How This Sale Will Help, AND UPDATES! :)

Today's update is coming rather late, I know. I am sorry. Better late than never, or so I have heard.

Before I give you today's little note about this great Event and how it will help others, I wanted to give a quick update about SSS!

First, a prayer request. Dear Gabi of Racham Ministries arrived in Uganda, and not more than two days later was at Renee's house (Serving His Children) feeding the thousands of children in the food program. When Gabi had been in Uganda before, she had been in the sun without getting a sunburn. However, this day she served for hours in the heat and at the end had a terrible reaction to the sun, much like a horrible sunburn. I imagine maybe she had before been in Uganda at a different time of year, when the sun was different in the sky, and maybe not so near the Earth. Or maybe her malaria treatment made her skin more sensitive (as it is known to do). My point is, Gabi is wise enough to take care of herself so she can better serve others. Either way, Sweet Gabi now has what are akin to third degree burns over much of her body. Her eyes have been swollen nearly shut. She is in excruciating pain. Through it all, her heart is still so focused on serving that she has thus far refused to leave! She has gone to the hospital and is taking medications and using several different balms and ointments on her blistered and painful skin. Despite all that, however, her pain is still quite severe. Let us lift this sweet sister up in prayer as she deals with the pain, as her burns heal, and pray her spirits will be lifted. God is the great Healer, and can heal Gabi's body if it be His will. Please pray for Gabi!!

On a lighter note, we had ANOTHER bag of donations brought in. By seven o'clock tonight, I had cut my hair (myself! What an adventure THAT was) and had taken a shower so wouldn't be shedding hair clippings all night, like Sasquatch in the Spring. My clothes were COVERED in hair, so when I got out of the shower I decided it was "late enough" (do you ever justify that to yourself??) for pajamas and was wandering around the house taking care of five little boys (my nephews are here visiting! FUN!) when the sweet neighbor down the street came over with a bag FULL of clothing! I was embarrassed that I was in my pajamas so early (what happened to that justification!??!?!?!) and was not much of a gracious hostess (I think my efforts came across more as "kicking him out" then "welcoming him in"! Oh dear!). However, once he left, I was overcome with gratitude! I opened the bag and there inside were BOY'S CLOTHES!!!!!!!!!!! Something we are lacking greatly. I had wanted a few more boy's things to sell at the garage sale, but on top of that, I know there are boys at Mukisa who are in need of clothing and I really wanted to be able to send a few things to them. What a blessing this kind neighbor was! I am only sad that I am more worried about MYSELF and my appearances than about God's work. If only I were more like Gabi, who is so in tune to service that she becomes oblivious to the world around her and SO FOCUSED on service that she doesn't even realize she is getting a sunburn! (NOT, mind you, that I would want to be in her position of suffering so greatly, nor that I would wish that on ANYONE! Also, I realize the importance of looking after yourself so you can physically serve others, as I KNOW Gabi does, too. But the fact still remains that she was so focused on others she forgot herself entirely, and that is admirable.)

The next piece of good news (and when I say "good" I mean, "good as in YUMMY"), is that Natalie shared a little list of a few yummy treats she is baking for our Bake Sale! Let me tell you, folks, you are not going to want to be late to this sale! EVERYTHING will be 100% HOMEMADE! I kid you not. Also, Natalie is a very clean person with no pets, so you will not have to be afraid to eat her goodies! I have TERRIBLE Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (I know, right?! How DO I stand living in countries with lower sanitation than what I have been accustomed to?! I don't know, either, but I DO have faith that, when about God's work, He can make our weaknesses strong! And boy! Am I ever a living testimony of THAT fact!) and I would eat Natalie's food any day! :) So, no worries there. :) Some of the food she mentioned is so far past my repertoire, I didn't even know what it was (hey, if it isn't cheap brownies from a box, you have me stumped!), but they sounded DEVINE! Chocolate Cake, Jell*o cookies, Lemon Bars and Lemon Cake were just a few little names off that list. So, when I say YUMMY, I don't mean cookies from pre-packaged dough you can buy ready-made. I am talking gourmet goodies here!

Okay, and now the moment we have ALL been waiting for...Our little NOTE about how are GOOD (and YUMMY) Benefit Sale will, well, BENEFIT the people we serve!

Because of this sale, Sixteen Small Stones will be able to:

*SEND CARE PACKAGES TO BLIND CHILDREN IN CHINA!!