Fundraising Update

This past weekend, Ben and I drove to Smithfield, VA to fundraise and share about what we’ll be doing in London with Smithfield Assembly of God and Parkview Church of God.  Ben has been involved in both of those churches growing up.

The 12 hour drive from Hendersonville was quite long (12 hours. 4:30 P.M. to 4:30 A.M. made for a very sleepy and groggy next day). We brought Punkin, our cat whom we love dearly with his own special ways, with us. He hates car rides. But we made it safely.

I (Tara) was able to throw together a powerpoint complete with Union Jack flying high in the background. J I think it was quite good considering I haven’t done powerpoint since my Sophomore year in college.

Ben spoke at one church while I spoke at another.  It was a little nerve-wracking for me since it was my first time speaking in a church and my husband wasn’t with me. But Mama and Papa T were with me for moral support and I felt at ease having them there.

I believe it was a successful weekend for sure! In terms of financial support raised, the Lord provided almost $2,000 with  more families  looking to sponsor  us monthly or give a one time gift. And many people took our brochures and told us they’d be praying for us, which is assuring.

So, lets’ break it down! I’m sure many of you are curious as to how much we have raised/how much we need so here it is:

ALREADY RAISED

* $700 was raised at the garage sale- we used this money to send in our visa application, gather passport photos, postage, gas money to and from Cleveland, TN when we spoke, making and printing brochures and prayer postcards etc. (Visa application is $215 per person alone!  And if you have been watching our blog you know how crazy that visa process has been)

* $2,000 raised this past weekend- we are hoping to find a flight around $1,000 for both of us which would be spectacular! Please pray for that

* $500 raised with various odd and end jobs we have been doing

What We Hope to Raise

* Yard Sale this weekend- goal is $1,500- we know that’s high but we believe with God all things are possible!

* $1,000 Photography Fundraiser- if everyone keeps their bookings then that’s how much we will have raised! Praise God! Continue to spread the word if you know anyone who is interested in booking a shoot.

$1,000- We are hoping to sell our 92 Camry for at least this much. According to what we’ve researched, its worth anywhere between $1,000-$1,500. Pray the Lord makes this happen!

There are also a few donations here and there but as you an see, we are still far behind in what we need.  We have to have the flight paid for and at least $6,000 to get through the first part of the DTS. After that we will still need approximately $3,000. And that’s a bare minimum.

We would love to have monthly sponsors. This would be such a blessing. Please pray about becoming one of our sponsor. All we need is 120 families to pledge $10 a month. That’s the rough equivalent of 2 latte’s. Or 2 ice creams at Sweet CeCe’s. Or a movie ticket. You get the picture. ….

PRAYER REQUESTS:

·      We would be able to transition smoothly this week out of our apartment and into my (Tara) parent’s house

·      That the Lord would blow us out of the water this weekend with His provision through the yard sale. No rain. A beautiful, sunny, not too hot, Friday and Saturday.

·      For our car (Tara’s 92 Camry) to be sold for at least for what its worth ($1,000)

·      That our visa application would be on its way into our hands very soon

·      That we would be present in the here and now and not miss out on anything by being too focused on the future. i.e. My baby sister is moving away to college this Thursday and for us to spend quality time with our loved ones while we have it.

·      For Ben and I to look to God first, and not each other. Because when we start to look away from Him…it can get messy quick. And we all know that Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy ESPECIALLY if there’s 2 or more gathered.

·      For our parents and family that they would have an easy time giving us up into the Lords hands and feel his overwhelming peace that passes all understanding.

Publix, Provision, and a Random Act of Kindness

So last week I got a random phone call about taking part in a 2 hour research group on my opinions of grocery stores, Publix and Kroger to be exact. They asked me several questions and said that I qualified to be part of the study group and that I would be paid $100 cash for my time.

Sounds shady, huh? I thought so too. But seeing as we are still thousands short of our fundraising goal I decided $100 would be worth it. So I signed up and figured I would just do the homework (a couple of pages of my detailed opinion of Kroger and Publix) and show up to the study group at Hampton Inn in Gallatin tonight.

So I showed up tonight at the Hampton Inn lobby halfway expecting to be involved in some scam (seriously someone is going to pay me a hundred bucks for my opinion?). I did my homework, I signed in, and took a look at the other ladies already there. They looked pretty normal and quite pleasant so I felt a little bit better about the situation.

We all found a seat at a table with pen and paper in one of the meeting rooms. There was a video camera set up. I will probably be on some video that shows up in a college marketing class. Too bad I wasn't wearing makeup and am having a horrible hair day. Guess I"ll be one of "those" people on one of "those" videos you have to watch in college class ha.

