Almighty Awesomeness

 The following email landed in Julie's inbox a couple days ago.

I present it to you as the

DEFINITION OF:

anything is possible.

our God is an awesome God.

every drop matters.

I got goosebumps just reading it.

ETHIOPIA.

 (for more pics from the field CLICK HERE)

Clean water for people halfway across the world.

In HIS name.

The Definition of RAD.

"Dear Julie,

This is it!


In a couple weeks we will be sending your funds to Ethiopia.


The construction will start soon, and we are ordering plaques to adhere to each water project site. For your project, we currently have:


Sponsored by: “Project 320”.


If there’s an alternate name you’d like to appear on your plaque, please respond to this email with an alternate by Tuesday, April 13th, 2010.


Also, if you would like physical photos of your completed water project in 12-18 months, please provide your mailing address.


Thanks again and I look forward to following up with you in the coming months on our progress!


Best,
Kelly
--
Kelly Gannon
Fundraising Support
charity: water / charitywater.org
200 Varick Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10014
office: 646.688.2323
...................
3.5 years. 2,406 projects in 16 countries. 1,081,612 people served.
Water changes everything.

Thank you and God Bless to EVERYONE who made this dream a reality for us. It's my hope you feel a little something in YOU was realized as well. Wont it be exciting to see those pictures 12-18 months from now?! We can't wait!!

Humanitarian Parole for orphans in Haiti

The outpouring of support for Haiti that we have seen throughout the blogging community is astounding. Everywhere we turn, it seems, another fundraiser... another campaign for aid... more hope for Haiti.

But what about the hundreds of thousands of orphans amidst the chaos? This is something very close to our hearts. Julie and I have both talked about our friend, Kristen Howerton, on our own blogs over the past week. You see, Kristen was actually in Haiti last week during the earthquake, visiting her son, who her family has been in the process of adopting for years. Like so many others who were nearing the end of this agonizing process, the future is now even more uncertain, as the government buildings processing adoptions have been destroyed. Can you imagine the devastation Kristen felt when she was finally evacuated home... without her son? Heartache.

[Here is a video clip of Diane Sawyer on the orphans in crisis. You can even see her holding the Howertons' son, Kembert (the cutie in the blue shirt), during a visit to his orphanage- Heartline- just after Kristen returned to the US.]

What hope do the families like the Howertons have? There may be an option for getting these kids safely home under humanitarian parole.

The next mission of Project 320 is to desperately spread awareness about humanitarian parole. We are so thankful for YOU, part of our amazing team of supporters & prayer warriors. We can potentially make a huge impact here, and here is exactly how YOU can help- RIGHT NOW! All it will take is a bit of your time. We can all afford to give a few moments of our time. Please help us spread the word in any way you possible can! Thank you, friends.

{most of the following taken directly from Kristen's blog...}

We need to make some noise to get our congressman and senators working on this. Please use any contact you have with immigration, attorneys, press, or anyone who might have influence to get our story out there and put pressure on the state department to intervene. The points are outlined below, followed by the contact info for some of our government officials. If you know of others, feel free to pass this along.

THE ISSUE:

The government buildings that were processing adoptions were demolished. Many government workers are feared dead. Orphans in Haiti are in grave danger, and yet have willing families in the US who can care for them. Children in orphanages are homeless. They are at risk of looting and robbery. Everyone in Haiti is at risk of food and water shortages and air-born disease due to the current situation. The local caregivers are focused on their own families, so the orphanage is short-staffed. Supplies are running low. The situation is desperate.

THE SOLUTION:

THE SOLUTION IS HUMANITARIAN PAROLE FOR ADOPTIVE CHILDREN. These children have willing families to care for them and can be brought to the US for care. While granting a humanitarian parole is outside the normal procedures, the United States government has granted them in the past (e.g. Cambodia and Romania).
THIS IS NOT AN EXPEDITED ADOPTION. The adoption process is now completely incapacitated, but when it resumes the United States seeks to honor the adoption process established in Haiti. This is a humanitarian effort to care for these kids, and the adoption will be processed using the usual procedure at a later time.

THE BENEFITS:

Humanitarian parole for adoptive children benefits everyone involved. The kids are moved to safety. There is no cost to the government because these children have families ready to care for them. This frees up the orphanages in Haiti to care for more children. It does not circumvent the already established adoption process. It is ethical and compassionate.

Here are some people to contact:

The Honorable Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0505
202-224-3553
202-224-0454
http://boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm
Twitter: @Barbara_Boxer

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0504
202-224-3841
202-228-3954
http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/ index.cfm?
FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe
http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/

The Honorable Dana Rohrabacher
United States House of Representatives
2300 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0546
202-225-2415
202-225-0145
http://rohrabacher.house.gov/Contact/Zip.htm
http://rohrabacher.house.gov/
Voice: 714-960-6483
FAX: 714-960-7806

Clinton Foundation
http://www.clintonfoundation.org/about-the-clinton-foundation/contact-us/contact-form

Raymond Joseph Haitian
Ambassador to US
embassy@haiti.org
P: 202-332-4090
F: 202-745-7215

Kenneth H Merten
US Ambassador to Haiti
Tabarre 41, Blvd 15 Octobre
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Haiti-earthquake@state.gov
P: 509 22 29 8000
F: 509 22 29 8028

Hilary Clinton/Dept of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000

{The Howertons' story...}


{better grab your box of tissues before watching this...}

helpless

Praying for Haiti.

Wanting to help.

To do something.

Seeking what specifically that would be.

Please pray along with us.

to you.

done and done.

As of noon Tuesday, the SECOND well in Africa was fully funded. Below is an excerpt from Erin's post on Tuesday at Bringing Up Burns. We thought it a fitting sentiment as we wrap up this amazing journey you all have helped us to take.

