MercyHouse — We are THAT Family

Kenya: {Funny} Update 4

2:47 pm Bykristen

In a lot of ways, I had no idea what to expect from this trip. Even though we’ve planned each day for months and months, I couldn’t predict how my young children would handle or adjust to a third world country. I’m not going to lie, I was a little scared.

There have been a couple of rough spots that come from sheer exhaustion and traveling with children, but overall, my kids have completely amazed me. They have adapted so well. Of course, we’re in a safe gated compound with a guard and they have the freedom to roam and explore the two acres. The windows and the doors stay open all the time, so we can usually hear them giggling or just call out there name. Daily malaria pills, sunblock and bug spray are a must.

Today we spent the majority of the day making paper drink coasters. Aren’t they lovely?

You know you want a set.

My hilarious four year old has everyone wrapped around her finger and convinced the charming driver, Tim and Jotham, one of our guards, that their main job is catching grasshoppers and creatures as her “pets.” Today, I heard a squeal of excitement with a huge captured toad. She carried it around all day in an old jar. At one point she had a paper crown and wand (from crafts I brought) on and was kissing the jar asking it to be her prince.

We drove into Nairobi for a few errands and she brought the toad with her. We passed the beautiful hospital that the girls will deliver at and she started asking questions about babies. At this point, most everyone was asleep from the long day and bumpy roads. I was sitting in the front next to the driver because I tend to get car sick when my four year old blurted,

“Mommy, I know where Bubba and Sister came out——-“

I held my breath. I think Tim, the driver did too.

“Your bottom!”

AND THEN SHE POINTED to her bottom.

Oh, yes she did.

Dear people who read my blog, I wanted to fall into a hole in Africa at that very moment! The driver started laughing and I couldn’t help myself.

He said, “Wow, she is so smart. When I was her age, I thought I came from mud.”

I said, “Well, when your family decides to help start a maternity home, there are a lot of questions….”

When my husband, mom and Maureen woke up, they had no idea why I was blushing so badly.

But what happens in Africa, stays in Africa.

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Kenya: Update One

3:14 pm Bykristen

After a very long journey (more than 24 hours), we made it safely to Nairobi, Kenya. Our kids did amazing traveling and all of our bags (with more than 1,000 pounds in donations) arrived too without a bit of trouble (except we did resemble a total circus in the airport), so thank you for praying!

We were greeted by the staff and girls and given a quick tour of the maternity home. We slept under mosquito nets to the sound of monkeys outside (seriously) and emerged from the fog of jet lag feeling rested.

The morning was spent exploring and visiting with Maureen (we love her so much) and we spent the afternoon unpacking and organizing half the donations.

And then we walked about 1/2 a mile to the nearby store, which happens to be Kenya’s version of a Super center Walmart to pickup a few things. We met a giant warthog on the way!

After a delicious dinner, we showered, but before we fell into bed we gave each of the girls a special doll hand crafted for them by Baby Be Blessed. We told these three precious girls all about each of you, how much you’d given, how big your hearts were, how we represent you here in Africa.

The girls (residents) are precious, shy and unsure of these Americans, but our kids have helped ease the discomfort. My youngest had them giggling and my oldest taught them how to play volleyball with a balloon and clothesline.

All in all, it was a great first full day in Kenya! (but the Internet is terribly, so I hope to update this post with pictures this weekend!)

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When Life is Heavy and Hard to Take

10:38 pm Bykristen

Because sometimes life is-heavy and hard to take.

It can be rock heavy like a diagnosis or feather heavy like a willful child displaying their, um, will in public (okay, VBS this week. Ahem).

But heavy is heavy and it’s hard to take.

I have good news: Lamentations Chapter 3. Yes, the book of the Bible I usually don’t seek out for devotional reading, unless I’m lamenting. For the win.

When life is heavy and hard to take,

go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

Bow in prayers. Don’t ask questions.

Wait for hope to appear.

Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.

The “worst” is never the worst.

Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return.

If he works severely, he also works tenderly. He takes no pleasure in making life hard.

It’s like a 5-step program. Sign me up!

Go off by yourself-find solitude
Enter the silence-stop talking
Bow in prayer-only say what matters
Wait for hope-oh, so hard
Don’t run away-even when that’s the easy choice

So I’ve been practicing this 5-step program this week and I got very encouraging news from test results that my kidney function has returned to normal and even better, stayed at normal the last week. (Yes, we are hoping to reschedule our trip soon!)

Meanwhile some beautiful, truly amazing things are happening at Mercy House Kenya. Basically, I’m learning that by NOT being there, nothing has really changed: God is still building a house of mercy and girls lives are being changed. Please, take a minute to Meet Our Girls (we have 3 residents now!). And read about their amazing first week in the Sustainable Skills Program! Would you take a minute to pray for them?

Because our worst doesn’t touch their worst.

And sometimes that perspective is all we need.

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How You Can Pray for Us

10:09 pm Bykristen

I stood in the kitchen a few night ago, the reality of what we are about to do, settling in. It wasn’t a heaviness really, more like an O MY WORD slapping me upside the head.

I asked my hubby: “Why don’t you think God asked someone else to do this? Ya know, like someone with a lot of money, someone who wouldn’t have to believe for every dollar.”

“Or someone who had global experience, older kids, an extrovert with a love for adventure (everything I’m not).”

