Art Print 1

Artist Roscoe Fink has donated this lovely painting to Sixteen Small Stones! For a donation of $1.00 (or more) we will email you the high resolution copy of this print for you to download! Perfect for desktop wallpaper! Use our paypal button in this page, and specify that your donation is for the purchase of Art 1. Please include your email address so we can send you your downloadable copy. See more of Roscoe Fink's art at www.roscoefink.deviantart.com REMEMBER: Because Sixteen Small Stones is a VOLUNTEER group, 100% of donated money goes to helping orphans and People In Crisis around the world. (Roscoe Fink DONATED this art for Sixteen Small Stones and will not be paid for his time or materials.) ABOUT THE PIECE OF ART AND THE ARTIST This picture was painted by the same artist who designed our logo, Roscoe Fink. He is an INCREDIBLE artist and works professionally as a pinstriper and concept artist. Roscoe Fink is notorious for painting for charity auctions and doing other not-for-profit work for people in need. We are lucky to have him as a resource for us! Yesterday, Roscoe Fink offered to paint a picture custom designed for Sixteen Small Stones! He so graciously VOLUNTEERED his time in doing this, and offered us the beautiful print FREE of charge as a fundraising initiative. His plans for this painting were for us to post a low resolution thumbnail size copy and sell a high resolution copy for download with the donation of one dollar (or more). He made this print so it would be usable as a desktop background for your computer. Fink loves the work Sixteen Small Stones does (he himself being a HUGE advocate against child slavery around the world), and wanted this picture to portray a child who Sixteen Small Stones is helping, thus the hopeful look and slight smile on the face of the boy in the picture. He hopes this piece of art will encourage those who donate to continue advocating for children in need around the world, and remind them of the great work they do as someone who helps Sixteen Small Stones.

Falling Whistles Part II

When I first tried to access the Falling Whistles website, I skipped the video. The other pages would not load. I tried again and again, each time skipping the video, with the same conundrum...if I didn't watch the video, the pages would not load. Finally, I sat and watched the video...a video that has changed my life in the 12 hours since I watched it. Each time I hear about someone helping orphans, I feel like my cup that was already full is added to, and I realize that cup wasn't full at all. I feel ignorant that "I didn't know about THAT" (whatever orphan situation THAT may be). I feel happy that there are people out there who DO know about "THAT". I feel an overwhelming excitement that I have found another place to help. My cup has more poured into it. In a government far from here, some rules were changed, and, for the time being, one of our Friend Homes is undergoing some changes. For now, SSS cannot work in the same way with this home. Since I found this out, my heart has been breaking. Over and over, again and again, every day. I think of families who have started adoptions, only to have that goal taken from them. I think of the children who were waiting for their families to come, who will never be brought home to that family. I think of the leaders of that home who worked so hard to keep the children safe and healthy. Why is this happening? I remind myself that GOD is in control. I remind myself that a loving Heavenly Father will not leave them orphaned...He will come to them. They may not be brought home to their families here on earth, but they are HIS CHILDREN, always and forever and ever. No government can take that away. So, I pray for the strength and the faith to turn the situation over to God and allow Him to fulfill His perfect plan. I wonder what SSS is to do now. We are, of course, still working with all of our other Friend Homes, but I feel like a piece of SSS is gone with this Home, I feel a loss, I feel a little empty. Financial donations have been low lately. Operation: Fuzzi Bunz is still trudging along, albeit slowly. And each day I pray. I pray for people to donate. I pray for a box of Fuzzi Bunz diapers to appear on my doorstep. And I pray to know what SSS is to do now, with the emptiness left in the absense of this Home. I heard about Falling Whistles. I could not get their site to load until I watched the video. What was God telling me? It may seem that I am being very eccentric to think God had anything to do with the website not loading. You are right. It is eccentric. I am eccentric, I guess, when it comes to my belief in Personal Revelation. I don't think it was coincidence that the website would not load. Watch the video. Watch the video. Watch the video. Hmm. Maybe I should just watch the video. Duh. My heart turned. More was added to my cup. After I watched the video, many of the pages still wouldn't load, but I felt it was for a purpose. By me returning again and again and again (and again) to that website, my interest increased ten-fold, and it stuck in my head much more than if I would have gone once, seen what it said and then left it. Maybe I would not have had the same desire to help if I hadn't been tested again and again. Isn't that how God teaches? By repetition? (Thank Heavens He doesn't only tell us things once, or I would be in a HEAP of trouble!) Is SSS supposed to help with Falling Whistles? Of course! To what extent, I don't know. That is not for me to know right now. What I am supposed to do is step into the darkness and allow God to lead me, to lead SSS. There is a reason I was lead to that website. There is a reason I needed to watch the video. There was a reason my heart needed to be changed. Maybe for no other reason than to tell everyone I could about the plight of Falling Whistles and of the little children in the Congo blowing those whistles for their lives. And so that is what I will continue to do. PLEASE go to fallingwhistles.com and WATCH THE VIDEO. Then, read my previous post, which tells the story of the Falling Whistles. Please join me in praying for precious children of God who are sent to blow the whistles. Please pray for Falling Whistles that they can be successful in helping the "least of these".

