Notes on notes: William Fitzsimmons

We may be a bit behind on this one (this was released in 2009), but we thought it was still worth sharing. If you haven't already, meet William Fitzsimmons:

If you have an artist you have stumbled upon that is worth sharing, we are always expanding our playlist. Please share your favorites in the comments below!

Project Presence Trip

Applications Now Available: 

We are so excited to begin preparations for our next trip to Ethiopia.  Kechene is a slum community within Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, of 50,000+ people.  It has the highest HIV prevalence in the city, with almost 16% of its residents estimated to be suffering from the disease.  Because of the AIDS crisis and the devastating impact of poverty and unclean water, the district is filled with widows and their children, or worse, orphan-led households.  It is not an easy life.  
Because of the extreme poverty and disease in Kechene, it is an area considered cursed. Many locals believe that by making eye contact with a person of Kechene they might catch the curse of poverty. For the precious people of Kechene this creates feelings of worthlessness.

Our goal in traveling to Kechene is to be a loving presence. We go and we show Love to (materialistically) "the least of these." Our desire is to create relationships and debunk the thought that the precious children are cursed but we go to show them that they matter!! They matter to us and they matter to God. 

 

  On this trip we will also be revisiting the school and children. We will be collecting information for individuals who have sponsored children. We will be there to CeLeBrAtE the end of the school year and continue to invest in the precious children!!
 

Please prayerfully consider if you are meant to come with us on this life changing trip! For an application for our June trip to Kechene, please e-mail info@awakeandalive.org

What if you spent 80% of your money on food?

With Thanksgiving nearing, we thought it would be interesting to see how much food is consumed around the world. 

Earlier this year, the Food Service Warehouse released an interactive infographic that highlights how many calories are consumed by citizens of 40 different countries and what percent of income is spent on food. The results are striking--Americans spend only 6.9% on food consumption and parts of Africa spend up to 80%. Clearly, the amount and cost of food in America is something to be thankful for.

You can check out the infographic at Food Service Warehouse.

(Photo and infographic courtesy of Food Service Warehouse: "Visualizing the World's Food Consumption")

Oh the Humanity

In this tense and often divisive election season we want to remember that life is more than policies and community is more than political parties. Civility goes a long way, and we hope and pray our humanity stays in the forefront of our minds regardless of political affiliation. Wishing you the best this political season, and freedom from political commercials for at least four years.

YOU DID IT!

Once again your hearts amazed us! We had a goal and

 you blew it out of the water! 

We had our 1st ever matching grant opportunity. A chance to raise $7,000 for the school and the children in Kechene, Ethiopia. 

Because you spread the word and gave, that goal was met!!

"Thank you" for making this challenge a success!! 

~ All of us at Awake and Alive and all of the children at the Bright Future Academy

We don't have much time!!

2 Days!!! 

That is all the time we have left in the challenge to raise $7,000 in one month for the precious children in Kechene, Ethiopia.

This is the 1st time Awake and Alive has had a donor give as a "Matching Grant" and we do not want to leave any of their $3,500 on the table! 

The school is up and running. But it can not continue with out your support. 
We need you to help us reach this goal!
 When you give now your gift will be doubled!

We are looking forward to celebrating with YOU on October 21st!
 But we can not do that unless we can raise $3,500! 
Join with us for this life changing opportunity 
to change children lives in one of the
 poorest communities in all of Ethiopia! 

 

 The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these you did for Me." Matthew 25:40

Half a heart...

Dear faithful followers,

The team has now been home for over a week.  A few doctor appointments/hospital visits and I think our bodies are all beginning to heal. But what about our hearts? What do we do with what we experienced and fell in love with? For 10 days we were removed from our comforts, friends and family, and anything we have ever known. We were with 13 other people we did not know and we were experiencing raw, hard, real life for people in a 3rd world country. So what does that do to the human heart?   For each one of our team members, well, it will look totally different. 

And that is what is so great about short term missions.
 God will take each persons experience and use it in totally different ways!

We were on a mission to show love. The groups name was "Project Presence". I believe that name was lived up to. We were there in Kechene rain or shine...mostly rain. We were in the mud hugging, holding and loving (materially speaking) "the least of these."  We learned new Ethiopian songs and games and a few phrases. But mostly we loved. But what was so amazing was how loved we were in return. I (Jolene) upon returning home found a note in my luggage written by one of the girls. It say's...

 "How are you Jolin. (Jolene) I am fine. I miss you. I love you forever. I don't have anything. I have this post card. It is for you. I give you love. Please give me love. You know that I love you very much. I love you Jolin I miss you everyday. See you next summer." 

This sweet girl's story is only for her and me to know. But she is in the program that picks the most vulnerable children from Kechene to support and educate. So when she says she has nothing to give me but love, well that is true. And honestly I would never want anything more out of our friendship. To love her and to have her love me back...It is amazing to be loved and looked up to by such a precious child of God is more then I am worthy of. 

This sweet girl has my heart as do many of the precious children in Kechene. My prayer is for them to know they are loved. Many of then are orphans. But they are loved by Our Father and we hope and pray they know and feel that. 

 

Half my heart is in Ethiopia, 

Jolene