My hubby hugged me. The O GOOD GRAVY feeling eased.

He didn’t say a word. Because bottom line: God asked and we said yes.

And I do feel a lot of peace, especially when I remind myself He used a donkey once…..

I’m not bold. If you know me in real life, it’s probably because you approached me. But from the very beginning when we shared this vision with you-still new and unfolding each day–we knew we could never do this alone. We knew we needed you.

Will you pray for us?

I don’t like to over-spiritualize stuff, but in the last week, I’ve had a kidney infection, my mother-in-law had emergency gall-bladdar surgery, and today, my mom slipped on water and had to have 5 staples in her head (which I will be removing in Africa)-plus, my hubby’s been out of town with his job (but on the way home now). Seriously? I don’t think it’s a coincidence Maureen brought in our first girl today with two more needy, pregnant girls pending.

Please consider printing out this calendar/itinerary and ask God to use our simple family to encourage and equip the staff, to love on Maureen and the residents, to be Jesus’ hands and feet….

You can download and print the prayer calendar here: Prayer Calendar

Thank you.

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Africa FAQS

9:32 pm Bykristen

We leave for Kenya, Africa in 5 days. FIVE.

[gulp]

Our bags are packed, okay stuffed. Neighbors will house/pet/yard sit. We are thisclose to being ready.

Since you will be coming with us, I thought I’d answer some of the questions I’ve been getting via email and twitter.

FAQS

Who is traveling with you? Our family of five (me, hubby, kids) and my mom.
Where are you staying? We will be staying in the maternity home since there’s plenty of room and it’s in a safe location.
How long will you be there? just over 3 weeks
Will you be blogging from the trip? Yes! As much as I can, but don’t expect 5 posts a week. I will have Internet access, but it’s the rainy season in Nairobi, which means there are a lot of power outages. The weather: highs of 80, lows of 60. We call that perfection!
How will you get around? The maternity home is now the proud owner of a beautiful van. We needed a reliable way to get laboring girls back and forth to the private hospital. There will be a hired driver until Maureen feels comfortable using her new license.
How will you get 1000 pounds to Africa? We are flying with ”missionary status” through the British Airlines and they are allowing our party of six, three fifty pound bags each. We have been able to pack about 2/3 of all the donations that have come in. . . and little extras like these precious dolls created/donated by Baby Be Blessed (with a Bible Verse in Swahili sewn on their tummies!)
Who is funding this trip? Our family/mom paid for each of our plane tickets (who needs a savings account, right?) We will also provide our spending money while in-country. We don’t have lodging expenses, except for our 2 days in Kitale to visit Mattaw Children’s Village.
Will it be safe for your children? Nothing is 100% safe, including the street in front of our house or riding in our minivan. We are taking precautions and won’t take unnecessary risks.
Will you be taking medicine? We will all begin taking malaria pills in a couple of days, and we were all vaccinated. Mosquito nets will cover our beds and we have some potent bug spray.
What will you eat? One of our Compassion friends has helped us hire a cook for the time we are there. Our board of directors decided this would keep us healthy and since processed, easy-to-fix meals aren’t available in Africa, we thought we could use this time to accomplish things on our agenda. While the prepared food will be safe for us, it will still be African. Since my 4 year old is a little picky, I have a lot of peanut butter and jelly planned for her.
Will you visit the slums? We will not be taking our children into the worst slums. But there are many slums in Nairobi and we (my hubby and I) plan to visit a maternal clinic we are working with in one of these areas. Also, our family will be visiting one of our Compassion kids who lives in a slum.
Will you see your Compassion children? Yes! We have 4 sponsored children in Kenya. We will be spending a day with Makenna and Ephantus (whom I met last year) and two others who will be traveling quite a distance, Mwaka and Millicent. My mom and dad also have two sponsored children who will be visiting-so six in all! We will be spending a whole day with them and we will also visit Ephantus’ home. (Our family is paying for this expense).
What exactly will you be doing? We have a packed itinerary of unpacking/organizing 1000 pounds of donations, 2 intense days of staff development, setting up a homeschool area, teaching an accounting program, visiting partnering ministries (more on that later). We will have a dedication ceremony of the home and a board meeting. We also have many intense days of teaching practical skills in hopes they will produce products to sell fair trade for sustainability, as well as visiting with many, many friends of Compassion and Rehema House who will be stopping by to volunteer and fellowship.
Will you do anything fun? Yes! We have two days planned during our trip-we are really excited about the Giraffe Orphanage!
Are you afraid? The right answer is no. But the honest answer…a little. I’m anxious about getting 20 bags thru Kenya’s corrupt customs department. I’m nervous about how my little family will do. But above all, I have a peace that doesn’t make sense and I’m trusting God for everything I won’t have control of-which is a lot.
Does Mercy House have enough money? God has miraculously gotten us this far: giving us a beautiful home and staff. Unbelievable fuel prices are causing cost of living expenses to soar and threaten our budget. We are believing God to continue to meet each need. We can guarantee that every dollar given is used wisely and makes a difference in Africa. 100% of the work done in USA is done on a volunteer-basis.
Do you need anything? Simply put: yes. We need you to pray for us. I will be sharing a very specific prayer calendar later this week that I’d love for you to print out and hang on your refrigerator. So many of you are invested in this trip–if it weren’t for your donations of money and goods, we wouldn’t be going. But that’s just part of this journey, can I be so bold to ask you to commit to praying for us?

