Ethiopia Trip 2011/Fundraising, prepping and vaccines

The anniversary of my first mission trip is almost here. Because I saved many posts in drafts and never got around to sharing, this whole week will be used to share every day that I was in Ethiopia on the same coinciding date. Brittany and I spent days and months fundraising, praying, seeking the Lord. At times, I wondered if this was truly God's will. At those times He'd give confirmations along the way, a note of encouragement, a verse or a donation. I couldn't believe everything was falling into place. What amazed me the most is those that provided to get me there. Surprisingly, it seems those with the least amount of money gave the most to help me help orphans, my dream. I couldn't believe the Lord was finally granting the desires of this mamas heart. I always thought I'd have to wait until old age to reach this life goal. That He would give me favor and answer so obviously was surprising for me! It was truly miraculous. There were times I worried, wondered and agonized over if all the money would come in. I'd pray pray pray and at the deadline of each necessary step the funding would come in at the last moment. Here we are on 7/12/11. At 6:14 pm we received confirmation that ALL the funding came in and I was set to LEAVE! JOY from Set apart for Him paid the balance off. You have no IDEA how big the Happy Dance was that we did! We jumped we hollered, we PRAISED the Lord!

Most people were really supportive. A very few people commented negatively. The bible is pretty clear on the responsibility of a Christian. James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world." It doesn't say wait until your children are older and out of the house. It doesn't say once you are retired or empty nesters. It says PURE RELIGION INVOLVES ORPHAN CARE! If you claim to be Christian, than you need to be helping the orphan and the poor. My leaving for 10 days wasn't me abandoning my children or forsaking my responsibilities at home. I have homeschooled my children since 3,these children have had no other caregiver their entire lives. I've only ever left them at the birth of a sibling. I've been a homemaker for over a decade now. The thing that irks me, those that commented do nothing, and I do mean nothing for orphans or the poor. Nor did donate even a pair of underwear, socks, coloring book or so much as a toothbrush, malaria net, or formula for children who have NOTHING. Funny how you can have encouragement of many, and it only takes a few negative comments to cause doubt. They did occasionally grip my heart with fear and doubt from the evil one. At one time I felt unworthy of His blessing. I worried if the plane would crash or a terrorist attack. At one point I wanted to leave a post saying if the Lord took me and you donated please don't feel bad, it's just the Lord's will. I also wanted to complete a small book of everything I've ever wanted to share with my children written down "in case." Finally the Lord told me to take every thought captive and that His plans for me were good. I resolved to not deal with fear mongers and nay sayers or give them anymore brainspace. Thankfully when I felt unsure or worried my husband would pray for me encourage me, tell me how blessed it would be and how excited he and the children were for me. My husband is amazing. If he would have showed even the slightest doubt I would have been to fearful to go. Instead he spurred me on. Love him. So many milestones were FANTASTIC, like getting my 1st passport. Here I am getting a couple vaccines. Here the kids are filming me get my vaccines!

Then off we went to celebrate the boys birthday a day early.

Party w/ a Purpose!

This day last year... my sweet friend Brenda helped us plan our Party with a Purpose. It was nice. We let people drop in anytime during the 4 hour gathering so people were stopping by throughout the day. Here we collected donations, did a short spiel on Ethiopia, fundraised a bit and made cards for the orphan kiddos. The kids had so much fun! I am bummed I didn't take more photos. Thank you to all who came out to lend support. We made Ethiopian foods so the children could experience the culture a bit and colored pictures. They got to see the Ethiopian alphabet. My favorite was when one of the kids wrote "Dear Orphans"... then thought about it for a moment and began again and wrote "Dear Friends" instead. Well played Josh! ;-) Later you will see photos of us giving these out to kids in Ethiopia! It was wonderful and we were blessed to share about Ethiopia, a beautiful, ancient fascinating culture and country.

Here we made ( or at least tried to make) Injera, ( the tortilla like bread) iab, the yummy yogurty type dish and dorowat. ( chicken in red pepper paste) Afterward we sorted the donations, started clean up and the kids had a question for us here... How could we say no? :-)

Bringing Home KADEN! Adoption RAFFLE for the COX family

Hi Friends,
Meet the Cox family. Steve and Annette.


