Weaving

So guess what? Did you know this blog started as a knitting blog? Hence the "Talk Is Sheep" title, in case you ever wondered where that came from. Ha ha, oh where the Lord has taken it! I do really like to knit, although I used to do it WAY more than I do now, and I have always been facinated by the "fiber arts"-knitting, crocheting, weaving, etc. Well, it turns out that what I have to tell you is not that far off from my orginal blog start-God has been doing some weaving of His own in my life and I am just starting to see the edges of the beautiful tapestry He is putting together-and I love it!! I am not sure how that piece will look when the Lord is finished, but one part He is working on now is something my hubby has put together. You see, the husband did not go on my recent trip to Ethiopia, yet God has woven his heart together with mine in our passion to see change come to Korah. My guy has taken something that was a long time goal of his own-to do a triathlon-and united it, (er, wove/weaved/tied as if using some sort of string-like item) to our desire to see our brothers and sisters in Africa have something very basic-WATER. Life-giving, life-saving, life-sustaining, clean water--and more than that, the Living Water that is Jesus! Hubby had already planned on doing this triathlon in September and has been hard at work training for it-no small feat, by the way. He is a sports lover and follower, but has never been a triathlete kinda guy (not being mean-he was a big old football player-not exactly the same category as triathlete, ya know what I'm sayin'?) Our friend Troy was sharing how he was going to complete a half marathon as a fundraiser for their adoption and the wheels in my husband's head started spinning (ooh! like a spinning wheel! that they make yarn on! see? I am going to use this weaving analogy to death in this post, maybe) and he set up the coolest website. Here is the link to it: http://tri4korah.bbnow.org/

PLEASE go to the site, read all through it-I am amazed at how well it is done and how informative it is-way to go, honey! But truly, it has the potential to be a VERY. BIG. blessing to a community who needs it. You see, the funds he raises from his triathalon will go directly to the community of Korah. When we were there in Africa, we all (on my OH team) felt like we wanted to do something with a lasting effect in that community, not just feed them lunch, play some soccer and walk away. We wanted them to be able to be self-sustaining, to have a safe place to live and clean water to drink. The folks at the project had shared with our team leaders that there is some land available that they could buy and use for all sorts of community needs, the biggest being putting in a well. A well means clean water available to the community-something so basic, so necessary, so taken for granted here in the US. Literally, the difference between life and death for some. But, in order to purchase the land for this well and begin the process of digging it, they needed to pay $25,000 down (and ultimately a total of $125,000 to completely own the land). Well, there were 22 of us on the team and we figured if each of us could raise about $1200, the down-payment would be covered easily! That is the background on the project link above-I have prayed and asked God for GREAT BIG things out of this-and so far He has not disappointed! We smashed the goal of $1200 in just a couple of hours thanks to just a couple amazing donors--what do you think, folks? Can we make a crazy goal of $5ooo? I would love to blow the doors off of this fundraising effort and get those beautiful folks in Korah access to water. And here is a secret-I loathe fundraising. But I am actually happy to do it for this-I cannot get this place out of my head and heart. I think about them all day when I am awake, and dream about it when I sleep, for real. Check out the website and see how it works-we are not asking for big amounts at all-and in fact, it is set up so the whole family can be involved, with amounts as small as 26 cents! So, this is also a great opportunity to get your kiddos and their friends involved in giving to others. I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to do that that make sense and seem doable, you know what I mean? I want my kids to learn early the value of giving of what they have been blessed with in order to help others. I thought that was such a fun thing that my hubby included in this!

I also wanted to share that they are nearing the maxed out point of enrollment for sponsored kiddos at the boarding school in Ethiopia! Can I get a gigantic WOOHOO!! Y'all are just amazing and I am so thankful for the bunches and bunches of you who said 'Yes' to God's calling on your heart for these kids. If you have not yet signed up to sponsor, do not despair! They are putting together a waiting list of sponsors in case someone cannot fulfill their committment for any reason or if more kids become eligible for sponsorship, etc. so please still pursue it if you feel led. But, if you cannot at this time, please check out the triathlon website above and see if anything there grabs your attention. Woven together, we CAN make a real difference!!

Finally, if neither sponsorship nor the triathlon thing seems a good fit for you, please feel free to check out my Etsy shop from the link at the top of this page. I have Isaiah 61 bracelets that directly support our sweet Netsanet, whom we are sponsoring, and lots of other goodies that support the work of several amazing organizations. All these areas in my life that have long been passions of mine-creating, writing, my husband, children (I was a child devel/social work major)-are all being woven together right now by the Lord for a common purpose of His and I am so blessed to see glimpses here and there of the beautiful work God is making with them-what an undeserved joy!!

"I want them to be encouraged, and knit together by the strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself" Colossians 2:2