Any more burning questions? Leave them in the comments. Thank you so much for your support!!

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[Maternity] Home School {Giveaway}

10:31 pm Bykristen

This past year has been — how do you say–UNEXPECTED.

I never thought my trip to Africa in 2010 would result in forming a non-profit to empower a young lady to open a maternity home in Kenya.

But God knew. (By the way, the not knowing part is called protection and prevention of ulcers)

Maureen, (who by the way is conducting Staff Orientation TODAY at the home) Executive Director, has a graduate degree in education. She values education and besides offering these precious pregnant girls basic necessities, like a home, the Bible, counseling, prenatal care, sustainable life and job skills, we also wanted them to receive an education.

And that’s how a homeschool classroom in a maternity home was born.

I’ve never homeschooled my children, so there was a big learning curve regarding the process, curriculum, etc. Since the girls will be speaking English (the school/trade language in Kenya), I knew I had some work to do. Some readers and Twitter friends walked me through the basics.

Well, it turns out Monarch, a premier online Christian homeschool curriculum was reading tweets. After working out many details (like having several new laptop computers donated by anonymous bloggers), Monarch has generously and graciously donated two licenses for every subject (excluding history) in grades 7-11 for the Mercy House to use from Alpha Omega Publications! It’s around a $3600 value. (And in full disclosure, I offered an extended ad on my sidebar to them).

I’m so excited about what we will be able to offer these girls! I’m in the process of learning the ropes through these training options:

First, there is a Monarch-specific Facebook page which actively answers questions: http://www.facebook.com/monarch.homeschool.
Second, there are several levels of Monarch webinars available for free here: http://www.aophomeschooling.com/monarch/webinars.php

Ready for the rest of the good news?? I know so many of my readers homeschool….

They are also generously giving away a 5-subject Monarch set as well as 3 more subjects that 3 people will win!!

Please click here to “like” the AOPP Facebook page and here for the Monarch Facebook page.

Entry is easy. Visit this landing page to fill out the simple entry form!

I think the monetary value of the curriculum has obviously been a huge blessing to our small non-profit, but it’s the on-going partnership I’m excited about. From communicating with Monarch, I’m very touched by their sincere concern for the girls of Kenya. I know they will be following their progress closely!

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psst….I’m over at (in)courage today. I’d love for you to join me.

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Honor Your Mother in the Name of Mercy {Fundraiser}

6:31 am Bykristen

I tucked a wisp of hair behind my firstborn daughter’s ear. I gazed at her freckled nose, her long lashes and the fire in her eyes to be first and best. I prayed an unspoken prayer over her, one that asked for guidance for me and a servant’s heart for her and ended with gratitude for this child that I so wanted.

And I thanked God for making me her mother.

I wrapped my arms around my son’s gangly frame, breathed in his little boy scent and returned his jab with my elbow. I laughed at his noisy giggle and dirt that stained his hands. I swallowed the lump in my throat when I thought of his sensitivity, both a gift and a flaw. I quietly prayed that God would protect his heart, bless his meek spirit and grant him courage for this child that I needed.

And I thanked God for making me his mother.

I gathered up my boisterous preschooler and held her for as long as she’d allow, tracing my finger along the outline of her round face. I rejoiced at her request for Butterfly Kisses and peppered her chubby cheek with my lashes, eyes closed. I praised God for her life and her strong will, a mixed blessing. I asked for patience for me and a yielded will for this child for whom I had prayed.

And I thanked God for making me her mother.

Three times, I have been given a child to mother and hold, and one waits for me in Heaven. But when I hear the word Mother, I don’t think of myself.

I think of my own mom who is still teaching me. I hear her words in my voice, her warnings in my tone, and her love in my embrace.

And I thank God for giving me my mother.

[this excerpt was taken from my book, Don't Make Me Come Up There!]

In honor of your mother (or a special woman in your life) would you consider loving mercy in their name this Mother’s Day?

For a $25 donation to Mercy House, the special lady in your life will receive one of these beautiful handmade cards. You can honor her by helping another mother across the globe with this gift… What better way to say YOU INSPIRE ME!

::TWO HANDMADE CARDS TO CHOOSE FROM::

Sample outside of card (your mom’s may vary slightly)::: SCRAPBOOK VERSION:::

Inside (message will be personalized with their name/your name):

Sample outside of card (your mom’s may vary slightly)::: ARTIST VERSION:::

[Inside will contain the same wording as above]

Please add the recipient’s address in the Paypal Memo

Deadline to order: May 2, 2011

The beautiful handmade cards will be received by Mother’s Day, May 8, 2011.

*Money raised will go into Mercy House’s general fund which we are growing for emergency c-sections and medical expenses

“What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.” —Mother Teresa

*special thanks to Suzanne Box and Maegan Keaton who are behind this project.

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So That You May Sing With Us

9:11 pm Bykristen

I love making music with these people.

They talk in rhythm, whine in crescendo and love in melody.

A little more than a year ago, they waved their mom/wife off to Africa.

They welcomed a stranger at the airport with small gifts she asked them to return.

They quietly watched her, never pressing, silently grieving along side her, sharing her pain of knowing.

They stepped into her new normal without complaint, never missing a beat. The rhythm becoming their own.