"O Lord, we feast on the ABUNDANCE of your house. You give them drink from your river of delights; for with you is the WATER of life." Psalm 36:5

"I know I have been MIA all last week. I have been scrambling to get.it.done.

IT being the crafting and the sewing and the baking and the painting...

because I committed to giving EVERYONE handmade items this Christmas.

(and let me tell you, my handmade gifts are CUTE! But I'll save that post for later...cause I have more RAD stuff to share today!)

I've been busy making handmade gifts because I'm committed to ending store bought frivolity. Ending wasted coin.

Because all the coin I have to spare is going to build a well. 

Well guess what?

WE DID IT!

We (HE, you and me) built a well.

A village changed. Lives saved.

The promise of clean water realized.

And guess what again?...

WE DID IT IN JUST TWO DAYS!!

Not.Freaking.Kidding.

Last Tuesday, a little before 3pm, our well was fully funded.

The most sweetest of emails landed in my inbox.

I cried, I cheered, I danced, I sang.

I picked my kids up and swung them round and round and kissed their faces.

I drank a glass of water.

And then I began my plan of attack of getting Matt to let me visit our well in the Summer of 2011 when it is fully built.

I WILL GO.

I WILL GO.

I WILL GO.

I went to bed Tuesday night, giddy.

I woke Wednesday morning, still FULL of joy, and checked the P320 blog for fun.

I mean - there were awesome bundles still to be won! I wondered, who was going to win them? Who was going to love them?

And while I hate to admit it, cause it pretty much shows how much little faith I really have, I WAS FLOORED to discover that not only was our well fully funded....

But we were on our way to building ANOTHER!

Over $6500 in donations by Wednesday noon!

I shook my head and scolded myself.

Because, of course!

I pray to the Lord to "accomplish infinitely more than I'd ever dare to ask or hope" and then I am shocked when he follows through.

Silly girl.

Silly, silly girl.

Our God is an Awesome God!

And you my friends, are awesome too. I wish I could squeeze each and every one of you who helped make our dream a reality. TIMES TWO! Thank you for being so generous and so faithful. Thank You for your time, your creativity, your enthusiasm, your COIN. Thank you for showing us that The Lord can take one person, one idea, one maybe...and in HIS infinite power, grace and love grow it into a project, a dream, a for sure, a made it happen, a done and done.

"So whether you eat or DRINK or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Without further ado...

the winner of the

fantabulous

bonus bundle is...

Jill!!!

Don't be too sad if you didn't win! This isn't the end of Project 320. Really, this is only the beginning. It will be hard to top 2 wells in 2 weeks...but we do have more fun in store for this little blog. Please check back soon to see what else keeps our busy brains awake at night! God Bless. Happy Christmas.

Be Merry!

Be Bright!

Almost there...

Two wells!

Two villages!

Hundreds of lives saved.

The world will change.

Because of you.

Your hearts.

Your sacrifices.

Your love.

We thought that this bundle would stay open until after New Years.

Yet once again, we were wrong.

In less than 24 hours the second well was funded.

We are celebrating.

Thankful.

Overwhelmed.

Excited.

Amazed.

Now to pick a winner...

stay tuned.

Thanks to the outpouring of donations the second well

is almost funded and there is no way we could stop now!!!

How does a bonus bundle with prizes worth over $1000 sound?

Entries will remain open until another village is saved.

Donate here first.

Each $25 donation equals one entry into the bonus raffle.

(Basically a 1 in 67 chance of winning.

The odds aren't too shabby...)

Leave one comment per entry in the comment section.

Don't forget your email address.

You aren't going to believe this bundle!!!

It is above and beyond in every way.

20x24 Gallery wrapped canvas from

Color Incorporated Digital Pro Lab

$155

Camera strap slipcover from

Shey B

$18

One year Picnik Premium from

Laura Case

$25

Papaya framed linocut from

Jessilyn Joy

$30

Two lids and two tees from

Eli's Lids.

$60

Stamps and vintage flashcards from

whatever

$40

Amy Butler Love 14 FQ bundle from

Hawthorne Threads

$61

Four pattern pack from

Little Chickadee Patterns

$15

Gift Certificate

Mary Martha and Co.

$15

Vintage daisy necklace

from

whatever.

$40

Two pairs of earrings from

Lil' Nancy's Danglin' Designs

$26

Holla tote from

Haus of Girls

and Pretty. Messy. Flower from

Joy's Hope

$26.50

Vintage ephemera, scrapbook & card making

supplies and a key fob from

whatever.

$25

Vintage hankie and Anthropologie earrings from

No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane

$40

Fabric mousepad from

Joy's Hope

$10

Starbucks gift card and dish towels from

whatever.

$30

Vintage inspired necklaces and earrings from

Stella Jade.

$60

Lulu the owl hair clip holder from

Skylar's Candy Clips.

$30

Handmade dog treats from

Chloe's K9 Cookies

$7.50

Hat and tote with Africa silhouette from

Erin's Haute Tots

$60

Bib, baby headband and clippies from

Sugar & Flowers

$20

Gift certificate from

How to Pray Cards

$15

Silver Bella tote from

whatever

and Pretty. Messy. Flower from

Joy's Hope

$35

Custom cozy rag woobie from

Rags & Ribbons

$26

Sweet dress from

Cora's

$30

Hand painted silhouette canvas from

Handmade by Heather

$39

Gift certificate from

Sarah + Abraham

$50

Tutu and sweet felt flower headband from

Poppies & Poetry

$40

Fabric covered composition book from

Joy's Hope

$15

Personalized calendar from

Much Ado About You

$48

Quilted table runner in Meadowsweet fabric from

Knitty Bitties

$40

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Thanks for each and every one of your donations!}