First Int'l Mission Trip for SJCS Students!

Just a few more days to go--click on the title to read more about the trip!

One Year Ago...

One year ago- we made a promise to the children of the Kind Hearts Care Point just outside Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

We promised to help them build a well-a clean water well that will serve not only the care point, but an entire village!

To date, St. Joseph Christian School & friends have raised over $24,000. The other $4,000 is anticipated thanks to a Read-A-Thon at our school. The well is close to construction because of these amazing donors and friends! We hope to see construction when we are there in two weeks.

God is good--and nothing is impossible when HE is involved.

Take a look back at our video--ONE year ago. WOW. Time flies! Clean water is on the way!

Assembly Line, Anyone??

-Our first assembly line for the 225 kids in Ethiopia at Kind Hearts & Trees of Glory: goodie bags with food, a notebook, pencils, toy, jolly ranchers & lollipops! Can't wait to see those smiles!

(In the pic above are some members of our 2011 team: Taylor, Stephen, Grace & Danny Maggart--in the first pic, Danny is laughing at Kelly as she tries to maneuver a box in a way to small of space. Not the first time we think Danny might laugh at us!!)

2 Weeks to go to Ethiopia!

Supplies collected from St. Joseph Christian students!

This week will be jam-packed as we begin packing all of the supplies we've been collecting the last few weeks! Many of you have asked what our specific goals are for this trip, so here they are!

• Creating a library for the kids at Kind Hearts School
• Painting murals for Kind Hearts to brighten the space
• Creating a library for the kids at Trees of Glory
• Distributing 225 goodie bags for the kids at Kind Hearts & Trees of Glory
• Delivering sponsor letters to Kind Hearts kids
• Distributing goodie bags to the patients at the Fistula Hospital
• Ministering to the street kids through the Soccer Ministry
• Checking on progress of our clean water well (Partnership with Children's HopeChest & St. Joseph Christian School--YIPPEE! More than $24,000 raised last year, smile smile!!)

These are our main goals--mixed in of course with lots of hugs, playtime and overall volunteer work as needed! We know that God will be glorified in all we do and stand firm knowing that HE is standing with us in all situations! Thank you to all who have donated to this trip-literally from coast to coast...you are with us even if you can't be in Africa with us physically!

More later!

Dear Friends,

The Ethiopia 2011 T Shirts have arrived!! We will sort and get them packaged this weekend. Since Monday is holiday, they will be sent Tuesday. Look for them sometime next week! They are headed coast to coast---how exciting...thank you for supporting our trip!

Supplies

Some of you have asked what supplies we are collecting as we near the 6 week mark in preparation for our trip! Here's the list (so far):

• Granola bars
• Beef Jerky
• Jolly Ranchers
• Scented lotion
• Hand soap
• Gallon size ziploc bags
• DumDums
• Small notepads
• Pencils
• Hard cover board books for toddlers
• Wristbands

And always--cash! We will be purchasing a number of books when we are in Ethiopia as well as determining needs for Trees of Glory and Kind Hearts school. Checks can be made payable to: Brookdale Church, 203 South 31st Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501 (memo line: Ethiopia).

Please let us know if you have questions--I would be happy to pick up any supplies, just let me know! Thanks!

Time to Prepare!

Our trip this year is scheduled for March 17-26, 2011. Please check out our fundraiser on www.GiveForward.com/Trees-of-Glory

There you'll find information on the 2 schools we're visiting, and how we're busy preparing goodie bags full of nutritious food and school supplies for more than 225 kids! Please consider helping us in this amazing venture-we can't do it without you!

ALSO--the clean water well that St. Joseph Christian School (& friends) have helped donate money towards WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION while we're there! Praise the Lord! An entire village will be served in Ethiopia from this well-you can't imagine our excitement.

We've got a group of 14 traveling this year and will keep you up to date as we prepare to leave. Thanks for your prayers as we begin our adventure!