Hope in Action: Christmas

Posted by Lindsey on Dec 7, 2011 in Christmas, Hope in Action | 0 comments

It’s been a while since I posted in the Hope In Action series and thought what better way to dive back in than through a Christmas themed entry—‘Tis the Season!

For those of us who have friends and family that would feel honored to have a gift made to someone else in their name I thought I would share three organizations that I really admire (one I have featured on in this series already).

Bright Hope: Bringing Hope to those living on less than a $1 a day.

A friend of mine, scratch that, two friends of mine, work at this organization. What I really like about them is that their goal is to partner with the local church in the most impoverished areas of the world to provide for their physical, economic and spiritual needs. What better way to holistically care for people in the long term than to equip and empower the local church to be the hands and feet of Jesus to their community?

If that is the kind of mission that tugs at your heart strings you can purchase gifts through their gift catalog.

World Vision and Compassion:

I really appreciate both of these organizations and if your heart is for children, these just might be the ministries for you. Mr. Z and I sponsor a child through Compassion and I trained for the Chicago Marathon this year with World Vision (until we found out I was with child that is).

Both of these organizations have ways to give. Compassion’s program,  Gifts of Compassion allows you to purchase items in someone’s name as does World Visions Gift Catalogue.

For those of us who would like to give a tangible gift to friends and family here are a few options for buying with purpose.

31 Bits: Using fashion and design to empower women to rise above poverty.

I LOVE this organization and their products. In fact I’m pretty sure their jewelry will make it on my Christmas list this year. I’ve written about them already in Hope In Action and as I stated before, what fuels this organization is the love of Christ. They believe this love has the power to make positive change and I wholeheartedly agree with them.

They also have a couple items in their Partnerships section of their site that not only benefits 31 Bits but also other organizations that are making a difference. You can double your gift-giving impact through one of those purchases.

Coffee Ambassadors: The best coffees tell stories.

These guys produce not only some of the best coffee but they are doing it with a purpose. I first heard of them a few years ago and was quite impressed with their mission. I don’t know of many other coffee producers who organize trips to take their consumers to meet the farmers and help in the community however possible while they are there.

“Every bag of coffee has a story.

We want you to know what that is. And how you play into it. We want to connect you to the children who grow-up among the trees in Honduras, the family who hand-picks the cherries in Guatemala, the farmers tilling the soil in Uganda, the sustainable farming practices in Brazil, the school fees that are getting paid again in Tanzania.

The best coffees tell stories.

Coffee Ambassadors is pursuing transparency, excellence, and relationships equally. To connect the consumer to the crop. To remind us that relational trade is not only possible, but powerful.”

So for the coffee drinker in your life you could buy them a bag or two or perhaps explore their Gift Box option.

And for those of us that might have much purchasing power this Christmas season, you can always participate in this lovely idea:

A21 Campaign: Abolishing injustice in the 21^st century.

A21 was started by a mighty woman of faith that I admire greatly. If you haven’t heard her speak before you need to download some of her podcasts and speaking engagements. Her name is Chris Caine and she has a blog on her website. Her heart broke for trafficked women and God called her to do something about it. That’s how A21 Campaign came to life {in a nutshell of course}.

This Christmas A21 is providing people the opportunity to send a Christmas card to trafficked survivors who are currently in their shelters. I thought this was a brilliant idea!

“Did you know that over 1.9 billion Christmas cards are sent each year? That’s right, 1.9 billion! The tradition started over 200 years ago and still continues globally because cards are reminders that even in the midst of the busyness, you’re thought of and remembered.”

What a powerful opportunity to let a woman know she is not forgotten and that you are praying for her. Seriously, I LOVE this idea.

There are hundreds of wonderful organizations out there that will allow you to make intentional purposes or complete intentional acts of love. These are just a few that I am aware of. No matter what we do with our gift-giving this year, let’s not forget why we celebrate Christmas and what it means to follow the One we celebrate.

Hope in Action: As Our Own

Posted by Lindsey on Jul 7, 2011 in Hope in Action | 3 comments

How cute are these little ones? I “stole” this photo from today’s Hope In Action feature’s Facebook page. These little ladies were starting their first day of school.

As you look at these little ones, consider these startling statistics:

There are 25.7 million orphans throughout India today.

Trafficking of minor girls is a $1-billion-a-year industry in Mumbai.

Little girls as young as 7 or 8 years old are being forced into the sex trade.

70% of women are forced into prostitution and 20% of these are child prostitutes.

82 new girls are being trafficked into sexual slavery every day.

More than 700 million people in India live on just $2 a day.

And then there is As Our Own:

As Our Own is a Christ-based, community-driven movement in India that rescues vulnerable children from certain enslavement and exploitation, caring for them as our own.

 

We rescue children from treacherous situations. We provide lifelong aftercare for the rescued—they are now part of our family, for life. We transform communities to prevent high-risk situations that create the need for children to be rescued in the first place.

