with the blessing they have gotten. the fish in the seas and lakes. the beauty of water and mountains.

ignore me and jack and look at the background. the mountains with snow on them and the clouds in the blue sky. 

every little detail in every little butterfly of this world is just amazing

the colors of the grass and the sky so blue with clouds that don't look real

the specials moments when you look at the children and feel blessed with what God has given you and made

the moon shinning on the lake

how much prettier can a promise that someone made be?

God is so good!!
"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3)
"For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land." (Psalm 95:3-5)
 

finishing up

As some of you know, i am trying to finish up my fund raising for Dube Bute. Over the past few months i have managed to raise an amazing $14,000. I have $1,000 to go to bring me to my $15,000 goal. I want to give a big thanks to those who have helped me in my fund raising. You have helped make a huge difference in one of the poorest villages in the world.
I am trying to come up with ways to make $1,000 dollars, but as a teenager and not having a job, it is very difficult. I babysit as much i can and give all my money i get from that to Dube Bute.  In the past i sold hand spray painted t-shirts. I also saved up all my change and got a couple hundred dollars just off that. So now i have come up with another idea. I figured out that if all my facebook friends just gave $5... i would reach my goal and even go a little over!  Just 5 dollars!!
Would you be willing to give $5 to save hundreds of lives by giving them clean, safe water drink? Think About It :)

update on life

I am a little late on posting this but... to start off summer, i was in Texas for 2 weeks with the Alexanders! I went to camp with Hill and Wick for 6 days then to San Antonio with their whole family.

YMCA camp

In San Antonio we went to the best most amazing amusement park to celebrate Hills 15th birthday but more importantly for Abe. Morgan's Wonderland is the name of the park and it is built for special needs people!!

such an inspiration

Super Abe!!

Now i am home and am enjoying my summer with friends! I went to a U2 concert and have been playing a lot of tennis.

U2 concert

Tennis

My goal this month and next is to finish up my 15,000 dollar goal for Dube Bute. I have 1,000 dollars to go! I am going to try to do a lot of babysitting and sell some more t-shirts:)
Hope you all are having a great summer!!