They sacrifice for a country they’ve never seen. They long for a people they do not know. They prepare for a life-changing journey they cannot imagine.

It will be hard, uncomfortable, foreign.

They sing with me.

And you–my friends stretching across the globe with wireless cords connecting us–you trusted my song.

Can you hear it?

It is not a single note with a lone soloist, it is a mighty chorus of a mercy-loving choir.

I am preparing to return to Africa. This time, they are coming with me.

I hope you will too…..

ili nasi mwimbe

…so that you may sing with us….

*picture from the Houston Zoo’s African Exhibit

Three week Itinerary in Kenya: Unpack and organize 800 pounds of donations, Dedication ceremony of home, board meeting, staff development, implementing the sustainable skills program, setting up online accounting program/training, creating homeschool station (explaining it) and partnerships with other local organizations (maternity clinic in heart of the slum, Crisis Pregnancy of Kenya, Mattaw Children’s Village, Made in the Streets (potential)), as well as visit with the local church, hospital and Compassion International of Kenya. Plus, my hubby will be preaching in a village church and we’ll be purchasing a vehicle for the maternity home!

Help us prepare:

Please pray for endurance: We have a lot to accomplish before our trip (while both working other jobs).
Please pray for safety and health for us, our children and my mom (who will be teaching skills and helping with the kids) while in Africa.
Please pray for wisdom and guidance- (um, we’ve never done this before!)
Please pray that our 18+ bags of supplies will go unnoticed through customs.
Please mark the dates on your calendar: June 10-July 3, 2011, so you can follow the journey via periodic updates here.

Mercy House April Collection Drive

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You Are My Community

9:10 pm Bykristen

“So. Let me get this straight: you and your blog readers–people you’ve never met in real life–are funding a maternity home in Kenya, Africa?” –asked the TV reporter, sitting in my house, bright lights, microphone and all.

That just about sums it up.

I showed her the pile of letters, notes and cards on my desk. I walked her into my garage, filled with 25 unopened boxes, suitcases and dozens of packed plastic totes. I showed her the enormous bookkeeping file with every donation, printed, filed and accounting for thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars.

I told her: This story is not about me and my family. It’s about them (YOU) and Maureen. We are just the family in the middle connecting the two heroes in this journey.

I spent 2.5 hours telling the story to the local news. Two minutes of it will air in April. I don’t know what will make the cut, but I know what the real story is.

When Maureen asked us to help her, we knew this would be beyond our family’s capability. (I’m so glad God doesn’t reveal the entire picture to us all at once, or we would have RUN the other way).

I knew my local (real life) community wouldn’t be the answer (but special thanks to my parents and a couple of close friends who have been EPIC). We are so thankful God has begun building a support system who can help us chase this God-sized dream and sort donations (hello, WP community group!) I’m just sayin’.

I knew it was a risky blog move (like having nearly 30% of my readers stop visiting in the last 7 months-but who cares about numbers, right?). I knew some readers wouldn’t go with us, but the readers that have stayed, and come along since the journey are here for the right reason.

But I hoped and I prayed: I knew we would need Moms who could carry the burden with us. Kids who collected first aid items and Dads who designed brochures. Families who would join our family and give hard-earned money and do something big, together.

It cost you something to read this blog. I know that. I know it’s not always feel good and fluff.

I reached out to find community in you.

And you didn’t let me down.

Thank you.

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Mercy House Headquarters [a.k.a Our Garage]

12:46 pm Bykristen

Our local paper, The Houston Chronicle, wrote a beautiful feature on the work of Mercy House. While I wish the article had focused more on Maureen, Executive Director of *Rehema House in Kenya, (Swahili word for mercy) the coverage brought a lot of awareness and some wonderful new financial sponsors. You can read it here.

photo by Mayra Beltran

Please consider requesting brochures so you can share this work with your community!

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{Mercy} House Warming Party! UPDATED

8:36 pm Bykristen

If you follow the Mercy House, you’ve learned we found a beautiful property to rent and will be moving in April 1!

A small series of miracles occurred during the house hunting process and it turns out God picks the best:

It is a huge house with six large bedrooms, a large room for dining and another one for learning skills. It also has beautiful land for a future garden and separate staff quarters.

Update on house warming party:

In just under 12 hours, the huge list of needs has been met! Every item has been spoken for (this money will be pooled to purchase the items needed)!!

More than $3,000! I am floored. Thank you for loving mercy with us! (you can give through Paypal below if you left a comment about an item or send a check).

All other money that comes in today, will go into the general fund.

You can also mail checks to:
The Mercy House
8000 Research Forest Dr Ste. 115-110
Spring, TX 77382

*everyone who participated in today’s party will be getting their name on a plaque for the maternity home. We will also have a second plaque for monthly sponsors (over $25). We want to honor your generosity and remind the girls in the home, there’s a host of people responsible for the Mercy House. Love you all!

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Important:

2:08 pm Bykristen

Get your bidding fingers ready! Bright and early tomorrow morning (7 a.m. CST), Mercy Benefit Day will begin with THIRTY amazing auction items up for grabs! (Preview of items here).

As a reminder, here are the rules:

To bid on an item in one (or all) of the posts, please leave a comment with your bid amount. Please leave a current email address in case you have the final bid. For example: “I love this! My bid is $37. My email is ilovemercy@gmail.com” If $37 is the HIGHEST amount bid for that item by the time the auctions close, YOU win and will be notified.