Falling Whistles

Okay, so I REALLY don't have time to be blogging...I am supposed to be leaving for work in about 40 mins and have not showered, brushed my teeth, gotten dressed...Okay, I am stressing myself out with this list. Let me move on. I have been sitting at my computer reading about Falling Whistles. When I first heard of them from another blog, I went to find out about them. They had an instantly playing video, which I HATE on websites, so I tried to skip it. I did that, but then the rest of the page would not load! All day yesterday, I tried to get into this website, each time clicking "skip video" and then trying to get the rest of the pages to load. It was making me CRAZY not knowing what this whole Falling Whistles thing was all about! The other woman's blog hadn't given even a HINT as to what it was about, so I was DYING of curiousity (this should come as no suprise to those of you who know me...at all). Finally, this morning, I couldn't stand it any longer! I decided to let the video load and watch it. It changed my life. (God loves to do that to me...change my life.) After I watched it, I wanted to know what it was all about, so I tried to get into the website and STILL couldn't get the pages to load. So, I googled it, and was pleasantly suprised to see this was mentioned on Tom's Shoes (LOVE the project...just can't afford it! LOL!). This is what I read:

Sean went on a shoe drop with Blake, after that shoe drop his life took a dramatic turn. He spent lots of time traveling and finding himself and his place in this crazy, hectic, scary, beautiful world. He did some work with Invisible Children, learned, and grew. His steps lead him to the Congo and here is where the real story begins… Some strange circumstances led him and his fellows to meet a group of boys, these boys had escaped two of the rebel armies in the Congo. They found them in a military encampment called Titu. Because these boys had chosen not to fight they were treated as “Enemies of the State,” forced into this prison and made to stand all night, all under the age of 15, they had not eaten in over 48 hours. These boys (and all the other citizens of the Congo) had no refuge. All people wielding guns were not to be trusted. There was no room to believe in safety, a term that is unheard of there. Lindsay convinced Sean and they bought the boys food, soap, clothes, shoes, and a toothbrush. These gifts, seen as commonplace here were a saving grace to these boys. The simple bananas that were given were the first food they had that was not rotten since the last time they had seen their families. While waiting for the UN to respond and act on a promise to rescue each of these boys they spoke to them and found out that each had been abducted, taken from their families with no warning, tied up, beaten, and forced to kill. One of the boys told of being dropped in a deep hole with 300 others, forced to stay for 20 hours of the day, all the while living in their own feces, waiting for the four hours a day when they were taken and trained in fighting and firing a gun. These stories make you cringe, but this is only the beginning. This is where Sean’s heart broke and the floodgates to this amazing story come to full force. The boys also spoke of Whistle Blowers. These small boys, too small to carry a gun and use it, were simply given a whistle and put on the front lines. The only job these small boys had was to use their whistles to make enough noise to “scare the enemy” and to be the frontline and take the first round of bullets. These small children were to serve as a temporary barricade. The ones who try to run, are shot from behind. This is to serve as a reminder to the others to “be brave.” They are left with no way to protect themselves from either side of the line. “With falling whistles, their only choice is to feign death or face it.” Strange as it may seem, telling their stories brought a sense of hope to the boys. In a small and cramped prison there was a light within each of them that could be seen. But their story is not over yet. There was some hold up with the UN and the rescuing of the boys had been put on Unicef. With some fast talking and quick moving all was resolved and the trucks to take the boys out were let in the compound; however that didn’t mean they would be let out. Sean watched as these five boys who had been planning their escape for weeks were set free and their dreams finally becoming a reality. After hearing their stories and knowing that there was hope, Sean asked “Am I even capable of helping such madness?” That’s where YOU come in. Be a whistleblower. Let everybody know that this cannot stand. These small children are not toys to be lined up and shot at, they are human life, pure, beautiful human life. With your purchase of a whistle, Sean will give to help these children be taken from this death sentence. The ones that are taken out of the Congo will also go through Art Therapy to help them learn to cope and come to terms with what they’ve experienced. Please, don’t sit by idle and let these children die in vain. We CAN help. We CAN make a difference. Write to your congressman and let them know that you want to see something done. There is power in the masses, let’s not let the whistles fall on deaf ears any longer.

