Thank you!

To
Hillary & Jason
Mike & Jen
Terri & John

$4000

Anyone been wondering what happened to your donations?  I've not walked off with them!  I've just been waiting until I got home and could easily upload pics to go along with the story.

I've sent two checks for $2000 each to India's Hope for SCH.  India's Hope is the American 501c3 organization for Sarah's Covenant Homes.  They wire the money to Sarah in India at very little cost.

So, with no further fanfare, here is how Sarah has spent your money (and she was absolutely thrilled to have it!!!)

Therapy supplies
Sarah met with her in-house physical therapist and he generated a list of things he's like to have to help the kids.  The box arrived the same day we did and here are Rose Bud and some of the children demonstrating the new "toys."

What we have here is a hand strengthening gadget, two different balance boards for strengthening hips and legs and balance, a velcro board for strengthening fingers by pulling off the velcro (the kids who tried this LOVED it!), a spring board (Sarah is installing the springs) kids have to push down on, an electronic muscle stimulator and a thing with weights to insert into the proper holes (Caleb is demonstrating this in the last pic).

On the afternoon of our visit, we were taken upstairs to the physiotherapy room to meet the physiotherapist and we interrupted this exploration of the digital thingy.  I thought it was so cool that he couldn't wait to figure it out!

This purchase was about 10,000 Rupees, or about $225.

There was also an order for some medical-type supplies including 2 examination tables that will be used for physiotherapy (they are currently just using a wooden table) and some baby-weighing scales.  This order was about 26,000 Rs. or about $575.  There are other things on this receipt, but I can't read what they are.

The Montessori order was completed before we left.  Sarah was ordering lots of wooden puzzles, alphabet puzzles and toys of various kinds, sorting toys, stacking toys and more.  I think this order was about $600.

There is another item which I can't read on the receipt and I can't remember what Sarah told me it was, so I'm waiting for an email from her as to what it was, but that total was about $660.  edited to add:  Forgot, it was 2 new school tables!  Happy, happy about this purchase, too!  They are similar to the ones we used for our classes and are very nice!  Thanks, Sarah, for the reminder!

And finally, I'm so excited that Sarah asked if she could use the remaining money to tile the courtyard at Victory Home!  They have the tiles and have had them for months.  They just haven't had to money to hire someone to do it.  The courtyard where the children play is currently a rough cement and an uneven surface.  This causes children with uneven gaits to stumble, makes it hard to push wheelchairs and is rough on the crawlers little legs.  I'm so pleased that Sarah can finally accomplish this goal to improve this surface, with our help.

Here are the tiles, ready and waiting (actually, this is half the tiles, the rest are on the other side of the courtyard.

So there you have it folks.  Your donations, no matter how big or how small, are making a big impact in the lives of some very special children half a world away.

Donations are still arriving, BTW, so if you intended to give something and haven't, please still send it.  The chip-in is closed, but you can send me a check, or you can give directly to SCH via Sarah's blog.  I'm going to send another check to India's Hope at the end of January.

Did you look at the sidebar?  We've raised $5000!!!!!  You all are so amazing and generous!

Thank you to:

Laurie, Steve & Mathias

Paul & Maura and family

Brack & Amy

Oh, and a note to Nonny & Grace & Jack:  The money you gave to RB for her trip--she only spent $40 of it on souveniers (mostly bangles) and she gave the rest to Sarah, with the request Sarah use it to buy jewelry for the new girls.  I think she said Sarah was going to buy them anklets!

And We're Off!

We're packed, sorted, sorted and packed.  Weighed suitcases and weighed again.  Shifted and weighed some more.  We actually have fairly small suitcases, for which I'm thankful, because they only weigh 40, 30, 24 and 20 lbs.

It's going to be so easy to come home!  I bet we can fit everything into only one suitcase!

Daisy pointed out, while we were weighing suitcases, that she would be too heavy to check through.  Guess she won't be stowing away!

Sunshine has the calendar I made for him memorized.  He knows exactly who is caring for him each day and what they will be doing.

Right now I'm showered and ready to go and playing dolls with Sunshine.