I had the privilege of going to lunch with a team member of As Our Own today and learning a little more about this organization. God is growing this ministry and blessing it as only He could. And as the blessing flows, the team is being so careful to steward the resources and support they are receiving with integrity and excellence by being intentional with their choices and decisions. They know they have been given a gift to serve the Almighty in this way and they want to do nothing less than glorify God through their work.

I wanted to feature them in a Hope In Action post as I love that they are upfront and forthright about why they do what they do. The love of Christ compels them into action.

Trafficking is such a large and  complex problem in India that unfortunately it can’t be solved just by pulling the children out of these horrible situations. It must be a holistic approach. One that involves a culture change. And THAT is what stands out to me about As Our Own. Not only are they identifying and rescuing, they are taking care of these children and taking action to prevent it from continuing through education.

“The reality is poor communities are ill equipped to halt the cycles of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and enslavement.

 

As Our Own invests in poor communities to equip and empower its leaders to transform society from the inside out. We are fortifying the local Church in India to be the Church—and to care for vulnerable children as their own.”

As Our Own is making a difference in the lives of many in India. You can learn more about them at their website or become their fan on Facebook. I really encourage you to get to know this organization and add them to your prayer list.

As Our Own :: Overview from As Our Own on Vimeo.

Hope in Action: Let Love Guide You in Prayer

Posted by Lindsey on Jul 1, 2011 in adoption, friends, God, Hope in Action, inspiration, love | 0 comments

I want to share a story with you today—a real life, work in progress story that involves ordinary people living for an extraordinary God. I have tried to capture this story well, but truth be told, I’m still not satisfied. If only I could convey what is welling up in this heart of mine. Nonetheless, this is a long post, but PLEASE bear with it and read the whole thing. I beg you to.

It is only appropriate to begin the story this way:

Deuteronomy 10:17-19: For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.

Psalm 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

I met Sara and Andy five years ago when I started to work in the same department as Sara. They were really just swinging through Chicago on a short, I believe two-year, stint for Andy to go to school.  This couple struck me as they were different. They were only a year younger than me yet seemed light years ahead of me in their maturity. They really ‘got’ each other. They LOVED Jesus. And they were full of peace and hope.  I hadn’t seen this in a couple my age before and was drawn to them.

At work one day I was telling Sara about my new condo (the one Mr. Z and I currently live in) and that I was trying to figure out how to hang a few things. I desperately wanted to decorate but didn’t want to reenact the chaotic scene that occurred in my previous place when I tried to us a drill for the first time. Let’s just say there was a much larger hole than necessary after I tried to hang a simple curtain rod. In that moment Sara joyfully volunteered her husband to come to my place and take care of all my hanging needs. I was SHOCKED. Never had someone, who wasn’t family, been so kind without even the thought of me paying them for it.

So one day Andy and Sara came over. Sara and I talked for quite some time while Andy hung blinds, wall fixtures, vases and mirrors (all of which are still where he placed them). We had a meal together, that was the “payment,” and we called it a day. That specific day with them has never left my memory. Their kind, gentle, loving hearts made a significant impression on me.

So recently when Mr. Z and I were planning our trip out to California I contacted Sara via Facebook (we weren’t “friends” yet) as I remembered she lived out there now.  I messaged her to see if she had any recommendations on restaurants and things to do in the area. Turns out when I had contacted her she had just been thinking of me the day before. We hadn’t talked in almost five years. God is funny like that ;-)

And this, I suppose, is really where the meat of the story begins. Mr. Z and I were not going to have the opportunity to visit with Sara, Andy and their sweet little boy Owen when we were in Cali because they were in Uganda. Adopting.

Since I have learned of their story I have felt certain things I’ve never felt before. The greatest of which is a HUGE burden to pray for them and to tell anyone that will listen about their story and to ask other people to pray.

Sara and Andy have been in the process of adopting two children from Uganda for a little under two years. You can read all about their journey on her blog at Let Love Guide. They began the process with one child in mind and have been given custody of their sweet Bauer, a beautiful boy, but along the way the Lord burdened their hearts for a second child and they are currently waiting on a court date for their precious little Nya.

Sara, Andy and Owen headed to the birth country of their children planning to be there for 6-10 weeks. They have now been there for 16+ weeks. As I mentioned, they have been given custody of their little boy but are waiting on another court date for their little girl as they were denied custody in their first hearing. The appeals process takes time and as such Andy has gone home with Owen and Sara is in Uganda with Bauer and Nya. Soon they will swap so Sara can come back to the states for a little rest and wrap up some loose ends, as she will then fly back to Uganda with Owen in tow so they can keep their family together.

And this is why I am writing about their story. Our extraordinary God has chosen this ordinary mother and father to be the parents of these beautiful children and of course, their journey is not without difficulty.