Go to fallingwhistles.com. Turn the volume up on your computer. WATCH THE VIDEO. Let God change your life. You can bet, Taiger and I are getting whistles for Easter.

LOGO and FACEBOOK!!

We want to thank one Roscoe Fink for his time in creating this NEW, SIXTEEN SMALL STONES LOGO! It is with great excitement that we introduce you to it for the first time! Look for it all over the internet and around the WORLD in the coming months! :D Now that we have an official logo, we have started an official facebook page! We are trying to get SIX HUNDRED members on our FACEBOOK PAGE TODAY! PLEASE JOIN! Please invite ALL of your friends to join! Search on facebook for Sixteen Small Stones. Watch for our NEW logo as the profile picture!

Update and Pictures! (And who doesn't LOVE pictures?!)

Sixteen Small Stones is working really hard to collect Fuzzi Bunz diapers. We have not had ANY donations of diapers yet, but I am not giving up! It is just time to get CREATIVE! If you have ANY suggestions on WHO we should be reaching out to, HOW we could more effectively reach out, etc., I would appreciate ANY and ALL advice or suggestions!

Along with collecting diapers, we are also collecting CLOTHING! For this, we have had GREAT responce! Our goal is to collect enough clothing to send some to ALL of our partners! We have TWO homes in Uganda, one in Beijing, one in Ghana and one (maybe two) in Haiti! That means we need a TON of clothes! So, if you have ANY, please send them our way! It doesn't matter if they are used, as long as they are in working condition. We need clothes from newborn to adult, male and female, clothes for cold weather and for warm! So I really am serious when I say send ANYTHING! It will ALL be used! :D

We are still hedging toward Operation: Warm Blankets. We have already had some donations for that project and will hit it full force once we get the diapers we need...diapers really are the greatest need right now!

In the near future, we are going to be doing a medical supplies operation, so keep that in mind as the cold and flu season winds down. If you are cleaning out cupboards and have extras of ANY kind of midicine or medical supplies, send them to us or hang on to them until this operation is in full swing!

Remember: ANY items can be mailed OR dropped off in person! Monetary donations can be mailed OR donated right online on paypal! (We have a paypal button on our blog, sixteensmallstones.blogspot.com, and ANY tiny donations is HUGELY appreciated!!!!! )

I really, really want to thank EVERYONE for their help and prayers for Sixteen Small Stones! The emails and comments and encouraging words I receive regarding Sixteen Small Stones really gives me the courage to move forward with all of this. Sometimes, the projects seem so overwhelming! But I KNOW that God has a plan for His children and that He will not leave them without when we have SO MUCH to give! Thank you so much to you all! Breclyn

NEWS! NEWS!

