Fun-draiser

Watermelon Carving by Chef Safari

This last week has felt like one long, crazy day that won't end! But it's that good feeling of crazy, where you go to bed so tired it doesn't matter how much sleep you get, it will never be enough! And your body and feet hurt so bad you just want to take a bath, or at least sit down for longer than 30 seconds. All that said, it was so much fun. I still don't know how God did it but the fundraiser was a huge success and we added more money to our building fund. I think we can now safely say we can build about 1/3 of our first building. YAY!!!

If you missed the fundraiser, seriously - WHAT were you THINKING?!!! Okay, maybe all the caps were a little harsh, but lets be honest, in the little town of Durango, Colorado, where can you have an ethnically diverse meal? I don't think I have ever had African food in town anywhere, and the meal was a deal! Chef Safari is an amazing chef, and he works full time at the Strater Hotel. Between working his regular hours at the hotel, Chef put in another 12 hours putting together amazing spice combinations and flavors that made the roasted goat and the oxtail stew mind blowing!! I'm not even kidding - I've had several dishes Chef Safari has made, but these kept my brain wondering what in the world he was putting on the meat and the veggies and the rice and the dessert. Everything was amazing, and the fellowship was fabulous. Phil and I were able to share our hearts about this project and why we sold everything, rented out our home, sold our cars, and why we are moving our family to Mozambique in 2 weeks!!

Sharing our dream always inspires me. If you have a dream that you haven't spoken to anyone about, I would encourage you.......LET IT OUT!! Of course, find someone you can trust, someone who will encourage you and pray for that journey with you. But there is power to letting it out of your brain and even just putting it on paper. I believe God created us to be more successful and fulfill our dreams when we partner with others who will work along side us. After all, we were CREATED for community!  

As we prepare to leave in the next 2 weeks, there is one thing I would like to ask of anyone reading this - prayer. We would appreciate every prayer lifted up on our behalf. The transition into life in Mozambique will be quite a challenge at first, and now we have a 5 year old kindergartner to think of as well, so please pray that Jadon will adjust & grow to love the country and people we love! Please also pray for provisions - we have put all our "eggs" into opening the orphanage and we are trusting God to provide, so please pray for us to also trust Him. 

And one last thing - if you missed out on the fundraiser, Chef Safari's culinary creations can be tasted at the Mahogany Grill & the Strater Hotel any night of the week. He has become such a wonderful part of the Durango community in the short time he has been here. He is not only a kind man, who volunteered many hours working with us to make 2 fundraisers happen in the last 3 months, but he has a spirit about him. Anytime I am near him, or his sweet wife, Lucy, I feel inspired. I remember that every struggle comes to an end, and God fulfills his promises. I will forever be grateful to the Strater for bringing Chef here, and to God for uniting us all together for His greater purpose. 

We'll keep you posted, right here, about any needs, stories of success and I'm sure at some point, stories of struggles and failures while in Mozambique. If you would like to help make this orphanage a reality, you can donate on a monthly basis or send one time donations to: 35 E Animas Village Lane, Durango, CO, 81301. All donations are tax deductible.

The countdown will surely get away from us. We are down to days now, not months or weeks. We can't wait to update you on our progress. Until then, God bless you!