What's In Your Bag?

I, like most women, carry my purse with me everywhere I go. It holds everything I need to get through each day. My wallet, cell phone, car keys, lotion, hand sanitizer, pens, check book and other miscellaneous items. I probably do carry around a lot of unnecessary items but they are all things that I feel I cannot live without. I would be so lost without any of the items I put in there, but in reality my well being is not dependent on the items I carry in my purse.

I just recently learned about a group of women in Uganda that also carry a bag around with them. They too carry around a lot of items in their bags. The difference between my bag and theirs is that within their bags, they really do carry items that can mean life or death for a person. Many families in their surrounding are so desperate for what these women carry around but they cannot afford to obtain these items for themselves. So, who are these women and what is it they carry with them?

Uganda's poor recount how Living Goods has changed their lives and improved their health. from Living Goods on Vimeo.

These women belong to an organization called Living Goods. They are the 639 female leaders that make up the Community Health Care Promoters team. And what is it they carry around. Some of the items are: 1) Household water filtration kit 2) Malaria nets 3) Solar lanterns 4) Medicines: cough syrup, amoxicillan, malaria treatments, deworming pills, vitamin A 5)Mama Kits: bedsheets, rubber gloves, antiseptic and a razor blade to cut the umbilical cord.

Living Goods is an organization that is recruiting and training female leaders to become Community Health Care Promoters (CHPs) in their local communities. These women earn an income selling affordable health care products. Every minute, 3 children die because they lack access to simple medicines that cost less than a cup of coffee. Living Goods is working to put a stop to this. They currently have 639 CHPs in Uganda caring for approximately 700 people. They also make house calls to pregnant mothers and small children. Their goal is to have 5,000 women across multiple countries in the next 5 years. This would allow them to care for approximately 3 million people. The CHPs not only care for the families and sell them affordable medical supplies, they also educate them on health care basics like washing your hands. They are making an impact in their surrounding areas and, with your help, can one day make an impact on the world. How can you help?

The Adventure Project is teaming up with Living Goods and helping them raise money to train new CHPs and provide them with their own supply bags. They are selling these very cute bags to help Living Goods accomplish their goal. I just ordered mine today and I can't wait for it to arrive! It's my way of giving back. So what are you waiting for? Check out The Adventure Projects website ( http://theadventureproject.org/ ) and get informed. Also, don't forget to spread the word!

Moving On......

I feel as if now is a good time to update everyone on all of the changes going on in our lives. It really has been an adventure but through it all God has once again reminded us of how great He is and how much He truly loves us.

To start out, there have been a lot of changes in the youth ministry. We have hired a new middle school director, Andrew. He is totally awesome and loves youth. He is a friend of Nathan and Brooke's from Texas. He is just graduated from Christ for the Nations and we are really excited to welcome him to our team. With Andrew joining us, Brandon and I are moving from middle school to high school. This is an exciting and challenging change for Brandon and me. I know for me personally this transition has been challenging me more to seek out my role in the ministry and to really develop myself more as a leader. During my quiet times with God, He has really begun to speak to me and give both Brandon and me direction in our next step.

With the changes in the youth ministry, we have been going through a transition in our home. Last Monday morning I met with my boss and resigned from job at Shur Sales & Marketing. After much prayer and thought, Brandon and I both decided that it was time for me to move on. I really wanted to have more time to spend in the youth ministry and I really felt God tugging on my heart to take this step. Coming to this decision was a huge test of trust for me. I knew it was something that I needed to do but from a financial aspect it really didn't make much sense. I really fought God but in the end it really came down to how much I truly trust Him to provide. And he really did!

Which leads me to the other change. As I am writing this I have goosebumps. God totally provided for our family. Within a week of giving my 2 weeks notice, I found and awesome job with perfect hours. I will be a nanny for a family I just met. They have 2 very sweet children ( a girl and a boy). Along with that, a good friend of ours offered me a job helping with his web design company. I can't even expressed how overwhelmed by God's goodness I am right now. I don't thing I have fully taken it all in yet. It still feels like a dream.

Our final transition (for now) is that Brandon is going back to school. I am very excited about this as I know he is too. He will be attending the The Rock School of Ministry starting in September. I am so proud of him! I know he is so excited to go back to school. It has been something that he has talked about and dreamed about for a while and now he actually gets to do it.

All of changes and decisions did not come easy. Looking back to the beginning of all of this, there have been so many prayers and tears over the past few months. Our lives have truly been an adventure. Change is both sad, scary and exciting all at the same time but I am so glad that God knows more than I do. My old youth pastor said something once that has really engraved itself in my heart. The Bible tells us that God is the lamp at our feet. David (my old youth pastor) explained it this way. If you think about a lamp, it only lights up a few steps. It doesn't necessarily light up the whole road. You may not be able to see the end of the road but sometimes those first few steps are all you need to see. As you take each step, another one is revealed. I know the desires and passions that God has placed in my heart. I know what He has called me to but at times its scary to take just that one step that He has revealed because I can't see the end. Each step has its own trials, challenges and scary moments but I have found that after taking each step, my reasons that were holding me back seem so small and unimportant. I end up with a stronger faith and things become more clear. As long as I continue to trust Him to be my lamp, and I keep moving forward, He will always show Himself to be faithful. He is always watching out for me and He always makes things work together for my good. He loves me. Even if I take a step in the wrong direction, He is there to guide me back to the right path.

"This I declare about the Lord; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him" - Psalm 91:2