So many people have come forward to help with Operation: Fuzzi Bunz! We have had people post our link of their own blogs and facebook profiles. I have had people make announcements about this operation in Church and offer advice on more ways to spread the word and collect diapers. Unfortunately, we have not had any donations yet. HOWEVER, we are full of faith and hope that this operation will soon come to fruition. I would like to thank EVERYONE who has helped in ANY way with this operation! Your efforts are felt and so very appreciated. I also wanted to post that we are ENHANCING this operation! This is really exciting because it is offering us a lot of different ways to help! Along with sending diapers, we are also sending donations of CLOTHING! We have had a great response with this, and I am really excited to have the donations start coming in and to start organizing clothes and sending them out! That is my favorite part of doing all of this...organzing donations and sending them out. :) We work and pray that the donations will come and things start coming and I worry and stress it won't be enough...then, I pull out all we have and start organizing and I see the miracles! The Lord truely is aware of our efforts and always makes sure we have enough. It is wonderful and exciting to see. I have faith that Operation: Fuzzi Bunz will be the same way. That, although it has started out slowly, people's hearts will be softened and the right people will be prompted to donate clothes and diapers, and that things will work out well. And just to put a little bug in your ear, we may soon be collecting medical supplies...but keep it a secret...shhhh! ;) I am sorry that this post is so discombobulated. I just feel overwhelmingly excited about this operation and I wanted to put that enthousiasm out there. I feel that things are going to work out well. I also wanted to make SURE that everyone knows we are taking clothing donations! (This is REALLY exciting for me, as it gives me something good to do with the clothes my son has out-grown!!) So, please continue to spread the word, to continue to pray, and please consider if there is ANYTHING you can donate (clothes, money, diapers...ANYTHING!). Thank you!!

OPERATION: FUZZY BUNZ

This is a picture of one of the precious little angels who will bennifit from this operation.

OPERATION RUNDOWN:

WHAT: COLLECTING 100 FUZZI BUNZ DIAPERS

FOR: SERVING HIS CHILDREN (RENEE'S NUTRITION PROGRAM)

DEADLINE: APRIL 20

WELCOME TO ALL OF THE NEW PEOPLE READING THIS BLOG! If you want to, check out our FIRST blog entry to learn more about us and what we are doing! Also, in the next few days we should have our NEW website up and running, so be sure and check sixteensmallstones.com!! Thank you all for your interest in Operation: Fuzzi Bunz ! (This is the first operation we have done that has a name that makes me laugh, that is for sure!) I am going to quickly tell what this Operation is all about and then give you a few ways to help!

In Uganda, Africa, a young woman named Renee has started taking in children who are severely malnourished. She puts them on a strict meal plan, working hard to bring the children back to health. She educates the child's primary caregiver on proper nutrition and food preparation. When the child is healthy and the family is confident in how to best care for the child, the child is sent home with renewed strength and the blessing of a body functioning well and well nourished. You can check out her blog at servinghischildreninuganda.blogspot.com, or her website at servinghischildren.org. She is an amazing young woman!!

This is another of the sweethearts who will soon be wearing the Fuzzi Bunz we send! Yay!

Sixteen Small Stones has watched as this sweet young woman left her family and moved to Uganda. She didn't know what God's plan was for her, but she knew she had to go there. It didn't take long for her calling to be made sure! She now takes in up to TEN children at a time and has already had many successes in healing these sweet children. Sixteen Small Stones was so moved by her ministry and help! She has been so great to help Breclyn start Sixteen Small Stones, and we really wanted to reach out and help this sweet sister. We started Operation: Warm Blankets to collect blankets for the children (you can read more about that operation in our previous post titled, "Operation: Warm Blankets"). However, these are not needed for a few more months. In the meantime, Renee sent Breclyn an email stating that she has a great need for cloth diapers for the children! The best ones for her to use are FUZZI BUNZ and can be purchased on their website at fuzzibunzstore.com and at many "Toys R Us" locations! So, we started Operation: Fuzzi Bunz to help fill that need! We are collecting AS MANY of these diapers as we possibly can! The goal is 100 FUZZI BUNZ cloth diapers. I have FAITH we can reach this goal by the end date, which is April 20.

There are four ways to help with this project: 1.) Buy Fuzzi Bunz and donate them

2.) Make Fuzzi Bunz and donate them

3.) Collect LIGHTLY used Fuzzi Bunz (please make sure they are in good, usable condition) and mail them to us

4.) Donate monetarily using the paypal button on this page. (Under notes, please specify, "For Operation: Fuzzi Bunz")

Please use the address listed on this page if you are MAILING any items to donate to Sixteen Small Stones. Thank you!