Some last minute donations:
Thanks to
Brack & Amy
Dawn & Tim
Blake & Michele

Toothbrushes!

Today was our semi-annual dentist extravaganza.  All 7 of us go at once.  Mr. GT starts us out first thing in the morning, then dashes back to work.  Rose Bud went next and Nonny very graciously agreed to drive in separately and dash RB back to school.  Nonny also graciously agreed to take Sunshine after his cleaning back to her house.  Sunshine and the dentist's office are just not a good match.  Too much expensive equipment for him to finger.

Anyway, following all that, the other 3 needed x-rays and sealants and I finally got my turn.  Through it all, we talked about everything with our sweet hygienist, Linda.  Linda and her husband, Dr. Dan have been my dentist pair for almost 20 years.  Early on I converted Mr. GT to their office and when my mom moved here, sent her there as well.

It's sort of a family affair.

And now they see all of our kids.

Anywho, we talked about the trip, a lot, and at the end, Linda said, "Oh, and before I forget, I have some toothbrushes for you.  You can fit in some toothbrushes, can't you?"  Wow!  I didn't even ask for anything and never thought about toothbrushes!

So I will be coming 36 toothbrushes heavier to India.

Also thanks to
Roger
Sandy & John
Cindy & Alan
David & Heidi
Luann & Barney

Something Awesome and Very Cool!

Donations are at $4400. 

Thank you Cheri & Will.

So far I have spent $631 on teaching supplies and other things (the diapers and underwear) to bring over.

Wouldn't it be cool if donations covered the cost of the ITEMS I purchased and we still had $4000 in CASH to give to Sarah!!!?

I am very excited that she is hoping to buy educational and classroom supplies for her homes with our money!  As an educator, I am thrilled to be able to help her fit out her schoolrooms!

I have just a few more things (because there is still room in my suitcase!) I want to buy to use for our teaching.  Pipecleaners, embroidery floss, balloons.  Just some little things to have on hand for whatever we think up.  In any case, the amount I'll have spent on things to BRING will be under $700.

I am fairly certain we will cover that and I'll be able to wire Sarah the other $2000 very soon!  She has a list of Montessori teaching supplies she'd like to buy that are about $650, including large wooden puzzles, abacus(es?), shape sorters, sewing toys, stacking things, different alphabet toys, etc.

She also would like to order more child-sized tables and chairs for their schoolroom.  She sent me pictures of the ones they have.

 

 

Doesn't that look fun!!!

Sweet, Sweet, Sweet!!!!

Look how cute these sweaters are!!!! Seonaid (her screen name) from the Sonlight boards sent me these 5 sweet baby sweaters and 5 pair of the teeniest socks you've ever seen! We've got them sealed into a ziploc and in the suitcase. I can't wait to see them on one of the babies!

New donations. Thank you to
Theresa and Joe
Julie
Glen & Lisa

Happy 2010!!!

and thank you to
Andrew & Rachael
Jill & Mark
Chris & Sue
Donna

WHOOO HOOO!!!!!!

We passed $4000 today!

Thank you to Staci & Robert
Jean
Bridget and Family (who put us over the top!)
RoseBud

Now I challenge you, if you have been planning to donate but have not yet, PLEASE, still do! Let's see if we can make $4500 before we leave! There is much good to be done for Sarah's kids and God has big plans for the money you are sharing!

I knew all along God would provide the funds for this endeavor! Isn't he awesome?

On the note of things for Sarah's kids, I bought a set of student clocks today for $9 (set of 12) so that I can demonstrate with the big clock and the kids can make the times on their little clocks.

We (RoseBud and I went shopping today) also got some more things for the touchy-feely books. We got the thingys that go on the bottoms of your chair legs, both the felt and the rubber ones, some acrylic scrapbook stickers, as well as some metal flower stickers and some gems (probably all choking hazards, now that I think about it--they'll have to read them with supervision) and we bought some permanent markers. Total for Target was $28, so total for today was $37.