They have 4 fabulous boys! Steve teaches over at Orange Coast Community College, in Costa Mesa CA. The lovely Annette is an awesome homeschooling mother to four precious boys and was adopted. http://thejourneytokaden.blogspot.com/They are fundraising to bring their little son 5 year old Kaden home from China. You may remember him as Solomon's bestest little bud at the orphanage that Stacy Richards was advocating for a while back. The Cox family needs money and FAST! To help them we are holding a RAFFLE! We have some FANTASTIC prizes donated and will be adding more in the next few days. PLEASE signup via email (that nifty little button on your right hand side) to get updates on new items added. Becoming a follower would be nice as well! ONLY $5.00 a ticket. You have terrific odds of winning SOMETHING. Raffle ends July 15th, don't delay, get your tickets TODAY!
______________________________
Here is a note from Annette...
Folks can mail us a check in order to enter the raffle and also send us an email at ourfivetreasures@yahoo.com letting us know that they are mailing a check, how much the check is for and what raffle items they want to enter. We still need to raise about $13,000 and $9,550 of that is due as soon as we receive our TA (Travel Approval), which should be in the next 3-4 weeks. Thank you so much!! Love, Annette

Purchase tickets by mailing a check to:
Steve Cox
c/o Orange Coast College
2701 Fairview Road
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

There is no ChipIn available for this raffle, because under PayPal's "Acceptable Use Policy" they will not allow us to use PayPal / ChipIn to send or receive payments for activities that involve an entry fee and a prize, such as raffles, drawings or lotteries. If you have any questions, Please email me atBeautyForAshes5@att.net Together lets BRING KADEN HOME! Alida w5

Tough decisions! Adding Uganda??

I am so thrilled to overflowing and blessed! It is AMAZING to me how the Lord has moved MIGHTILY to bring me nearly all the funds needed to travel! In such a short time. It's quite miraculous to me. When I first sought the Lord about going on a mission trip and after my hubby encouraged me and gave me the go ahead, I was suddenly overcome with doubt! I allowed a few negative people to put doubts of the Lords provision in my mind. What if I shared my goal of going and the funds didn't come in? Wouldn't I look foolish? Wouldn't I be SO humiliated and embarrassed? It caused anxiety even thinking about asking for help with funding. After all, you can't embarrass yourself if you don't step out in faith. It really took me mustering up alot of courage, laying down my pride and getting over my immense hurdle/fear of failure. Many hearts were moved and now I am nearly at my goal! You may say "of course Alida, where God guides He provides." However, though I've walked with the Lord for sometime, I still at times, struggle with trusting Him to provide for ALL of my needs. I also struggle with feeling protected by Him. ( childhood spent in foster care) I sometimes feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop or for some awful thing to befall me, because they do tend to. Rather than seeing all that I go through as things He's rescued me and saved me from, I some times think "Lord what awful thing is next? (even though He has proved Himself to me countless times) This stems from trust issues dealing with my upbringing and abandonment issues I'm still working on. I believe that He wants to radically HEAL, deliver me and give me FREEDOM in this area and wants to use this trip to do it. I look forward seeing how He'll grow and mature my faith in areas like this!

A NEW incredible opportunity has presented itself for Brittany Buttram (AMAZING homeschool graduate/college student) & I to visit ETHIOPIA AND UGANDA to volunteer!! ( a HUGE dream of BOTH of ours) I'm praying the Lord's direction and will AND funds to needed ASAP to travel. Because we'd be visiting two countries we'd need slighly more funding. $3600-3800 instead of the $3200. I'd need about $1000 or so more and Brittany would need about $2000. It's difficult to decide. It's a few days longer but it's the trip of a lifetime. I doubt I'll have an opportunity like this again.
In Uganda, our team would spend one day working at Amazima Ministries with their feeding program and with the children of the Karamajong tribe. We'll meet physical and financial needs by bringing supplies and donations from the U.S. We will spend several days with the kids at Canaan Children's Home and several days at Return Ministries. In Ethiopia we'll work in partnership with Project 61's ministry which reaches out to the children who live and work in the city dump. We will also visit children in orphanages throughout Addis Ababa.