I would like to REALLY thank you ALL for your help and encouragement! I will keep track on here how many we get so everyone can stay involved. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Breclyn S. Everett President Sixteen Small Stones

Below you will find instructions on how to make your own Fuzzi Bunz diaper. I am NO seamstress, so I have no idea how difficult or easy it may be. Good luck! Thank you!

Things You'll Need: Measuring tape Butcher paper or paper grocery bag Pencil Micro fleece, approximately 20" x 20" PUL fabric, approximately 20" by 20" Pins Paper clips Scissors Elastic Sewing machine Thread Snaps Snap attaching tool

Create Your Pattern: Step 1 Measure your baby's waist and rise without a diaper on. Take the measurement around the waist at the level of the belly button. Take the rise by starting at the belly button, measuring between the legs and finishing where the back of the diaper will be. Step 2 Draw your pattern outline. Draw a vertical line that is the same length as the rise, adding 1/2" for seams. At the top of it, draw a horizontal line that is the same length as the waist measurement (plus 1/2" for seams), intersecting the rise line in the center. You should now have a T-shape, with the top of the T as long as the waist measurement and the vertical line of the T as long as the rise measurement. Next, draw a horizontal line at the bottom of the T that is half as long as the waist line. This is the tummy panel line. Step 3 Measure a section in the middle of the waist line that is approximately 1" longer than the tummy panel line. Draw a 1" tall rectangle directly above this section so that the waist line forms the bottom edge of the rectangle. This will create an extra inch of fabric above the center section of the waist line, which you will use to create the elastic casing. Step 4 Divide the rise line in half and draw a line there. This will be your crotch line. Make the length of this line about 2/3 the length of the tummy panel line. So if your waist line is 18" and your tummy panel is 9", your crotch line should be 6". Step 5 Draw the sides of the pattern. Start at the waist line and draw a line straight down from each end of the waist line that is about 1.5" long. This will create the square tabs that FuzziBunz diapers have for better gripping on the edges of the waist panel. Draw similar lines straight up from the tummy panel line that are about 3" long. This will give your tummy panel the square shape of a FuzziBunz diaper. Finally, draw curved lines from the edges of the tab lines down to meet your crotch line and out again to meet the lines coming up from the tummy panel line.

Sew Your Diaper Step 1 Pin your micro fleece material to the pattern and cut out a piece of micro fleece to match the pattern. Leave off the extra fabric above the waist line for the elastic casing. Step 2 Attach your PUL fabric to the pattern using paper clips. Don't use pins, as this will create holes in the PUL that will ruin the waterproofing of your diaper. Cut out a piece of PUL to match the pattern. Include the extra inch of fabric for the elastic casing above the waist line. Step 3 Make your back elastic casing. Place a 4" piece of elastic on the wrong (inner) side of the PUL fabric along the waist line, and fold the 1" tab down over it. Attach one end of the elastic to the PUL by sewing with a straight stitch through the elastic and the PUL. Do the same on the other end of the elastic. Then sew the casing closed with a straight stitch, attaching the PUL tab to the back of the PUL layer without sewing the elastic. Step 4 Attach your snaps to the PUL. FuzziBunz diapers have snaps for both the legs and the waist. Use a fabric marker to mark where you want to place your snaps. You can allow room for the diaper to fit as your baby grows bigger by attaching several snaps. FuzziBunz have four snap options for each leg and a total of 8 snap options for the waist. Put the back of the snaps on the tummy section. Put the front of the snaps on the waist tabs; use two on top (one at the end and one about an inch back) and one below for the leg closing. Step 5 Sew your PUL and micro fleece together. Lay them together, right side to right side, and attach them with paper clips. Sew them together, beginning at the end of the back elastic and finishing at the other end of the back elastic. This will leave the pocket opening in the back. Then attach the leg elastic. Cut a 7" piece of elastic for each leg and lay it inside the edge of the leg, between the inside layers of the two fabrics. Use a zigzag stitch to attach it to both the PUL and the micro fleece layer.

HELP NEEDED!! Operation: Fuzzi Bunz (Why does the name of this operation make me laugh when I read it?! Hee hee!)

YAY HOORAY!!!!!! Sen. Dr. Coburn RELEASED THE HOLD ON THE BILL!!!!!!

Thank you all for your prayers and fasting and support for this. I think it really was a miracle. Now, we just have to keep praying that Pres. Obama will pass it.