Winners will be announced on Jan. 19th and payment can be made via Paypal or by check. All bids close by 10pm CST on Jan. 18. There is no minimum bid.

* special thanks to Eryn and Sarah for all their help in preparing the auction posts!
100% of the proceeds from the Mercy Benefit Day will go to the work of Mercy House. The Mercy House exists to provide alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. The Mercy House will aid them in nutrition, housing, prenatal care, counseling, Biblical teaching and job skills for sustainable living. The Mercy House has approved 501c3 status.

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Mercy House jewelry is being featured at (in)Spired Deals on (in)Courage! Visit and get a 30% off coupon!

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Mercy Benefit Day PREVIEW

10:00 pm Bykristen

Y’all.

Please

please

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

for

Monday.

RIGHT HERE:

Jan. 17, starting at 7AM CST, Mercy Benefit Day Auction will launch-100% of the proceeds go to Mercy House.

You won’t want to miss 30 (THIRTY) amazing posts, each featuring a special item up for silent auction!!!

All day long, items will be posted. If you like it, leave a comment with your bid. The only rules: the amount you enter must be higher than the previous comment. The posts will be LIVE for 24 hours and then bidding will close. The last bid on each item–wins. (Checks or Paypal accepted).

Here’s a preview: (get ready because THIS IS FABULOUS) and there are some really great ideas for Valentine’s Day!

Goat Milk Stuff- amazing Soaps, etc $50 Gift Certificate
Thirty-One -Classy Skirt Purse and Organizing Utility Tote (value $64)
Show Off Art -2 beautiful pieces! (value $116)
Union 28 -My Wife/Husband Rocks His/Her t-shirts (value $50)
Autographed Basketball from a Hall of Famer, Calvin Murphy (value $300)
Unique Work of Art by John Mowen (appraised at $190)
Mercy House Art (value $52)
She She Made -Dress, matching monogramed bloomers, hair bow (value $60)
Family Matters: Graced-Based Parenting Video Series (value $150)
Moxiemandie Gift certificiate-gorgeous fabric pouches and odds and ends (value $50)
Zehlahlum Blanket -unique, beautiful flag blanket (value $60+)
Elizabeth Engelhard Creations-box set of hand created cards (value $50)
Needlicious $50 Gift certificate-embroidery heaven!
Scentsy Perfect Plug-in Combo Pack (value $50)-LOVE.
Jessica Weaver Editing Services-5 hours of editing time (value $100)
Twirling Trees-$50 Gift certificate- Handmade paper bead jewelry made by a child who uses the money to support a child in Africa! Wow.
Values-driven Beeyoutiful package (value $100+)-healthy living products
The Vine-handpainted cross-yes, please! (value $50)
Who+What{LOGOS} 1 Free Color Logo-personalized with name(s) or initial(s) (value $75)
Dayspring-FOUR Ever Grateful Place Settings WITH some Serving Pieces (value $300)
EMI Music CD Set-Kristian Stanfill – Mountains Move; Charlie Hall – The Rising; Hillsong Live – A Beautiful Exchange; Chris Tomlin – And If Our God Is For Us…;Matthew West – The Story of Your Life; TobyMac – Tonight; Audrey Assad – The House You’re Building; Britt Nicole – Acoustic; Josh Wilson – Josh Wilson; Sanctus Real – Pieces of A Real Heart; TobyMac DVD – Moving Pictures (value $120)
Just Eyewear $50 Gift certificate-men’s, women’s or children’s frames
The Rusted Chain $50 Gift certificate-lovely, affordable hand stamped jewelry
“Love Never Fails” 16×20 Gorgeous piece of collage art (from the same anonymous creator of the Mercy House art)-(value $125)
Year of Chick-fil-a breakfast (value $200)
Seasons of the Heart Photography-individual family session (value up to $100) to take place at a location of their choice within 50 miles of Houston, Tx
Warrior Prayer Art Piece- for the Heart of Your Sons (value $50)
Wild Olive Tees-Trendy Christian tees (value $75)
The Vintage Pearl-$50 gift certificate

Nearly $3000 in amazing items up for bid!!

Would you please consider helping me promote this special day?? And shop these lovely stores who are loving mercy with us!

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The Crisis-Part II

9:50 pm Bykristen

[part 1]

I never planned to care about orphans or their plight.

I’m just a regular mom, with a mortgage and carpool, who loves sweet tea and home decor.

But caring for orphans was God’s plan for me.

And before you sigh in relief…….

it is God’s plan for you.

Every believer in Christ should be actively involved in the global orphan crisis. We should all ask God, “Should we adopt??” If the answer is no, than that is just the beginning–not the end.

If we believe the Word of God, James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” then we all have a responsibility.

True religion: That’s what summed it up for me. If I want to follow Christ, then caring for orphans, widows, the poor, is a basic requirement of Christianity.

In conjunction with the Idea Camp, here’s part one of an interview they did with my husband and I:

!C//ORPHAN – Kristen Welch from The Idea Camp on Vimeo.

[part III: What Can We Do to Help The Orphan Crisis-coming soon]

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::Mercy Benefit Silent Auction::

9:26 pm Bykristen

On January 17, 2011, I will be hosting a Silent Auction to benefit Mercy House here on We are THAT family. And we are going to need YOUR help!