My heart bleeds for them. As I watch their story continue to unfold and consider what it would be like in their shoes I am compelled by their example to want to be more like Christ. I want to be careful here as I don’t want to paint them as saints nor would they appreciate that. I’m just in awe of their love. The love of Christ in them that compels them to love each other, Owen, Bauer and Nya. A Love that  brought them to Uganda and has kept them in Uganda.

Throughout this process I have witnessed (thank you Facebook) the unwavering faith of this mama. And I simply want to use our little platform to help spread the word in hopes that you too will pray and ask God to move mightily and powerfully for this family.

James 1:26-27 says, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Will you join me in praying for this family? I ask you to pray.

BIG. BOLD. PRAYERS.

Thank you for reading this long but important post today. It would be really awesome if you could post a prayer for them either in the comments section here on The Block or even on Sara’s blog. Will you join in and embark of this prayer journey?

If you are interested in financially supporting them in any way, I will add the information for donations to this post as soon as I can.

Hope in Action: 31 Bits

Posted by Lindsey on Apr 25, 2011 in Hope in Action, inspiration, love | 0 comments

I’m kind of amazed right now, two ‘Hope in Action’ posts in the span of one week! Let me introduce you to my newest obsession.  I learned of this company less than two weeks ago on a blog I read pretty frequently and am kind of amazed by them.

31 Bits

While reading about them I felt like I was following them down Inspiration Lane and I didn’t want to stop. Doesn’t everyone desire to be inspired and to inspire others? And these ladies are doing it. And they’re YOUNG.

Okay, so what do they do? Well, as their website states, they are:

USING FASHION AND DESIGN TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO RISE ABOVE POVERTY.

“31 Bits Designs is a socially minded business designed to give internally displaced women in Northern Uganda an opportunity to counter poverty. By giving our beneficiaries access to the international market, they are able to earn an instant income, providing homes, food, and education for their families. Our program equips women by providing literacy education, financial and vocational training, holistic care, and strong support systems, empowering individuals to further their careers and attain social equity.”

When you have a moment I encourage you to read through their site and see all the programs they have in operation. They are not only helping bring income into this community, but it is with the intent to empower the women so then 31 Bits can train up other women.

“ We are committed to working with each woman until she has graduated from our program and attained a sustainable means of income within her own community.”

The first class will be graduating in 2012. Here you can read a blog post about the group. When reading their site and trying to get to know them better, this is what stood out to me the most:

“Love, because love stems from Christ and is a catalyst for positive change.”

At the heart of it all is the Love of Christ, a love that compels us to action. A love that mandates we care for the least of these.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt. 25:40)

These women, in the US and Uganda are an inspiration to me and I hope to you too. The next time you are considering buying a piece of jewelry, would you consider 31 Bits? I just bought my first necklace and can’t wait to wear it!

Hope in Action: World Vision

Posted by Lindsey on Apr 17, 2011 in Chicago Marathon, Hope in Action, Team World Vision | 0 comments

It’s my first Hope in Action post and I’m really excited about it! Team World Vision is the athletic fundraising arm of World Vision, an organization that I greatly admire. Over the next six months I’ll be blogging periodically about my experience with Team World Vision as I train for the Chicago Marathon with this great group of people. I’ll blog both about World Vision’s global programs as well as their US programs. I’ll also be documenting my experience training for the race. This will be my fourth marathon and I’m hoping to run my best yet.

If you’re not familiar with World Vision, please visit their site and check out what they do. As their website states:

World Vision works with children, families, and communities worldwide to help them gain access to some of life’s most essential resources. Things like:

• Water and sanitation
• Food security and agriculture
• Education
• Health care
• Economic opportunity

By working alongside families, World Vision helps to empower communities to become self-sustaining. When World Vision leaves an area, the community is able to stand on its own.

This organization lives out the mandate to be the hands and feet of Christ. Proverbs 31 says:

⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

I can’t go out into the field right now, but my hope is that the money I can raise through running with Team World Vision will enable others to be the hands and feet of Christ abroad.

If you’re interested in supporting my running efforts, please visit my personal fundraising page.

hope in action

Posted by Lindsey on Feb 16, 2011 in Hope in Action | 0 comments

You may have noticed a little section  here at ‘Life as a Z’ called Hope in Action. Right now it has three links but I’m hoping to really build out this section of the blog over time. In the coming days I’ll address each of the links already there but for now I just wanted to explain what exactly hope in action is. There are many organizations out there doing wonderful things to better peoples lives, and I’d like to help them be known by an even broader audience, even if that audience is just the faithful few who read this blog :-)

So moving forward I hope to grow the list of links you see over there with more organizations that I believe are acting on Love and bringing hope to people at home and abroad. I won’t include every organization whose path I might cross, but Lord willing there will be quite a few to come.

I want to be intentional with the content of this little space at ‘Life as a Z’ and use it in productive ways like telling the story of worthwhile organizations every so often. I hope you enjoy reading about them as I enjoy discovering them.