Pastor Bob posted this little girl in Uganda with her new dress and checking out her first pair of undies. Adorable!

Check out this five minute video from my last trip to Uganda!

Back from Appalachia and Washington DC and while it's hard to share all that I experienced, here are a few photos and brief recap.

A team of 17 Hope4Women members from all over the US met in Pound, Va. and met the charming and hard working mayor- Jackie Gilliam. She had several projects for us including teaching women to make pillowcase dresses, spread sealant on a home's roof, paint the home of a local woman and improve the home/business for an elderly couple.

We shared the books, clothing and Crocs that were so generously donated.

Our team visited the Pound Combines School and made bookmarks with kids, let them select a Dress A Girl dress or pair of shorts, a couple of books and some school supplies.

After 5 days in Pound, we drove to manchester, Ky. and met local leaders who are reaching out to the children who live in the hollows. I got a real education and they stressed that 80% of people are on some kind of public assistance. We were shown a camp which the church supports and had a chance to meet some of the children who come to their Sunday night outreach where they earn point and then select a toy, book or some school supplies. I was reminded that God created us with generous hearts but also with a desire to work and earn our "daily bread." When asked what was their biggest need, Doug answered, " not money, if money could fix Appalachia, it would be fixed by now. We need intact families to come and be role models for these children who have rarely seen healthy family dynamics."

The Hope4Kids and Hope4Women team met some bright spots and I know the H4WI staff is praying for God's direction for next steps.

Pray for the people of Appalachia that their hearts open to Jesus and they can find the dignity of self-sufficiency.

http://photos.patriciabrennanphotography.com/FullScreenSlideShow.aspx?gallery=782515&mt=Photo

Go to Patricia's slide show of the Walk4Water. Can you spot yourself???

Walk4Water Raises $16,000

This little girl has to walk hours to collect dirty water but......not for long!

Last Saturday's Loveland Walk4Water brought together 165 walkers, their children and dogs to walk the 6K path along the Big Thompson river raising more than $16,000 to drill a water well in Kajarau, Uganda. The well will serve more than 4,000 people and will be engineered over the next several months and dedicated in Nov. by Loveland resident and Walk4Water chair Carolyn Griebe. Currently their water source is pools of rain water where animals also drink and mosquitoes breed.

"Thanks to the success of the Walk, Water4Kids International will be able to drill a well in Kajaurau, one of the villages I visited last summer," said Griebe. " But because of the overflow of support, we will combine with other Water4Kids donors to drill a second well in Uganda."

Sponsors of the Walk included LifeSpring Covenant Church, Ann Baron and Hach Co. Teams from LifeSpring and Summitview churches in Loveland, Team Sherri led by Chilson fitness guru Sherri Goering and the Loveland Lightfoots, a team of Loveland residents led by Joan Eggum Skogen, Loveland resident and sister of Tom Eggum, founder of Hope4Kids International, the parent organization of Water4Kids.

For more information about Water4Kids International, visit H4KI.org.

               

Money raised by Walk 4 Water in May to aid African village — Loveland Reporter-Herald

Money raised by Walk 4 Water in May to aid African village — Loveland Reporter-Herald

Successful Sewing Party at LifeSpring

More than 40 women, girls and a few boys came and helped make dozens of dresses, shorts, dolls and yarn snakes.

The dresses etc. are on their way to El Salvador, India, Kenya or Haiti.