RoseBud and I also bought a bunch of stuff for our trip
Pepto Bismol
Benadryl
Bandaids
Hand wipes (antibacterial)
Conditioner (for smothering tiny living creatures that crawl in your hair)
Granola Bars, fruit snacks (for RoseBud, not me!), prunes (for both of us, because we love them) and tuna in a pouch (in case we are starving somewhere, I guess)
A new document pouch because the zipper on my other REALLY NICE one BROKE!
Bungee cords (RoseBud thought for, you know, bungee jumping LOL) for attaching our suitcases together
Ziploc bags
A lice comb (ewwww!)
Laundry soap in a convenient travel size
Neosporin
A neck pillow (will the airlines even let us bring that???)

Total (this was NOT kid money...this was OUR trip money) $105.10 Yikes! We did buy a lot of granola bars.

Wanna know what I'm packing? 5 t-shirts, a skirt, a pair of tan capris, pajamas (1 pair), my salwar kameez, (see photo)

and a pair of sandals. Oh, and some unmentionables, which I won't mention! Y'all don't need to know about my unmentionables. Not that I'm mentioning them.

All are snuggly rolled and sealed into 3 gallon ziplocs. Or 4. I think 4, but there is room in the fourth one. The sandals aren't rolled. You can't roll sandals. Actually, they are still in the basement and I should run and get them right now, before I forget them and end up in India with only my dark brown suede Land's End mocs. That would make a fashion statement. Oh, and must run to get our electrical adapter. Forgot that this morning, too. Good thing I'm planning ahead! I have lots of time to remember the things I forgot!

Packing, Packing and more Packing!

I have 3 suitcases full (one for the master, one for the dame, one for the little boy who lives down the lane!).

Two are nearly full to the top with the uniforms from Land's End. I also fit the Teaching Clock in with the clothes as I wanted it padded so it wouldn't be cracked banging against other luggage. We'll see how it arrives.

In the third suitcase, I fit most of the teaching supplies I have already purchased. Yay! I was expecting them to fill up both of our remaining pieces of luggage.

The fourth suitcase is begun with the bare books and a big stack of paper I'm bringing for doing projects.

Still to fit in the suitcase: The laminated posters of the continents (may have to decide not to bring these...), any reproducibles I still have to make for our lessons, and our overflow from our carry-ons. I also need to get the liquids (shampoo, medicines) into the checked bags as you know the rule about 3 small liquid things in your carry-on! One of these will need to be toothpaste for our LONG arrival!

It will take us two full days, plus a little bit, just to get to Hyderabad (52 hours!) Granted, we have some significant layovers, but several of them take place in the middle of the night. Nothing like being forced to be wide awake just when you want to be asleep!

Also today, I cut out felt outfits for our felt puppets. Ours will not be THIS cute, but RoseBud pronounced them cute nonetheless. I made simple robes for them, felt hair in several colors, 3 crowns, a halo (oops, just realized I forgot to make wings!), a cross, a tomb and some gifts. Can you guess what we'll be acting out? Oh, also made a little baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes (totally random aside: in our Christmas Eve sermon, our pastor read from the New Living Translation (I think) and it says that Baby Jesus was wrapped snuggly in [some sort of cloths]. Anywho, it sounded like she wrapped him in a SNUGGIE when he read it! That gave me a snicker in church)

I also had RoseBud begin cutting out the continents I photocopied. She didn't get very far before running off to go sledding.

10 days from now we'll be leavin' on a jet plane! Whoo hoo! Pray for excellent winter flying weather, please!

Oh, and thank you to
Scott & Shawn
Gus & Julie (and family)
Jon & Aleta

My Tripmates

Leslie, adoptive mom of 2 from India.  Her daughter Nandini was at BSSK with Sunshine.  Organizing the trip.

Faye, fellow blogger, tagging along on our trip.  She will be staying with RoseBud and me at our hotel in Newark and the 3 of us are going to the Statue of Liberty on our layover!  She didn't know any of us before signing up to go.

Cherie, lived in Mexico doing missions for 5 years

Emily, her 13 yo daughter

Scott and daughters Kailee and Katie (18 and 16)

Linda, John and their dd Sam (age 16)

That's our official group, all 12 of us! 

There is also Erin, who is going on her own and staying a whole month, but who will be there at the same time we are.  She actually arrives a day after we do.

