UPDATE on Race Sponsorship and Preparation

So, I have been trying to train for my 200 mile relay race which is coming up on the 13th & 14th of April (of which I will be running 33 miles).

It has been difficult to train consistently with 6 kids, plus my nephew staying with us this past month. I haven't gotten in as much training as I would like to have, but I am still plugging along determined to complete this race because I think of all those children in such desolation and poverty, and I want to make a difference!

After reading Katie Davis's book, "Kisses from Katie," I want to do whatever I can for those children in need in Uganda. So, even though I am tired, and I can't keep up with the housework and the school preparation,...I hit the pavement. Thankfully, Dustin has been very supportive with making time for me to sneak away to run for an hour or two as he too has read the book and been moved by Amazima's mission.

Money raised: Our team, Mom's on a Mission, has raised over $2,000 for Amazima's work in Uganda! (You can read details about our race/sponsorship here: 200 mile Relay for Amazima)

Dustin and Fasika have been running too. As mentioned in my previous post, they have joined team Ordinary Hero to run a 1/2 marathon (that's 13.1 miles) at the end of April. Fas has gotten up to running 8 miles at one time in her training, and she has such determination! She wants to make a difference in the lives of the children in need in Ethiopia. I am so proud of her and her heart!

Money raised: Fas has raised over $800 for Ordinary Hero's efforts in Ethiopia! (For details about her race and to sponsor online please visit: www.grouprev.com/fasika)

Thank you to everyone who has already sponsored our team and/or Fasika! We can do the physical training, but without your donations, support, encouragement, and your networking we wouldn't be able to make such a BIG difference. Please continue to spread the word to help us reach others that believe in our cause and want to help make an impact!

God Bless You.

$13 for 13 Miles

Our daughter Fasika obviously has a heart for Ethiopia considering that is where she spent the first 11 years of her life. She has seen the poverty and the effects of that poverty, and she wants to make a difference.

Fasika is 12 years old. When she grows up she wants to be a missionary and share the love of Christ with the people of Ethiopia, but she doesn't want to wait until then to start making a difference.

This past May, Fasika and the youth from her church trained to run a 5K (3 mile) race to raise money for the impoverished children in Awassa, Ethiopia.

Now, Fas WANTS TO DO MORE.

So, she has decided to train to run a 1/2 Marathon (that is 13.1 miles) to raise money and awareness for the vulnerable children in Ethiopia. She will be running with Team Ordinary Hero! The race is in Nashville, Tennessee on April 28th.

Ordinary Hero is a wonderful non-profit organization that works in Ethiopia. Fasika actually got to meet one of the Ordinary Hero Mission Teams while she was in the orphanage in Ethiopia. This organization mission is to "inspire and empower ORDINARY people to make an extraordinary difference in the life of a child in need."

We are asking people to sponsor $1 for each mile she is committing to run.

$13 for 13 miles!

Please help Fasika reach her goal. Please help her make a difference in the lives of those in need in Ethiopia.

To sponsor her for her race please go to: www.grouprev.com/fasika

Thank you for your support. Please spread the word to get others involved!

Kisses from Katie Book

Just finished "Kisses from Katie." It is INSPIRATIONAL! This woman truly lives her life devoted to following the Word of God.

If you can read, this book is a MUST READ!!!

I LOVE Katie's Heart for the Lord and her work in Uganda!

To learn more about her ministry visit www.Amazima.org

This is the org we are raising money for with our 200 mile relay race in April. See previous post for details on how you can help sponsor our race team and all proceeds will go directly to Amazima and their work in Uganda!

205 MILE Race to Benefit Amazima Ministries

ORDINARY MOMS for an EXTRA ORDINARY CAUSE...

This is our team: (left to right) Taryn Famini, Lindsay Patterson (Team Captain), Andrea Bestul (me), Aimee Pitchford, Jessica Elliot, and Marsha Obremski.

Five friends and I are running the Palmetto200 relay race (205 MILES) on April 13th-14th, with each of us running about 33 MILES of the race.

Remembering that we should seek to glorify God in everything that we do, we are raising money for Amazima Ministries – a wonderful, christian organization that works with orphaned and vulnerable children in Uganda by providing education, food, vocational outreach, discipleship and medical care.

We are seeking “sponsors” to HELP US RAISE $2,000 for this ministry. You can sponsor us by the mile, by the number of runners, or by any other amount you feel called to contribute. No amount is too small, and every dollar will go directly toward making a huge impact in the lives of the neediest in Uganda.

If you are able to sponsor our team in any way, please send your check or money order directly to us so that we can collect all the money and send it in together.

My address is:155 John Humphrey Rd, Burgaw, NC 28425.

Checks should be made out to "Amazima Ministries International".

All donations are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE, so write your email address in the memo field of your check so that Amazima can email you a receipt.

