Two Homes, One Heart

So much is happening with Two Homes One Heart. It's hard to believe how quickly we are moving along with projects and with fundraising activities. We are forming a committee to help with the planning of projects, distributing funds and planning the fundraising events. We have a small group of 5 people right now but each one brings special gifts and talents and ALL of them have a heart for Jesus and love for the children!! We are always open to more people joining us - you can always email me if you want to be part of our group. Besides being part of a great mission, there is LOTS of fun in getting together, sharing ideas and building friendships with each other!

Two Homes One Heart is expanding its projects and we now have 4 different outreach projects on the go:

1. Supporting Fenghuangyuan Orphanage – this is where Alyssa lived for 15 months and we want to continue providing financial resources to the orphanage for baby formula, clothes, cribs, toys, surgeries as there are many children with medical needs and most importantly – foster care for all the children. We are in the process of getting started with this. Our last project was the playground and it is ordered and will be installed in the next month!

2. We are adding another orphanage to Two Homes One Heart. We will provide support to this orphanage the same as we do with Alyssa’s orphanage. Right now, we are praying about an orphanage in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and one in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There will be more to come later on why we are praying about these 2 specific orphanages.

3. A new project called “Heart to Heart” is being done under Two Homes One Heart. This is a project initiated by a foster child we know who is 12. She has been wanting to help other foster children for quite awhile and she approached her social worker and I about an idea she had. She is going to collect backpacks, teddy bears, soft blankets, toothbrushes, hair brushes, books, journal and pens. She will put all these together in the kitbags and will give one to each foster child coming into care. She is also writing a personal note with each one telling the child they are not alone and someone cares for them. Her goal right now is to raise enough money or have people/businesses donate enough supplies for 150 backpack treasures. She eventually would like to do this for other provinces in Canada as well.

4. For 2 years, my friend, Peggy and I have initiated a Baby formula drive for the local PEI Food Bank. We would like to continue on with this and provide baby formula, diapers and baby food to the food bank. The Food Bank has told us we are the only ones who give baby supplies to the Food Bank so this is another local area we can really help with.

As you can see there is LOTS happening - our family is really excited about the different projects and coming up with ideas to help out.

The kids have a whole list of ways they are helping this summer/fall and would be thrilled to see you at any or all of the events:

*Lemonade Stand - Caleb has named this project "Lemonade of Hope" - we are in the process of booking locations for their lemonade stand. They will be selling lemonade, pop, water, homemade chocolate chip cookies and caramel popcorn. The kids will be hosting at least one lemonade sale a week for the next few months. I will post their locations when we have them finalized.

*The kids and I will be going to the Farmer's Market to sell the rest of the homemade blankets we have. We are always looking for more handmade blankets and will collect these anywhere on the Island.

*Family Yard Sale - the kids have been busy picking out toys, clothes and sports items that they will sell. Our whole family and a few friends will be having a big yard sale - date to be announced.

I love that the kids want to be involved and they come up with fun ideas to help out. Being able to support the children living at Alyssa's orphanage is a great way for us to keep in contact with Alyssa's nannies, the orphanage and her birth land. The kids and I pray every night for the nannies and for all the children. I love that the kids are able to think about others and realize there are ways we can reach out and make a small difference in someone's life.

There are 6 other fundraising projects our group is in the process of organizing. Can I just say they are going to be a BLAST!!!!! They are really fantastic and everyone will find one or more they can enjoy and participate in. I'll save them for my next post since this one is already pretty long!!!!