Okay, so I am trying to get back focused on our operations. I kind of let them slide as we focused on getting the LRA Disarmament And Northern Uganda Recovery Act bill to go through, but now that we are done with that, let's get working on a project!! :D

I spoke with Renee, the girl for whom we were collecting blankets. She said blankets are ALWAYS appreciated, but are going to be more needed this summer! So, we are going to keep collecting blankets, but hold off sending them for a month or so.

In the meantime, Renee expressed another GREAT need! She is in desperate need of CLOTH DIAPERS!! Although I am SURE any kind would be appreciated, the kind that would be BEST for her are the Fuzzi Bunz brand. At first, I figured we would get those if we could but at least get as many cloth diapers as possible. Then, I looked at their website, and realized how much BETTER they would be for someone doing what Renee does! They adjust to different sizes, they dry easier and they absorb well, they don't have a plastic cover, no pins or clips, the snaps have a guarantee to never wear out...these really are just PERFECT for her! She has different babies of HUGELY varying sizes, she is taking care of several children so can't always change immediately, so needs something that will keep baby dry until changed, the will be used over and over and for years and years as she continues to take in children...Everything about these are perfect for her!!

SO...here is the plan of action. Sixteen Small Stones is going to collect AS MANY Fuzzi Bunz diapers as humanly possible, and also collect donations to purchase as many Fuzzi Bunz diapers as humanly possible. And we are going to do this in record time...The operation will end April 20!! That is only a little over ONE MONTH!

There are THREE ways to donate:

*Buy Fuzzi Bunz diapers and mail them to Sixteen Small Stones at the address to the left of this page (fuzzibunzstore.com, or I think Toys R Us sells them, too!).

* MAKE Fuzzi Bunz diapers (I have the instructions, so leave me a comment or send an email if you want it!) and mail them to Sixteen Small Stones

* Donate money using our paypal button on this page (as always, please specify in the notes that you want the money to go to this project)

Our goal: 100 FUZZI BUNZ CLOTH DIAPERS (including inserts...we want each one to be a "complete" diaper)

I will chart the progress of this project here, keeping track of how many more are needed.

Thank you ALL for your help and support! I have faith and confidence we can do this!!

LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act

I wish I were more eloquent. I wish I could write my feelings in a way that moved people. I wish I could convey the emotions I feel through words. But I can't. When I feel strongly about something, it is almost impossible for me to write about it because it comes across all a mess (to which anyone who follows this blog can testify). So, I pray that, despite my clumsy words and my inability to express REALLY how I feel, you will be moved, and maybe even moved to action. Something about which I feel REALLY strongly is the presence of child soldiers in Africa. This breaks my heart. The stories, no, the TRUTHS of the lives of these children are horrific. They are unimaginable. Exile International is an organization whose blog I follow. The woman, Beth, works closely with the child soldiers in Africa. She tells their stories on her blog. Horrible, devastating stories. The children are forced to kill their own families; to murder; to rape; to kidnap. The stories are simply unbearable to read. The Lords Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act is a bill that ensures that America will take a stronger stand against the atrocities happening in Uganda, and will assist in promoting peace between the warring groups.

This bill has been passed by every US Senator, save one. Senator Dr. Coburn is the only senator who has said NO to passing this bill. His reason? The help requested in this bill is "too expensive".

What is the worth of a life?

What is the worth of freedom? What is the worth of joy? Who is he to say how much is TOO MUCH to spend on saving lives? Representatives of Exile International and other groups are taking a stand! They are camping out outside of Dr. Coburn's office until he agrees to meet with them for 20 minutes to explain his stand and to state his case as to why he will not allow the bill to pass. Also, many people are participating in a MERCY FAST, which will continue until an agreement is made with Dr. Coburn. Sixteen Small Stones is standing boldly with Exile International and others to pursued Dr. Coburn to allow this bill to pass!

Please learn more and decide how YOU will take a stand!

