As a fundraiser, I have decided to make and sell headbands. I have been working at them for a while, now, and several are ready to sell!
The headbands are sewn cloth strips, many of which include ribbon on the ends for tying purposes. They are varying widths as well, so you can specify which you would prefer, and I will attempt to accommodate your request.
I am selling them for $5 each, but any additional donations would be greatly appreciated.
How to go about purchasing one:
1. look at the posted pictures and tell me which one you would like
2. send me your address so I can send you the headband(s).
3. either pay me in person or send cash or a check made out to me to: 203-3 Tee St.
Blacksburg, Va 24060
(I will write a check to CURE after all the money is in)
you can contact through facebook or email (plaura5@vt.edu)
How to wear...
A single headband...
The variety...
Thanks so much to Kim Hill for her generosity in allowing me to use her sewing machine.
On Friday May 6th, Lesley and I, with the help of countless friends, threw a $5 prom for Zambia. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us, but more importantly, supported the Kingdom through giving that will change the lives of countless children with disabilities in Zambia.
"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayer for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
2 Cor. 9:11-15
With great joy, I am writing this letter to fill you in on what God is doing in my life and tell you about the plans He has for me for the summer.
As many of you know, this past summer God called me to serve middle school girls and boys at a camp called Camp Sandy Cove, in West Virginia. Thank you so much for your prayers and support through that. I can say with confidence that God worked, and did immeasurably more than I could have asked or even imagined (Ephesians 3:20). My title was cabin counselor, but I soon realized that the job title really could never fully encompass all that I experienced. To be honest, it was exhausting. In the past I had been a day camp counselor, but that could not even compare to the 24hr a day 6 days a week work I was doing. Through this God immediately revealed to me that I would have to rely completely on Him and be in communion and prayer with Him in order, not only to survive, but to be able to give myself fully to the Kingdom. The ways God worked in and through me last summer are too numerable for words. From small conversations with the younger kids during day trips about how we can be “found” in Christ, to late night conversations with my cabin girls about struggles in their lives and how God takes hold of them, brings comfort, and is their true father, He was ever-present. Although the days were long and filled with adventures, not always the most enjoyable (lice, poison ivy, illness) the joy that comes with leading a young girl to Christ on the front porch of our cabin at 2am far overcomes any hint of doubt. I am so thankful that God provided me that opportunity to serve and grow.
After a week of break before heading back to school I was, by God’s grace alone, refreshed and ready to go back to ministry in Blacksburg. I was excited to get more plugged-in and find out exactly where God wanted me to serve. I immediately signed up for another language partner. This program, put on by Bridges International, exists to connect American students with international students, with the purpose of building relationships, in God’s name. Within a few weeks, I got an email with her name and contact information. The first lunch date with Shu-Fang went really well, although her English skills were limited, I was able to understand her fairly well. After that meeting, I began praying for her heart, that it would become more and more open to the Gospel. Since then, God has provided me opportunities to share with her my testimony and involvement in the church, as well as opportunities to serve her through loving on and hanging out with her kids, Chris and Minnie. She has since joined an international Bible study, and has come several times to the Friday night ministry I am involved in - ACROSS.
ACROSS has been an incredible opportunity for me as well. Once a week, a group of mostly international students, gather for food, games, and a Bible study. It is evident that God is working and raising questions in the minds of those students. One of my favorite parts has been hanging out with the kids. Through relationships formed on Friday nights, I was awarded the opportunity to babysit for a conversation group. Countless times, the parents have thanked me for loving and hanging out with their kids. I love every moment. I know that God has gifted me with the love of children, to be able to serve these international families, and I am extremely thankful for the opportunity.
Through ACROSS, my roommate Lesley and I soon became friends with two German students Christoph and Claus. Since then, the four of us and another mutual friend, Christina, from our hall last year, soon became much like a family. Through the countless hours of karaoke, sharing meals, and hanging out, God has provided us many chances not only to show them Christ through our lives, but to share with them specifically why we read the Bible and how we came to know the Lord. God has continued to place them in situations where they have heard truth, and I am grateful to be a part of their lives.
Plans for this summer have changed so many times I have lost track, yet somehow my focus has remained on God and He has continued to be faithful. Even through the uncertainty He gave me peace, and now He has revealed His plan to me. My heart for Zambia began to grow since my roommate, Lesley, returned from her trip with Cure International this past summer. Cure’s purpose is to transform the lives of children all around the world by healing them of treatable diseases and providing them true hope as the hospital staff show them God’s love. One day this semester, I was talking to Lesley about the trip, and opportunities the non-medically inclined team members had. She began to explain to me that they were able to serve through running a children’s program and loving on the children in the hospital there as well. At that moment, God put a desire in my heart to go and serve, and I knew it was not going to go away. Because the application deadline was fast-approaching, I went ahead and applied, praying all the while that God would reveal His will to me through the application process. When I received news that I had been accepted to join the Go team with Cure International to Zambia (July 18th- Aug. 9th), I knew that God had opened the door for a reason. I cannot wait to see the magnitude of His plan for me in the preparation and actual trip to Zambia.
I share all of this with you, because I know I cannot do this alone. Primarily, I need your prayers. Pray for the team, that we would be able to work well together and be united in purpose. Pray for the logistics, that we would be able to complete all travel plans without difficulty. Most importantly, though, pray for the hearts of the Zambians, who we will be ministering to, to be soft and receptive. Another prayer of mine is that we would be able to raise all of our funds.
Serving with CURE this summer in Zambia will cost $4,200. This will cover my food, housing and airfare, but that is not all. About $1,800 will go directly to the medical outreach and hospital. Together, the eight members of our team will fully fund the medical outreach we will do while there. What an amazing way we can use our resources to bless so many lives in Zambia! I pray that God would work in your hearts, to give for His kingdom.
Through this blog, I intend to keep you updated on the trip preparations, including finances, and express how God is revealing his heart for Zambia to me. I also plan to use this as a means of follow-up after the trip, to demonstrate a bit of how God is molding my heart and continuing to work in Zambia.
Thank you for your dedication to the work of the Lord, through your continuous love, prayers, and support. I ask that you would partner with me once again to bring the love of Christ to the physical and spiritual needs of the people in Zambia.
In Him,
Laura
“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gates to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:12-16
Hey friends,
Despite my inexperience with this kind of thing, I have decided to start a blog to inform and keep y'all update on how I have seen and am beginning to experience God's heart for Zambia.
