Oh my gosh! God is Great! He answers prayers!

Since the day I was given this mission to reach these children, I have had to pray a lot and then wait a lot for what God wanted me to do. Sometimes the waiting is quite frustrating but honestly I have no other options. The goal is to help these children and the only way to do that is with God. My funds, blankets and bears are almost completely depleted so I asked God what was next. He gave the story in the bible of the woman who lost her husband and was poor. She went to one of the prophets (hate to guess the wrong name) and they told her to gather many vessels from neighbors and then go in her home and close the door. Then she would pour the one jar of oil she owned into all the others she had collected and miracously be rich in one night. God was telling me to go get as many places to deliver these blankets and bears to and he would fill the rest. I did I found 4 large organizations whose only goal is to create orphanges in Africa and God gave me the favor of Ester so that these organizations would partner with me. I have had many no's....but these newly partnered with organizations allow for this mission to reach thousands of children. Now here is how God is awesome...this sunday we received a monetary donation of $500! Pray, believe and have faith while you wait.

Shipment

Here are some pictures of one of my shipments. I also tried to get some pictures of the bears but my digitial camera broke during our photos session. The day before I also broke the key off in the door at the place we are keeping our bears. Lots of trouble that week but we got our shipment out. I just found another contact in Zimbabwe and we will shipping to them shortly. They are a christian orphanage that houses about 40 kids. We are in high need of blankets now.

Schools can help too!

Right now highschoolers at Highland Park ISD in Amarillo are making blankets to send to the orphans in Africa. The week before Thanksgiving I gave a presentation to the 2 classes on giving and the blankets and bears mission. I am so excited that kids will be helping other kids. If you are aware of any organizations that do any community service, I would be more than glad to give them a presentation and they could have their own drive at their school collecting bears, make blankets or have a fundraiser for shipping costs. Way to go Highland Park!

Shipments

Our first shipment was mailed out on December 2nd first to Wisconsin to missionaries who are relocating to the orphange in Madagascar. Here is the link to Madagascar, it would be great if you could support some of these children. There are only 10 currently in the home, we sent 20 blankets and 20 bears to this home. http://www.madagascarorphanage.com/
Tommorrow on December 4th a shipment of 50 blankets and 50 bears will be sent to 2 orphanages in Liberia. I have included one of the orphanages websites as well.
http://www.lighthousecommunitycog.com/misson_of_hope_orphanage
Currently I am in communication with possibly sending to an orphanage that is inside a refuge camp, it is estimated about 200 kids are there. If you still have any blankets and bears we collect them throughout the year. You can also donate money for shipping and currently we are in need of 55 gallon bins for shipping. Thanks to everyone for making this possible.

Drive a Success

Thanks to everyone for all your support! We have received a great supply of bears and blankets to help get our organization started. I will be shipping our first shipment to the missionaries that are heading to the Madagascar orphanage at the end of this month. I have already been in contact with Jason at the orphanage and as soon as he receives the blankets and bears he will send us pictures of the little ones getting their gifts that were only made possible by you. Thanks again for all the people who donated, helped with the race, or just prayed. We will be accepting blankets and bears and donations for shipping all year, this was just our big drive to help get us started and raise awareness.

Drive Underway

The drive is underway in Amarillo and here in Panhandle as well.
Donation drop offs are at:

Tenderly Used 34th & Bell
PanHandle Babies 34th Olsen
The Bear Mill at Westgate Mall

Blankets & Bears can also be donated at First Christian Church and the Boy Scout Hut in Panhandle.

This drive is just to help raise awareness, Blankets & Bears is a mission that will continue to receive and ship donations year round.

RACE

Thanks to everyone who sponsored our race and who came out on that COLD morning to run! We accomplished our goals for the race, 1-race money for shipping and 2-raise awareness. We have extra shirts that are extra cute, if you want one they are only $5, sixes s, m, & l. Call 806-676-5332 for one or email me at toridawn@hotmail.com. All funds from shirt sales goes toward our shipping costs.

Blankets & Bears Fun Run 5K

Come join us in helping to raise funds for our shipping costs, we are having a fun run 5k in Amarillo at MediPark on Saturday, November 15th at 8:30 am. Registration starts at 7:30 am at the parking lot beside the Discovery Center or registration forms are online at http://www.lonestarrunnersclub.net under the calendar tab. You can email me your registration at toridawn@hotmail.com and bring or mail your check for $25 for the cost of the race.

First 50 registered get a free t-shirt.

Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.

Coffee and water will be provided. Come help us!

If anyone is interested in sponsoring the race and would like their name or logo on our shirts, please contact me by email by Wednesday, Nov. 5th.

Blanket & Bear Drive

From the week of November 17th thru Nov 22nd, we are proud to announce our first "Blankets & Bears Drive." We will have drop-off locations in Amarillo, were people can bring new and extremely gently-used blankets & bears to donate to our cause. We will have locations at the Bear Mill at the Westgate Mall and Panhandle Babies next to Michaels. Please help us get the word out! We will also be accepting any money donations toward the shipping costs for these items. Shipping to Africa and other foreign countries is EXTREMELY expensive. We will be grateful for any way you can help.

BLANKETS & BEARS DRIVE*******Nov. 17-22********

Why not help here at home?

Many have asked me, why Africa? Why not help the little ones here? After speaking to the head of an orphange in Africa, he told me the children there have never even seen a stuffed animal before. The children walk in the doors with literally the clothes on their backs. There are not organizations there designed for these children. Most organizations in Africa for the poor and helpless were started and are there due to foreign aid. America is really blessed, more than we realize sometimes. There is already an organization called "Hugs Across America" that sends stuffed animals to children in need. I have read numerous stories of quilting groups through the United States that make blankets to send to children in homeless shelters. Ambulances, highway patrolmen, and police carry stuffed animals to give to children in times of distress as a form of security. We have seen the need here in America, and many are reaching the hurting children here, our mission is to send a hand to the hurting children in Africa and one day hopefully throughout the world.