How it will work: In increments of 30 minutes, all day long, we will publish a new item up for auction. If you want to bid, you will leave a comment with your bid amount. Each comment is a bid, with the last comment being the winner–just like a silent auction. The Benefit Day will end at 10 pm CST on January, 18th. We already have around TEN amazing donations, but we need 15 to 20 more!

Donate an Item: This is a fabulous way to get FREE ADVERTISING for your store or product and your own post write-up with links (and support a great cause)! All the cool kids are doing it! We will limit the auction to around 30 items, they must be a minimum of $50 in value. Please send your interest to eryn.d.hall@sbcglobal.net (you will need to send a picture(s), item description, value of donation).

Highest Bidders: Will be announced in a new blog post and invoiced via Paypal on January 19th.

All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit The Mercy House. Since we now have 501c3 status, your non-cash donation is tax deductible if you request a receipt!

Special thanks to the two amazing friends who are heading up the Mercy Benefit Day: Sara of Happy Brown House and Eryn of Mama Hall: Making the Most of It. You girls are a blessing to me!

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Spare Change

10:24 am Bykristen

I’m holding up a cup today.

Asking for a few coins on behalf of those without a voice.

I get emails Every.Day. from people asking, “What can I do to help with Mercy House?”

I hold up my cup.

Today is the 3rd. I’m asking for each of you to give just $3 a month to remember the 3 girls who are raped in Kenya every 45 minutes.

$3 isn’t much, but my $3 and your $3 and her $3 x 100 or 200 or 1000 is powerful.

Would you drop some spare change in my cup today?

If you’d like to give $3 on a recurring, automatic basis, you can subscribe to that option:

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I Gave Money to the Poor & All I Got Was This-

9:47 pm Bykristen

T-shirt

Front:Back:

(plus countless blessings from my Father!) -Prov. 19:17

Only $20 each-100% goes to Mercy House

(free shipping this week!)

Get yours here.

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Be an Advocate for Mercy

8:37 am Bykristen

The Vintage Pearl donated 25 RED Mercy Awareness Sterling Silver Necklaces to benefit The Mercy House.

Buy one here. Win one here.

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Africa, Again

10:18 pm Bykristen

My twin sister’s family runs a ministry called Into the Streets of Ethiopia, providing much needed formula to orphanages in poverty-torn Ethiopia.

She is on a flight to Ethiopia right now. My mom is going with her, embarking on her first trip to the land that stole my heart. I wish I was with them. But we decided it wasn’t best since we are saving money to return to Kenya for Mercy House work. Sometimes you get to go, sometimes you get to support those who are going. Both are hard. Both are good.

They will visit orphanages and the maternity home that will be training Maureen. I am sending a few things over with them, including a stylish outfit for our Maureen, lipgloss and red fingernail polish. Would you pray for them? I know this trip will be life-changing.

_______________________________________

A few weeks ago, I teased you with BIG news regarding Mercy House and our Love Mercy jewelry. I’m so excited to tell you………….

that

our

jewelry

designs

will

sold

Dayspring!!

Just in time for Christmas!

We’ve been working around the clock to make some exceptionally beautiful, high-quality pieces. I hope you’ll shop mercy in mid-November when they become available!

[Until then, if you want to order, please email me or convo at the Etsy store for custom orders]

__________________________________

So excited to be giving away this LOVE MERCY gallery-wrapped canvas art here. Ends on Monday, so hurry!

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The Power of 3

5:21 pm Bykristen

The odds aren’t in her favor. She lives in a country where rape happens every day, all day long. By neighbors, fathers, brothers, even policeman…The majority of these crimes aren’t reported. But she bares the scars, inside and out, and the stigma for the rest of her life.

Three dollars.

It isn’t much in today’s world. You can buy a couple of candy bars or a large drink. Three dollars just doesn’t go very far.

Unless you add your $3 to my $3 and I add mine to her $3 and she adds hers to theirs…before you know it, $3 becomes a lot.

There are so many who have wanted to contribute to The Mercy House (maternity home) we are opening in Kenya, but can’t commit to $25 a month. And you know what? We need your help. Because every dollar counts.

I started thinking about how I can’t do this on my own. Even with my immediate and extended family pitching in and about 1% of my readers giving $25 monthly, it’s still too big. But if we all do a little, it becomes a lot.

Even when we were dirt poor (by America’s standards), I think we could have scrounged up $3 a month in the cushions of our couch and in the bottom of my purse.

Three dollars.

On the Third of each month.

To remember the Three girls raped every 45 minutes.

My stat counter tells me that I have thousands of regular readers a month. If just a half or a Third of you have gave three dollars, it would be monumental.

Are you in? Click below to make a Paypal donation:

This money will go to the huge financial undertaking of launching The Mercy House, which will counsel and minister to pregnant girls and rape victims for the glory of Jesus Christ.

<a href=”http://www.etsy.com/shop/wearethatfamily” mce_href=”http://themercyhousekenya.squarespace.com/home/2010/10/3/the-power-of-three.html”><img border=”0″ outline=”none” height=”125″ width=”125″ src=”http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5051116747_47f2242ac3_o.jpg” mce_src=”http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5051116747_47f2242ac3_o.jpg”></a>
——————-
Repost from October 2010

Updated: Hundreds of people are monthly Power of 3 donors. It makes a huge difference!