Please pray for wisdom on if we should pursue this route. We'd need funding within the next couple days! Also, if possible, and if you so feel lead, please donate. Every penny over my total goes directly to Brittany. Remember it's completely TAX DEDUCTIBLE! We appreciate it. Thank you, Sincerely,
Alida Rodriguez

I need help getting to Africa

Hi,
Alida here. Growing up in foster care was far from easy. Not having parents (for various reasons) and making my own way without support was extremely difficult. For years I carried around an orphan spirit of rejection, abandonment and hurt. I suffered many hardships and lacked purpose. I'm blessed because even through all that, friends became family and someone always took me in! A persistent Aunt always called to check on me. As broken as the foster care system was, they made sure I had food clothing shelter, medical care, and an education. Youth services like shelters gave me the tools to help me survive to adulthood. I now have an incredible family. :-)

Sadly life is so incredibly bleak and hopeless for millions of orphans worldwide. In Ethiopia in particular, there is no "foster care system," no food, medical or educational programs available. Many have to resort to terribly degrading inhumane ways to support themselves to survive often begging, digging through trash or prostituting themselves in order to survive.

Picture your child, sibling, grandchild niece/nephew alone, cold malnourished, hungry, frightened and not receiving medical care or education. Picture this child completely and utterly alone. Can you imagine an orphaned 5 year old caring for siblings. I heard about a 12 year old girl that cried herself to sleep nightly as each day she had to decide which of her hungry crying siblings would eat that day. I can't imagine that. I can't imagine my little ones fending for themselves HERE let alone in the dusty streets of Africa. If it were your child or someone you love, wouldn't you want people and organizations to help?

Hi friends, I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I've been given. It's always been my dream to work with abandoned or orphaned children. This July I plan on going to Ethiopia with a WONDERFUL group called Visiting Orphans and Ordinary Heros. We'll visit widows, orphans, outcasts, those infected with HIV living on the streets and at the Korah dump in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. We'll establish goals for working with the people there and access how we can help them long term. To get there I need your help and FAST! The deadline is approaching and V. O. needs $1100 to purchase my ticket to travel by May 31st. I have I also need an additional $1300( that isn't due until July) ( Total trip is $3100, I've raised $1000) Anything over that amount will help an amazing young lady Brittany Buttram get to Ethiopia with me. She'll be the next generation of youth caring for orphans. She needs the same amount. ($3100)
IF YOU'VE ALREADY DONATED.. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Did I mention that this is TAX deductible? Would you happen to know of anyone or businesses that could sponsor me? PLEASE email me if you do. It would make a great write off and is for a great cause. Every little bit helps! Thank you being a part of my support team. I can be reached at CauseOfTheOrphan@gmail.com call or text me: (714) 335-0434. PLEASE HELP ME HELP ORPHANS visit https://www.visitingorphans.org/donations/donate.aspx It will ask "Would you like to designate this donation to a specific team member?" PLEASE REMEMBER to click "YES" and type in "ALIDA RODRIGUEZ". Then shoot me an email letting me know you’ve done so. To follow my journey visit http://thecauseoftheorphan.blogspot.com/

Here's a clip that speaks about some of the work we'll do there among the Ethiopians. I love how Samuel says in 3:48 "They think the children and people here are cursed and unimportant, But we ARE important!"
http://www.youtube.com/user/Session7Media#p/u/5/f4pgQvgdNqs

____ I will call Visiting Orphans and make a payment by phone at (866) 683-7554
____ I will donate to Visiting Orphans on your behalf online https://www.visitingorphans.org/donations/donate.aspx
(remember to specify this is for Alida Rodriguez thank you)


What does it take to help orphans? Any amount helps me get to $3100!
If 620 people/businesses/organizations donated $5.00 = $3100!
If 310 people/businesses/orgs donated $10.00= $3100!
If 155 people/businesses/orgs donated $20.00= $3100!
If 103 people/businesses/orgs donated $30.00= $3100!
If 62 people/businesses/orgs donated $50.00= $3100!
If 31 people/businesses/orgs donated $100.00=$3100!
If 15 people/businesses/orgs donated $200.00=$3100
If 10 people/businesses/orgs donated $300.00=$3100
If 6 people/businesses/orgs donated $500.00=$3100
If 3 people/businesses/orgs donated $1000.00=$3100
If 2 people/businesses/orgs donated $1550.00=$3100
You get the Picture!
Thank you for any donation of ANY amount! Bless you. Alida w5

Date has been changed!

Hello Precious friends,
First I wanted to THANK Those of you that have donated to Visiting Orphans on my behalf! I and my team certainly appreciate your gift! Thank you for helping us help orphans!