One very good documentary about the frightening events happening in Africa is, "War Dance". (This movie is available for Instant Play on Netflix)

Click on these links to learn more!: **Link to the presentation of the bill: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/news-press/news/detail.php?pID=235739135 **To read more about the Mercy Fast and the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, click this link: http://www.exileinternational.org/lra **Video link of Beth and the news coverage of the people outside of Dr. Coburn's office: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coburnsayyes.com%2Ffaith-leaders-launch-nationwide-mercyfast-until-compromise-reached&h=759b91497b72eb0458352ed85774fd36

**Link to Exile International's blog to read stories of child soldiers: http://theheartofexile.blogspot.com/

OPERATION: Warm Blankets

Before you read this post, please check out the blog servinghischildreninuganda.blogspot.com. Read the post one prior to the most recent, then read the most recent. Thank you! For children who are so deprived of nourishment, life can be miserable. Aside from the health side effects, such as heart problems, dizziness, confusion, dry skin and lips, dehydration, hair loss, low bone density, and many other side effects, malnourished children can also experience body aches, and even gentile touch can be quite painful. Also, the body's core temperature drops and the child can become very cold.

From here in America, we cannot provide for the child's nourishment. BUT we still want to help! So...Sixteen Small Stones is launching Operation: Warm Blankets. Blankets can warm a child cold from hunger. The softness of a cozy blanket can soothe the body of a child aching from starvation. We are collecting blankets to send to the children cared for by Serving His Children. In a time of pain and fear, a warm, snugly blanket may bring comfort to these precious children. There are two ways you can help with Operation: Warm Blankets: 1.) You can sponsor a blanket by paying $10.00 using the paypal button on this blog (In the notes section, please put Operation: Warm Blankets so the money goes toward the right operation!) 2.) You can make or buy a blanket to send to the address at the left of this page If TEN blankets are collected: We will send them to Serving His Children and the blankets will be left at Beth's home to be used on the beds slept in by the children who come in to her nutrition program. (She is set up to care for ten children at a time. Once a child is healthy, he/she is sent home with his/her family. The blankets will stay at her home and be used again and again as new children come and leave her program.) If ONE HUNDRED blankets are collected: We will send them to Serving His Children and ten of the blankets will remain at her home and the rest will go home with children who have completed her program. If MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED blankets are collected: Ten blankets will be sent to Serving His Children to remain at Beth's home and used for children in her program, ninety will be used to send home with children who have completed the nutrition program with Beth, and the rest will be distributed to our partner orphanages in Haiti, Ghana, China and Uganda. Once each of those children has a blanket, we will send the rest to Beth to use in the future as more patients come to her program. As you can see, there will be NO such thing as "too many blankets", and I would like this to be an ongoing project, like Operation: 100 FAMILIES. Sixteen Small Stones would like to THANK YOU for your continued support and love. These children NEED it! As always, please remember even the smallest donation helps...one dollar, one blanket...whatever you can do! No amount is too small. ANY contributions is noticed and VERY appreciated! Some ideas for making simple blankets and for collecting blankets to donate: * Collect or purchase pieces of fleece, which can be cut to size and used as blankets. No sewing required as fleece doesn't fray. * Sew two pieces of flannel together

* Buy one of the fleece blankets sold at the grocery store and donate it * Ask members of your church to participate in a church blanket drive * Ask friends to donate blankets * Post a blanket drive on your facebook or blog and have blankets sent to you or directly to Sixteen Small Stones * Hand out fliers for blanket donations at you or your child's school stating on a specific day you will collect the blankets at the school **BE SURE AND TAKE PICTURES AS YOU MAKE OR COLLECT BLANKETS! If you want, send them to use and we will post them on our blog and/or website! (PLEASE specify if you DO NOT want pictures made public!)**

