Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Invisible Children- KONY 2012

In the 21st century, we love celebrity gossip and sharing anything we find interesting on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Through these medias, news spreads like wildfire. If you asked anyone who George Clooney or Angelina Jolie was, I guarantee you they would immediately know who you were talking about. What if you asked them if they knew who was Joseph Kony?... Maybe you don't even know. That is why I am taking the Invisible Children Inc.'s challenge by making Kony known!

Thousands of children in Northern Uganda live in fear that they will be abducted in the night and forced into Kony's army called the Lord's Resistance Army. These children are taken from their families, forced to kill and are made into child prostitutes. Over 30,000 children have suffered at Kony's hand. These helpless kids are called the Invisible Children. So what can you do?? The Invisible Children Inc. want to make Joseph Kony a celebrity. By raising his popularity, the government will be forced to keep the 100 U.S soldiers in Africa to help track down Kony for his long overdue arrest. To make this happen, please share this video with everyone that you know. Lets be a voice for these invisible children and spread Kony's name like wildfire. No child deserves to live in fear.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

The Beginning

Hey everyone! For a long time now, I have always felt that God was quietly tugging at my heart that I was meant to go and serve others, especially children. I just never knew where He wanted me to go! Growing up, my family had supported several children through World Vision. It amazes me that just a little sacrifice on our part can make the world of a difference in another child's life. I'm talking about simple things like a chance to be educated, a meal to fill their tummies...all the little things we tend to take for granted daily. Anyways, I have always had a passion for helping and loving on kids. Right now, I am just in awe of how God orchestrates every detail in our lives. I came across the book Kisses From Katie and let me just say, this girl is doing AMAZING things for Christ! I researched her story some more and found the Christian orphanage Amani Baby Cottage located in Jinja, Uganda. I knew right then that this was exactly where God was telling me to go. My hope is that through my blog, you will be able to be a part of this awesome adventure God is leading me on. I want to be able to share with you everything that I experience in my upcoming trip to Africa because I know that its going to be life changing!!

First off, I want to tell you a little more about Amani Baby Cottage and my upcoming trip to volunteer there this summer for two months. Amani Baby Cottage is a Christian orphanage that can house up to 60 children ages newborn to 5 years old. A lot of these children have lost parents due to AIDS, malaria, or complications during birth. Some of them were left in trenches, hospitals or simply on the side of the road. One of the things that I love about Amani is that they will not turn away a child, no matter what health condition they are in. It has been a place of peace for 275 children. ABC's mission is to find permanent, loving homes either by adoption or reuniting them with their families. While I am there, I will also have the chance to help the nurses on staff there. I am excited as a nursing student to also have this priceless opportunity.

To make all of this possible, I am so grateful for the support I have received so far! I am so blessed to have already raised half the money I need! Tonight, I made the first step and bought my plane ticket!! In total, I need to raise $3500. With your prayers, support and generous gifts, I will be able to bless and be blessed by these precious children of God. If God has laid it on your heart to support my mission, I do have an opportunity for you to donate to my mission trip. On my blog, there is a donation button that will directly go into my Paypal account. I cannot begin to express how much I appreciate your love, prayers and support. I cannot WAIT to share Gods love to these incredible little people He is about to place into my life. I am starting to pray to God that He will break my heart for what breaks His during my time there. It is my desire that I become the hands and feet of Christ, while at the same time exuding Christ's unrelenting love towards each person I encounter.