If you would prefer to make your donation online, you can go directly to www.Amazima.org and donate online, we would just ask that put a comment that it is a "Mom's on a Mission team sponsorship" as we would like to get an overall count of how much was raised by our efforts!

For more information about Amazima and their ministry please check out their website:www.Amazima.org

We also covet your prayers for this race: We would ask that you pray that we will be able to raise funds but also raise awareness of the needs of God's children in Uganda and all around the world; that God will use us and the money raised to further His kingdom, and that it will bring Him glory. We also would ask for prayers for us to be given the strength and endurance necessary to complete this event safely and without injury.

Thank you in advance for your generosity. Our team is so excited about being able to combine our love of running with our love of the Lord and all His children.

Awesome Adoption Benefit Raffles for just $1

NEW DETAILS from the Sea of Hope Quarter Auction committee regarding the raffles! There will be FOUR RAFFLES at this year's Sea of Hope Quarter Auction.

Purchase tickets in advance via PayPal or cash, and your name and raffle will be entered to win.

***Buy multiple tickets and split them however you want between the four prizes***

WINNERS DRAWN @ Sea of Hope Quarter Auction February 17th at Northside Baptist Church Wilmington, NC

DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN

(If you pay in advance with PayPal or cash, please let us know how you would like us to split your tickets. You may leave a message on the checkout page of PayPal or email Susie directly how you want your tickets to be distributed: townsend164@gmail.com)

TO PURCHASE TICKETS Visit this website: http://www.townsendgirl.blogspot.com and click on the paypal donation tab on the right.

The MORE TICKETS you buy the MORE CHANCES TO WIN!!!

Last minute tickets will be available at the Sea of Hope Quarter Auction on February 17, but why wait?

The COST OF TICKETS are: $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 7 tickets, $10 for 13 tickets and $20 for 25 tickets.

RAFFLE PRIZES

1. $250 Gift Certificate to Runyon Photography (1 hr session at your choice location and free 11x14 of your favorite image) - www.runyonphotography@msn.com

2. $350 Charter H (charter boat, two people, 1/2 day) - www.circlehcharters.com

3. $500 Gift Card to Ideal Image - www.idealimage.com/wilmington/index.php

4. One week vacation rental at www.blueknob.com from March 16 - August 25. Condo is 2 bedroom, 2 bath with full kitchen located in the mountains of PA. The resort has indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, 18 hole golf, padle boats, canoes, and amusement parks nearby. There is a $50 cleaning fee. Winner would call owner for availability.

THIS IS FOR A GREAT CAUSE! Help the Townsend family bring home Jeremiah from Haiti!

Establishing Faith Grown Farm

One of the first days at our new house, there was a beautiful rainbow, and the end of the rainbow was in our front meadow...how absolutely amazing?!

I love rainbows; God's promise; His plans of hope and a future, of peace and not evil!

So, we are settled into our new farm! The kids are loving the extra room to run, and they are great helpers with all the work to be done.

(Blake & Fas painting the barn)

One of the first things we knew we needed to do was come up with a name for our farm. We wanted to find a name that reflected our love of the Lord and gave Him the credit for our blessings. The kids decided on "Faith Grown Farm."

We have a website, but we are just starting to get it up and running.

While we are not sure the exact direction of our farm, we know that we want to use this wonderful blessing to glorify God!

We have considered ideas such as boarding horses, 4-H, summer camps, after-school programs, Bible studies, etc. We have also talked about selling eggs, pecans (as there are many pecan trees here), jams (from the fruit trees), and even honey after we get our bee-hives up and running!

So many possibilities, and we are excited to see how God will use this farm as a ministry for Him!

IPAD 2 Giveaway Adoption Fundraiser

Okay, I know I haven't been good about updating the blog in the last few months, but we have been moving and all that goes with that.

However, I had to get on here because I wanted to let you know about a wonderful opportunity to help some of our great friends (Jack and Susie Townsend) as they bring home there son from Haiti. The Townsend family is a wonderful, Christian family that lives in Hampstead, NC. They have 2 biological daughter, 2 daughter they adopted from Guatemala, 1 son they adopted domestically, and now they have started the process to adopt a 1 year old blind boy from Haiti! Jack is a school teacher, and Susie is a stay home mom that home schools all her children; therefore, money is definitely where there is a struggle. Nevertheless, they didn't allow finances to deter them from starting this adoption process, as they are confident that God will provide.

And here is the coolest part, YOU can help them bring home their son Jeremiah! YOU can be the way God answers their prayers!

They have an IPAD2 that they are raffling off (raffle date is Dec 12th). If you would like a chance to win, please visit their daughters blog for details: http://sophieshappyhats.blogspot.com

Please also spread the word. Post this link to your facebook, myspace, blog, and twitter. Send it out to your address book of friends and family, and together we can help bring this little boy home!

Thanks! God bless! Please pray for the Townsend family as they answer God's call to adopt again.