And that's all I know about everybody!

Thank you to Charlie and Cynthia for their donation!

Merry Christmas and some Thank You's!

Thank you to

Larry & Rita
Eleanor
Howard & Denise (and Sri)
Jill & Tom

and to Mr. GT who raised $395 by "giving away" his candy!
Thanks to candy donors
Janna
Megan
Me (hey, I didn't even get any!)
and all the very generous people at American Girl

and to Nonny who kicked in an extra $5 to make it an even $400 (because you know that, except for parentheses, there is nothing I like better than for things to be even and symmetrical!)

Luke 2:10-15 (New International Version)

¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
 ¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

From BibleGateway

More Thanks

Annette & Jack
Doug & Sandy
Phil
Jack & Therese
Len & Emmy
Pam & Harlow
Angela
Mike & Janet

Thank you!  Thank you!  We are so close!  God is going to do this!!

And a very big thank you (and a kiss!) to Mr. GT, who every Christmas makes over 3000 pieces of candy and gives them away, but who this year sent out a little note at work to trade boxes of candy for a $10 donation.  I'll post the results of this effort soon.  That amount is not yet included in today's total.

A Very Special Thank You

to Daisy, who shared $12.51 from her allowance. She's been saving it up for quite awhile.

And also to Banana Boy, who for Christmas gave me $11.20.  This included his $10 bill from his birthday.  Isn't that sweet?  Mr. GT said BB had been plotting for 2 weeks about sharing this with the kids in India.  He kept asking if they could use dollars in India.

Thank you also to
Nate & Susan
Mark & Lori
Wayne (again)
Lynn & Erik
Scott & Tracey
Nate
Keith & Teresa
Ron & Suzanne
Bernie
Jean
Chad & Jenny
Stan & Mary

You Are All So Generous!

Thank you to

Barb & Keith
Tim & Gayle
Linda & David
Amy & Tom (& kids, I'm sure!)
Michelle & Terry

We are getting so close!  Less than $1400 to go!

Sarah is looking at wheelchairs today, and from what she said yesterday, there might be some good ones available for between $100 and $400.  I would really like to help to purchase at least one.  I will also be sending a check very soon to help out with some of the immediate expenses with the new kids.  Thank you everyone SO much for your generosity!

Please spread the word of this ministry and share Sarah's blog with others.  The more people who see it, the more who are available to help.  And if this ministry touches you, please consider sponsoring a child!  Any amount, given on a regular basis is a HUGE help to Sarah's ministry.  Remember, she has not corporate sponsors, as of yet.  All funds to run the homes come strictly from individual donors like you.

I have been so blessed by everyone's generosity in helping me fundraise for this trip.  God's blessings!

A Sweet Story

Here is the sweetest note I got in the mail from our very elderly former neighbor:

Dear Friend:
So glad to hear from you and about what you are about to do.  I'm not very good at writing but I'm afraid you'll just have to put up with it as my sister (whom he lives with) just isn't up to it.  She is sick to the extent that she just can't sit down and write a letter. At any rate we would certainly like to help if we can although it won't be so very much.  Enclosed find check.



Isn't that sweet?  Letter writing is definitely a lost art.  That an 85 year old man would take the time to write such a nice little note just blew me away!

Oh, and the "not so very much" help?  $200.  God is so very good!

Thank you to
Betty
Bob & Becky
Don & Dorothy
Stephanie & Jim
Dave & Ann

Sarah has been introducing the new children over the last few days, so if you haven't been over to her blog lately, do check it out. 

And now see several of her new kids:

This is April.  Isn't she beautiful?  She has no eyes and is blind.  Because she has been so neglected and unloved, she won't let anyone touch her.  She won't accept human touch.  At all.  She just sucks her thumb non-stop and lives in her own little world.

And what about this cutie-patootie!  Is she not the most adorable thing you've ever seen?  At two months old, she weighs 2.2 lbs.  She is VERY malnourished!