At the beginning we were asked to go around and state our name, where we are from, and a random fact. Considering the fact that we are moving to London in a little over a month I decided that would be my random fun fact of course. I decided not to say "as a missionary" because I didn't want to sound stuck up. But then I was of course asked why I was going to London so I said "To be a missionary with YWAM-Youth With a Mission". A couple of the ladies have heard of YWAM so they kind of muttered "oh cool. yeah!".

For the next two hours us ten ladies of all different demographics gave our opinions in enormous detail about Kroger and Publix. And can I just say that I learned a lot! Publix gives rainchecks on items listed on sale and aren't in stock! And they match other sales going on. Had no idea...

At the end of the two hours we all got in line to recieve our little envelope. I looked in it and sure enough there was $100! I was so excited and kind of humored that God would provide in this way. I mean its totally random. I've never done anything like this in my life.

READ THIS PART IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE:
As if $100 for my opinion and 2 hours of my time wasn't enough, the Lord decided to show himself through a random act of kindness from a stranger. One of the ladies in the study group drove around to where I was parked in the hotel, rolled down her window, handed me her envelope and said, "God told me to give you this". I seriously was in shock. Here is this total stranger (well except that we know each others detailed opinions of Kroger and Publix and some simple demographic info) who just spent 2 hours of her night to get $100. And she listens to the voice of the Lord and gives it to me. A total stranger. I am just SO amazed.  I walked away tonight with $200. And yes, its small in comparison to the 10,000 plus that we still need to raise....but its still Gods faithfulness that just settled my heart tonight.

He keeps doing things like this. He keeps proving faithful, just like He always has in my life. Tonight was just so neat because who would of thought that God would choose to provide through me giving my opinion on grocery shopping? I mean really? Wouldn't it make more sense for a church to sponsor us? Or our friends and family to sponsor us? Oh wait....God doesn't always like to work that way. It would be boring if He did.

So, bless you, my friend (and I shamefully cannot remember her name at the moment) who selflessly gave us your $100. This is something I will NEVER forget.  What you did was so bold, selfless and so awesome. The Lord is Jehovah Jireh. Provider. And in ways that may seem completely random to us but are planned in His perfect timing and plan. Praise Him. To Him be the Glory.

Moving Forward

We can't believe that we are only 6 weeks away from our big move to London, England. We sure do feel like we are just running around like chickens with our heads cut off.  Here's the tentative game plan for our last few weeks here and how you can be in prayer for us in this part of our journey. 

6 WEEK COUNTDOWN

Week 1: send in Tara's final visa application, finish sending out our support letters, and drive 12 hours to VA to speak at a church (hopefully two!) on the weekend. Please pray for a safe journey and for the Lord to speak through Ben and I as we share whats going on in London and how we will be ministering to the people there with YWAM.  Pray that Tara's visa will be accepted and processed quickly and without any complications. 

Week 2: Organize our apartment into what to sell, what to keep in the U.S., and what to take with us to London. Hold our last garage sale fundraiser at Tara's parents house (please come) and take whatever is left to Goodwill. Also move out of the apartment and into Tara's parents house that weekend. Pray that all of this goes smoothly. That the garage sale will be a success and that we will get everything organized and where it needs to go.

Week 3: Spend precious time with Tara's family and whoever we can squeeze in. :) Start completing the packing process to London. Hopefully sell Tara's car in efforts to help with fundraising. Pray that Tara can stay focused in the present and enjoy the time she has left with her friends, family, and co-workers. 

Week 4: Say "so long" to friends and family in Hendersonville and surrounding area. Head to Cleveland, TN for 3 photoshoots that weekend and then travel 12 hours to VA to spend time with Ben's family for 2 weeks. 

Week 5:  Hang out with Ben's fam in Smithfield, VA. Ben needs to see the eye doctor at somepoint and get new glasses. Pray that we will be able to cherish the time we have with Ben's family. Ben's Dad may be having his knee replaced that week so pray for health and for everything to go smoothly. 

Week 6: We leave! ahhhh! Stuff needs to be packed. We are on our way to London. Pray for financial provision. At this point we still have a LOOOONNNG way to go in terms of financial provision. We trust that that Lord will provide as He already has. Its all in His timing. 

So, as you can tell, we are crazy busy. :) Please be in prayer that we will be wise with our time .Pray for our parents as they have to let go of us and trust God to take care of us where He has called us to go.  That's all for now. 

CHEERS