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When the Ordinary Becomes Extra

9:21 pm Bykristen

I’m afraid some of you have misunderstood.

There have been words thrown at me the last couple of weeks – godly, good, brave, crazy…

I’m not worthy of any of them (except maybe that last one).

The Mercy House is a home God is building. My family is honored to be on the construction crew, along with our fellow laborers, Maureen, and people just like you. When I look in the mirror, I don’t see those words reflected. I see a scared woman who sleeps too little and worries too much. She tries to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders and remembers when the burden is too heavy to give it back to God.

Our family isn’t any different than yours. We are ordinary people. Our garbage can stinks. Our kids talk back and throw fits in open places. Our marriage is a miracle. Our dog looks longingly at her leash. We are just like you.

My hubby the other night after hammering dozens of copper pendants said, “So this is what it feels like to jump off a cliff?”

I laughed.

Then I cried. “Free-falling, isn’t so bad, huh?”

I’m just like you. I was just given a glimpse into God’s heart (the poor) and I couldn’t turn away.

Now that I have seen….

I am responsible.

We are ordinary. God is anything but.

When you look into my life if you seen anything out-of-the-ordinary, He gets the glory for it.

Are you standing on the edge? The first step off into the unknown is terrifying. But don’t worry, He won’t let you fall.

He is extraordinary.

**The story behind the song is truly an example of the extraordinary. It’s about a little orphaned girl named Albertine from Rwanda. You can hear her story here.

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The Mercy House FAQ

10:23 pm Bykristen

Thanks for the love and support. It’s both humbled me to my knees and created instances of The Ugly Cry.

If you’re catching up————

How Mercy House started:

——–Mercy Me-Part I

——–Mercy Me-Part II

——–Mercy Me-Part III

Link to The Mercy House

Link to The Mercy Shop

Monthly Mercy House Newsletter Sign Up:

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Mercy Me-Part III {Giveaways TODAY}

10:32 pm Bykristen

We wouldn’t have even considered a maternity home in Africa without Maureen.

We wouldn’t be moving forward with this crazy dream if it weren’t for the power of the local church in Kenya.

I wouldn’t have been invited to Africa if it weren’t for the readers of this blog.

I wouldn’t be writing this post if it weren’t for you.

(So, I can blame ALL OF THIS on you!)

Y’all have become like family and I love that my hubby and I, our kids, are not alone on this journey. Thank you.

But I don’t want my blog to be a place where you feel guilty every time you read. I want you to know there’s a need. I want you to know there’s a place for you to help, serve, give.

I also want you to know that God is calling our family to the work of The Mercy House. I know not everyone will feel compelled to respond in the same way.

I’m going to present the need. I’ll update as this God-sized dream unfolds and ask you to consider being a part.

There are many ways for you to support The Mercy House:

Give: We need around 50 people to commit to support The Mercy House by giving $25 a month (you get a beautiful necklace free if you choose this option). You can click here to sign up as a monthly sponsor.

Shop: The Mercy Shop offers unique, handcrafted jewelry (custom jewelry available also), African-shaped cookies, made from scratch by Bake at 350 and in the future-products made by the girls in the maternity home. (I would seriously consider it amazing if all the products were SOLD this time tomorrow. *Hint*) We are also open to accepting items from you (see below).

Supplies: We will be collecting supplies (prenatal vitamins, blankets, clothes, etc) for The Mercy House a couple of times a year through DIFO projects on my blog.
Advertise on my blog- All the profit from my blog is going to The Mercy House. You can see my stats and pricing here.
Buy my book-the proceeds from my first book will also go towards this ministry. Pre-order available for only $8.10
Share-Tell your friends, family and blog readers about The Mercy House. Please follow The Mercy House on Twitter and Like it on Facebook. The more exposure it can get, the better!
Grants-With all that we have planned, we will need some hefty donations or grants. Do you know of a family foundation that might match the work of The Mercy House or does your company have a grant program? Would love to talk with you about any opportunities.
Donate- Do you have an Etsy store or make/sell something AMAZING?? Please consider crafting and donating an item to The Mercy Shop. I will provide a link to your store/blog on the Etsy listing. Email me if you’re interested!
Pray: the best for last-We need all you can give us.

We are giving away FIVE beaded necklaces (like the ones here) and a dozen Africa-shaped cookies to lucky commenters-more than $300 retail!

Visit The Mercy Shop, leave a comment with what you like (or what you’d put on a necklace) and that’s your entry. If you’d like more than one entry, please follow The Mercy House on Twitter, become a fan (or like) it on Facebook, Tweet about the work of The Mercy House, or share it with your readers. (leave a comment with each of these as your extra entry).

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Mercy Me-Part II

10:40 pm Bykristen

(cont’d from yesterday…turns out there are A LOT of peekers out there!)

It was just another regular day. I didn’t know when I opened the email from Maureen it would change my life and that of my family.

It said, “Last night, God spoke to me very clearly. You know the pregnant girls in the slum you asked me about many months ago? The ones we have been praying for? God told me He wants me to help them. This is what He is calling me to do. Will you help me?”

Immediately, instantaneously, when I read it to my husband, I knew, we KNEW that this, THIS was why God had dropped Africa in our heart. This was what He was calling us to do, to help Maureen, help them.

That night, I remembered reading a blog post about an American woman who was opening a maternity home in Ethiopia. I spent the next hour searching for the article and when I found it, I emailed and asked them to contact me.