And then there is Shalene.  She is definitely not an adorable baby.  She is in her mid-teens and has been shifted from home to home.  She was promised rehabilitative services, but was then rejected at that place and left (unannounced, really) back at her original place.  As a disabled female orphan in India, she has no way to advocate for her rights or even for decent human care and respect.  Can you see that in her face?  I can't wait to see that face change over the course of the next 6 months with love, care, respect and basic human dignity she will be afforded now.

 
Really, have you ever seen such hopelessness?

Please pray for all these children, for their survival and growth under Sarah's care.  Pray for compassionate and loving staff to be hired to love on these kids.  Pray for the financial resources to come forward to provide for all their needs.  And please pray that we will be shown how we can make the biggest impact when we are there.

Over Halfway!

We've bumped over $2000!  God is so awesome!

Thank you to

Corey & Karen
Keith & Kim
James & Anita
Greg & Shannon
Paddy

More Thank You's

Thank you to

Jessica
Cindy & Doug
Paul & Karen
Ron & Sue

Look at our total! We're only $60 away from $2000! We're half-way there!

BTW, do you remember what my goal was? I was counting on 100 donations of $20 and 10 donations of $200.

(I just love statistics!)

Do you know how many donors have put together the $2000? Only 29! TWENTY-NINE people/couples have donated $2000! People have been VERY generous and I am so grateful to each and every one of you!

Have you shared yet? Only 23 of my one hundred $20-donors have given. There are still EIGHTY of you out there! 80 times 20 is $1600 more dollars!

You might think that your little bit doesn't matter, but IT ALL ADDS UP! I'm counting on the small donors to help me reach my goal.

(BTW--even if you give $5, it makes a difference! It pairs up with a $15 donation and BLAM! Another $20 reached!)

I know God is working on this, and I'm still feeling really patient. It's not what I am doing with this, but what HE is doing! I am amazed every day at how He is providing for Sarah's kids.

Pop on over to the Chip-In. Don't be shy! Or email me at sandwichinwi at gmail dot com for an address to which you can mail a check.

Another thank you and a report on the first distribution

A heartfelt thank you to

Eleanor
Mary
Arnold & Francine

As you may have read yesterday and today on this blog, Sarah has had a big week! One of the children, Justin had a serious stroke and had to be taken to the hospital in Ongole, then transferred to Hyderabad, a much bigger city with many more medical resources.

If you've been reading Sarah's blog, you've seen her other big news. She has been expecting a new group of children from the government orphanage. Currently she has 44 in two separate homes. This new group was to be 10 more.

Then it was 25 more by Christmas.

On the same day Justin had his stroke, Sarah got a call that the new group will be all 34 severely disabled children at the gov't orphanage AND....

THEY ARE COMING FRIDAY!

Needless to say, Sarah has a lot on her plate this week! In addition to the unexpected expense of Justin's medical bills (expected to run $1500), there will be new expenses for the new children.

Sarah posts little tickers (interactive charts that tally donations--like a little thermometer) on her blog to show needs and donations. There were two tickers that have been hanging out there for a long time.

One was a collection for new beds for the first group of 10 children. Sarah estimated that $250 would buy a bed frame, mattress, mattress cover, two bedsheets, two pillows, four pillowcases, and one blanket. 10 sets of beds and beddings was $2500 and for over a week now, she has been just $63 from reaching that goal. So I covered that.

There was also a ticker to cover the cost of Grandma Suganam's cataract surgery, of which there was $188 remaining. I also covered that. (Here is the 1st part and the 2nd part of that story. Please do read it and see how your donation helped one of the sweet nannies who cares for the children to read her Bible!)

Including a little extra which will hopefully cover whatever little bit needed to wire the money, I sent a check to India's Hope for $255.

Please understand that I share all these details, not to gain glory or recognition for myself, but to be transparent with the donations you have entrusted to me. To God be the glory and may he do great things with what you have generously shared!

Isn't God Amazing?

Adding another $400 to the total in the sidebar.

Thank you to

Anita
Tom & Amy
Lyle & Janna
John & Marcia
Randy & Kory
and some anonymous donors

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank You!

Rita
Joanne
Heidi (via ChipIn)

We are over 25% of the way to our goal. Your generosity blows me away!

God Bless You!