Friends, I need your help! Many of you are aware I was previously scheduled to go to Ethiopia in April with Project Hopeful. PH has received much needed publicity as an organization with many magazine artilces, TV & radio interviews that they wanted to use those opportunities to raise awareness on how we can help HIV orphans. The trip has been postponed. I am going with another beloved group "Ordinary Hero" hosted by Visiting Orphans in JULY!!! (God willing) It is my hope that the Lord will use this trip to bless orphans and widows and to advocate for those who without a voice. I pray that my heart will become broken with that which breaks His heart. I hope to share in the fellowship of his suffering and bring hope and joy and the power of His resurrection to those in need.

After much prayer I am stepping out in faith for provision for this trip. I have less than 1 week to raise $1600 needed for the flight ( May 31st) and after that I'll need to raise $1500 more. We hope to also bless the orphanage with an item such as a stove, water purification system or playground.

Please pray for me and my team. Pray that we would be fruitful and productive during our time there. Please also consider donating to help me get there! May 31st is the deadline! The GREAT news is that IT'S TAX DEDUCTIBLE!! Would you happen to know of any organization or businesses that could sponsor me? PLEASE email me if you do. It would make a great write off and is for a great cause. Every little bit helps! Any money raised over this amount goes blesses ORPHANS with items like either a new stove, water purification, or playground.

To donate visit https://www.visitingorphans.org/donations/donate.aspx It will ask "Would you like to designate this donation to a specific team member?" PLEASE REMEMBER to click "YES" and type in "ALIDA RODRIGUEZ". PLEASE, HELP ME HELP ORPHANS, and get a tax break to boot. :-) If you have any items you wish to get rid of, I'd gladly pick them up to help raise the funds needed to travel. Thank you so much for your help and your prayers! Alida w5
Feel free to share this post!

What does it take to help orphans? Any amount helps me get to $3100!
If 620 people donated $5.00 = $3100!
If 310 people donated $10.00 = $3100!
If 155 people donated $20.00 = $3100!
If 103 people donated $30.00 = $3100!
If 62 people donated $50.00 = $3100!
If 31 people donated $100 = $3100! You get the Picture! Thank you for any donation of ANY amount! Bless you. Alida w5

I'm Going to AFRICA!!!

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work. Mother Teresa

James 1:27 "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."

Dear Friends,
I have an urgent prayer request. Please HELP!!! The past year I have seen God move in amazing ways. He’s brought us through hospitalizations, healed my son Josiah of a life threatening illness, and carried us during numerous trials. Jesus has been so faithful. God has broken my heart with a deep unquenchable desire to bless orphans.

IN APRIL, I’M GOING TO E. AFRICA (God willing) with Project Hopeful& Visiting Orphans to visit HIV orphans in Ethiopia and Uganda. We'll visit children in the Mother Theresa Orphanage, visit the outcasts at the Korah leper colony, bless children living & working in the dump, love on the fatherless HIV children and tell them about Jesus. Then it’s off to Uganda to share about HIV prevention and work with local children ministries. It seems totally illogical, CRAZY even downright foolish considering our present circumstance. However, I know that God takes the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. ( 1 Cor. 1:27) He equips the called. I am stepping out in faith that if Jesus formed this deep conviction to care for orphans in me, He'll provide every single penny needed. I can think of 100 reasons not to go. In the natural it seems impossible but NOTHING is too difficult to God. I want to be bold and attempt great things for Jesus. Wouldn't it be neat if I met my children there? The kids we're supposed to adopt?

There is an African Proverb that says "Pray, but when you pray, move your feet."

Please pray the funds will come in. Please also, if possible, consider donating to help me get there! I need to raise $3600, half needed ASAP to book my ticket. Any money raised over this amount goes directly to bless ORPHANS with items like either a new stove, water purification, or playground. To donate visit https://www.visitingorphans.org/donations/donate.aspx It will ask "Would you like to designate this donation to a specific team member?" Please click "yes" and type in "Alida Rodriguez". Not only will you help me help ORPHANS, it's also TAX DEDUCTIBLE!!!!! If you have any items you wish to get rid of, I'd gladly pick them up to help raise the funds needed to travel. Thank you so much for your prayers, support and for loving "the least of these." I know we may not all wish to go overseas, but we can always support those who do! Bless you,Thank you. In Jesus, Alida w5

"The journey of 1000 miles ( or in this case 9108) starts with a single step!!!" Chinese Proverb
"Growth demands a temporary surrender of security." Gail Sheely
Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom will I send? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me!”
Isaiah 1:17 "Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!