Fasting for The LRA Disarmament Recovery Act to Pass

This is a post from the Exile International blog. PLEASE read all of it. To learn more, you can click on the link to their blog to the left of this screen. Will you join us in a fast? Sixteen Small Stones is sensitive about the fact that some cannot fast from food (they may be pregnant, ill, have an Eating Disorder, etc.) and want to remind you that fasting does not need to mean you go without food. You can "fast" from your favorite book, the internet, listing to the radio, watching tv, etc. We are not encouraging you to do anything that would be hurtful or harmful to you. Thank you. TO LEARN MORE ON HOW TO HELP AND THE LATEST ON THE LRA DISARMAMENT AND NORTHERN UGANDA RECOVERY ACT CLICK HERE: www.coburnsayyes.com and here www.resolveuganda.org/news.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .MERCY.FAST. Why are we fasting? On eXile's last trip to Village of Hope Uganda orphanage in January of 2010, we asked the children who were formerly abducted by the LRA and former child soldiers to draw their heartaches and their hopes on handkerchiefs during a time of art therapy. Dennis was one of the first ones to share his story. The first one to share his tears. This was part of it ".....the rebels came and kicked in the door...they abducted my parents....they cut my brother and killed him in pieces....my brothers and sisters ran into the bush with nothing to cover ourselves and we had nothing to eat...we continued to run and the rebels continued to come....We fasted for God to have M E R C Y on us. As we were fasting, we managed to escape........ When we came back, we continued to fast for God's deliverance. I thank God that we were saved. I thank God for that...." In the bush, naked, after loosing their parents and their brother to the atrocities of the LRA - they fasted. They fasted from food they did not have. For MERCY. And so do we. Senator Coburn, These children cannot come to you with their stories. But we can. We cannot release the hold on this bill. Only you have the power to do that. For Gloria, Norbert, Barbara, Norman, Scovia, Fida,Dennis and the 30,000 children who have been abducted by the LRA - we ask you to have mercy. We will be fasting and praying for God to soften your heart. And find a way. Most of us will be fasting until you release your hold. 23 years is long enough. For those who want to join: please email info@exileinternational.org If Dennis can fast from food he does not have at the age of 11 - we can fast from food we do have in his honor. In prayer for Senator Coburn. eXile international Those currently participating: Bethany P. Haley Peggy Cox Kathryn Campbell Breclyn Everett What else can I do? (1) EMAIL SENATOR COBURN'S OFFICE HERE:www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.home choose "Foreign Affairs"(COPY AND PASTE THE INFO BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT PERSONALIZE IT IF YOU CAN)(2) CALL SENATOR COBURN'S OFFICE AT (202) 224 - 5754. No need to be fearful. He is in the position that he's in for this very reason. That is democracy. Be a part of it!!What do you say? "This is (YOUR NAME) and I am calling to ask Senator Coburn to release his hold on the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act. I believe the children are worth it" (3) SIGN THIS PETITION: at www.coburnsayyes.com under "take action" (4) IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN OKLAHOMA - SPECIFICALLY A CHURCH OR MINISTER - please pass this information alone. we need Oklahoma to take a STAND.

What I Can Do

How many times must I be taught the same lessons? When the earthquake struck Haiti, I tried to turn away. I kept telling myself there was nothing I could do, I can't save EVERYONE, so I was going to focus on Operation: LOVE, pray for the people in Haiti, and just try and not think about it. We all saw how that turned out. I sort of got a mataphorical slap in the face from Heavenly Father. When the earthquake struck Chile, my heart broke, but a part of me said, "So what? I am stretched too thin with everything and I am not getting involved." The truth is, seeing those pictures all the time, thinking of the pain all the time, listening to the horror stories all the time...it is all JUST. TOO. MUCH. It hurts TOO. MUCH. It is too upsetting. That voice in my head...the Holy Ghost, my conciounce, my humanity...call it what you want, it has been wispering away since the earthquake. At first I ignored it. Then, I started thinking, "Shhhh! I don't want to hear!" Now, I am full-on FIGHTING with this voice! The problem is, to be true followers of Christ, we must mourn with those who mourn. That is all there is too it. Yes, it is uncomfortable. How do you think Jesus felt as he hung on the cross? We cannot profess to be Christian without weeping with those who weep. So, I am trying to tell myself to stop avoiding the hurt, watch the clips on the news, and let the tears flow. Be uncomfortable. Be sad. Ache for those people...or, actually, WITH those people. Part of me hates not being able to help. I see the pain and sorrow and I want to do something. The thing I forget is, I CAN do SOMETHING. I don't have money. I am not in Chile. I cannot hold the children as they cry, or comfort the mothers! But there is something I CAN do! Something that is stronger than anything I could do with my hands. I can PRAY. I can allow my heart to break and cry to Heavenly Father for those people. So, that is what I will do. I will allow myself to hurt. I will allow my heart to break. I will allow myself to cry. And I will raise my voice to God on behalf of those people who need it.