Little did I know that within 48 hours, I would be connecting with American’s premiere pro-life leader, who had started more than 35 maternity homes in American and her first in Africa.

She listened as I poured out my heart about Africa and Maureen. She advised and counseled and offered to help us. She also asked for help. And that resulted in an amazing baby formula drive for starving orphans in Africa-more than 1,000 cans, $3000 and a huge shipment of 600 cans from Similac (thanks to the behind-the-scenes work from a reader)!

When we met with Maureen in Oklahoma at her Student Life camp, we met and dreamed and prayed together.

We knew that not only had God united our hearts as a family, He was birthing something new and ordained of Him:

The Mercy House.

So, this is it, The Mercy House is what we’ve been planning and praying about the last few months. The Mercy House exists to provide alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. The Mercy House will aid them in nutrition, housing, prenatal care, counseling and job skills for sustainable living.

Yes, we are helping Maureen open a maternity home (Rehema House) in Africa!

We started paying Maureen so she can be the full time Executive Director of the The Rehema House in Kenya. on September 1. In January, she will travel to Ethiopia for hands-on training at the maternity home there.

You can read about the vision, the plan and the monthly budget. I’m not going to pretend that we aren’t SCARED to death! We don’t know where all the money is going to come from, but God has spoken this God-sized dream into our hearts and we are believing Him to meet every need.

All of the profit from my blog and my proceeds from my new book will go to The Mercy House, which currently has 501c3 status as a non-profit organization (which makes your gifts tax deductible).

We’ve assembled an amazing Board of Directors to help us with important decisions…you might know two of them who are familiar with women’s issues and : Amber (and her husband, Seth) and Lisa-Jo.

We also have a cute Etsy store (more on that tomorrow with some fun giveaways and new items added!!) which will help offset some of the expenses.

Honestly, the last thing, my hubby and I wanted to do was start something. We’ve fought against that very thing. We thought we could appease the call in our spirits by giving some money, helping the poor, etc. But sometimes, God answers your prayer by asking you to risk it all.

The Mercy House is slated to open in 2011.

We need a lot of miracles and we want you to join us. Would you visit the site and pray about how you can love mercy?

Tomorrow, I’ll share specific ways YOU can be a part of this needed work in Africa.

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Mercy Me-Part I

10:27 pm Bykristen

It’s been brewing awhile-this mercy rising.

It actually started before I went to Africa with Compassion International in March. Last year in the fall, I wanted to share my marriage testimony. I was afraid, but I wanted to pull away the mask and see if it helped people. I told my husband that I wanted to use my blog for God.

And so I did, I told the story on my 15th wedding anniversary over at (in)Courage. From that, a deeply private and emotional series was born. My soul was stirred by the hundreds of private emails we received from hurting wives and husbands.

The Do-It-For-Others projects were born from this idea of helping people. Well, that and the simple fact that I was actually spending a lot of time and money trying to come up with new DIY home decor projects for weekly posts.

It was a quiet epiphany for me: I can spend the same time and money helping others (instead of doing for myself) and ask my blog readers to help me.

And then, I went to Africa. I’ve written so much about this trip. You’ve come along side me, sponsored kids, supported projects, and shared your hearts. Days past and the fog of jet lag and guilt faded, but I couldn’t shake Africa. It was redeeming for me and I knew I would never be the same. And that was okay, because Africa made me better.

During this time, Maureen (you can read about her here and here, in case you’re catching up) and I were emailing and sending each other Facebook messages, getting to know each other better and dreaming of meeting when she came to America for the summer to speak at Student Life camps.

I read this disturbing article from CNN right after my trip about the rampant illegal backstreet abortions happening in the very place we visited. I was so burdened for these young girls, many of whom were trading sex for food. I laid awake, night after night thinking of these girls I’d met, and of the ones who died in a dark alley from terrible infections, I thought of my daughters asleep, fed and safe in their own beds.

I thought of Maureen, my only real connection with Africa and I emailed her the CNN story and asked if it was true and if she knew of anyone helping these girls. She replied a couple of days later: yes, it’s a bad problem in Kenya and no, I don’t know of anyone helping them.

We agreed to pray for these girls and for the unborn babies.

Before my trip, we thought we would adopt. It seemed like a natural decision (one I think every Christian should consider), but experiencing Africa changed my heart. I knew that adoption would change and save the life of one child, but I wanted to help the people of Africa. It was a crazy, irrational thought, really. One I kept to myself.

Until one night, a month or so after my trip, my hubby and I were asking hard questions. Should we pick an agency and start the adoption process? How would we come up with $30,000? My hubby broached the subject first, “It just doesn’t feel right. There’s something that’s stopping me.” I was relieved and said, “Me, too.” And then I said it, “I don’t know what we should do and I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same person, but I do know what feels right: returning to Africa.”

In the foyer of our home, my husband wrapped his arms around me and we cried. We didn’t even know what it meant, but we were on the same page and we knew it meant something big.

We decided to pray and fast and doors began to open. After weeks and months, the same doors closed.

And then, out of nowhere, I got an email from Maureen that changed everything.

Part II continued tomorrow….

[I'm so excited (and crazy nervous) to reveal what God has called us to. But it's a long story and I won't be finished telling it until tomorrow. If you can't wait, you can click here].

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