I am seriously giddy about all the enthusiasm for the African wedding feast!
You guys are awesome!
Some of you have tweeted about it.
Some have Facebooked about it.
Some have sent emails telling their friends and family.
Some have even blogged about it.
Really guys? You’re the BEST!!
I was talking to my precious niece on the phone this AM while I ran some errands. This project is such a tangible way to love the forgotten treasures in Kampala, Uganda.
About the shirts:
If you are searching we would prefer short sleeve, but long will do. Dress shirts {the kind that button all the way up the front are best to use with ties. Plaid, stripes, plain.} Just, please, no flannel or heavy weight. It’s Africa. It’s hot. Always.
Joni tweeted this picture of what the Lord had provided for her at a thrift store:
This is all such a wonderful example of all of us Ordinary People doing Extraordinary things for the Orphan!!
Thank you Joni, for tweeting the picture! It’s perfect!! And can’t you just picture a little street boy looking so dashing in that? Oh.my.
As I wrote yesterday:
Shorts are preferred to pants.
Pants are bulky to take.
Shorts would be much better.
Brand new undies would rock!
And as far as the concerns over the sizes, here’s my thoughts on that:
I firmly believe that our Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God is going to provide exactly what we need. He knows the sizes. He knows the needs. As we pray and seek Him, He will provide exactly what is needed. How many times have you had an unusual idea pop through your head? The kind like, “Pick up a such-n-such.” And so you throw it in your cart and all of a sudden someone says, “I need a such-n-such” and it’s exactly what you just picked up. Only God.
So I’m not concerned about the sizes sent. God will take care of it. And if it were to be that there were not the right sizes, I am convinced {not even kidding} that somewhere in the luggage compartment ministering angels will be stretching or shrinking the clothes to what’s needed. Seriously. God is THAT big and His ministering angels will do anything at His command. He just loves the orphans {and us} that much!!
Please, most importantly, remember to tuck a love note {and picture please} in with your gift. Tell that treasure how thankful you are for them. Tell them how you are praying for them and tell them that you love them. Really. That note will be as important to them as the outfit itself. I am convinced that it will be tucked in their pocket for the rest of their life. Really.
And in the meantime, please pray. NO doubt, as people strive to minister His love to the precious orphans in such a large magnitude, the enemy of our and their souls gets mighty ticked. Pray! Pray! Pray!!
I will post an address soon for those sending larger boxes from small groups {etc},
but in the meantime, please send to the church your smaller packages:
The River Church
860 Plymouth Drive
Durango, CO 81301
Attn: Uganda GO Team April 2011
Ooops, I almost forgot. I have to just say I am always tickled to have a comment from any brave gentleman who is stopping by our Place Called Simplicity. Mr. Daddy is pretty much the only guy willing to comment {special thanks Mr. Daddy} but it was so stinkin’ fun to have a comment from a brave guy named Kevin, who said that he and his wife would be participating in the Wedding Feast. Kevin: I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but you don’t have a single post to comment. Come on dude – write. The world awaits. =)
As I was reading this… I realized that I have some toddler sized nicer shorts and at least one button up in the bag of baby/toddler clothes I brought. 🙂 Wooo! I can't remember exact sizes, but like you said… He's got that part covered. 😉 I'll dig for them in the next day or so.
My kids and I'll send the new undies!!
I just cry as I read these posts; what a wedding to remember!!
What a beautiful Godly project! Thanks for letting us help.
sister in Christ
janet and gang
I'm getting more excited by the day!!! I hope we get to see LOTS of photos ….. and maybe even a video??? (hint, hint)
I am so excited about this. I am going to drag the totes out of the attic one by one and see what God has kept us for this. This is so exciting. It's just like us attending the wedding feast in heaven. We will be washed clean, no longer in these bodies, and honored guests! It will be nothing like we have ever imagined and this wedding feast will be like that to these children. Oh Praise the Lord it makes me excited just thinking about it!!
This is the most exciting thing i have read all day, and I am looking so forward to it. Will be sending socks and undees(and whatever else I can find)
So very excited about this! Putting Luke 14:13 into action! Janet
I'm so honored you would repost my picture on your blog! When you asked us to limit ourselves to 1 or 2 outfits, I just prayed that God would take me to the one specific outfit He had in mind, and I began praying for the boy who would wear it. When I found this shirt w/ tie on the rack (not 5 minutes after I walked into the thrift store), I wanted to jump up and down! I could just imagine the precious boy who would wear it! I didn't really intend to get shorts to go with it, but then our next stop at Wal-Mart, these lightweight khaki shorts were on the clearance rack, and I just knew they would go perfectly with the shirt in the car! Yippee, Jesus! I can't wait to see pics of all the treasures dressed to the nines at this wedding! 🙂
Can we send like socks and undees and an outfit, or either or?
My three boys and I are going shopping this weekend. We have some shirts and ties coming your way.
What an amazing idea!
Oh, Linny, you are such a downer, making us limit ourselves. This is too fun. I am so happy for the opportunity!
What about adult size button down shirts? The husband just said he is cleaning out some of his dress shirts to sent to Goodwill. (God's timing or what?!?!?) They are all in great condition, gently worn, just the wrong size now. 🙂 If adult size is ok, let me know. I am sure you might run into adults who would be blessed to have them.
in HIS love and mine,
lynn <><
Hey Linny,
I blog on our organization's website at http://www.lovesreach.org. We do orphan care as well! Check out some of my posts there. You all are a blessing! Keep fighting for those with no voice!
Peace and Blessings,
Kevin
I live where the Hanes headquarters is…came across some NEW underwear at a thrift store here today and it will be headed your way 🙂 I've worked with the homeless enough to know how awful it is not to have underwear and how degrading it is to have to accept used ones, so new ones will be on their way shortly!
We bought our shirts today. The triplets were so excited and have been telling family and people at church about the street kids with no clothes. How we are going shopping for them. They GET it, it's been awesome to see and to hear there prayers for the boys who will wear the shirts we bought.
Would it be easier Linny if we wrapped each shirt, letter and photo individually, with a contents and size written on the outside?
Thanks for the opportunity to bless these boys and for my children to feel they can do something for Jesus.
We lost our passport photos this week in the mall. The kids and i prayed together and i told them that Jesus would put them some where safe where they could be found. I was thinking of your baby shoes post. They were found the next day under something in a safe place. My kids were so excited by this. There thank you prayer brought tears to my eyes.
Blessings,
Relle
oh…so exciting!!! My husband just donated his tie…and my son gave me several pairs of shorts…the box is getting filled and we just started! Oh the Lord is so good! His unfailing love is pouring out…thank you for this awesome opportunity!!! What a privilege! <3
I had my husband read your blog posts for the last few days. He said he would go through his ties and go through our funds to see what we can send. Thank you for allowing those of us who cannot go to a far land for mission work, share in a tiny piece of what you all are doing.
I love the update…to include pictures and notes! So exciting!
Not to change the subject but wasn't Friday Graham's birthday?
LOL I am amazed at what a small world we live in! Linny, I have read your blog from time to time, but not regularly because I just can't keep up with the many amazing blogs I've found. Well, I ran across this post on FB and it caught my eye.
Get this….we were at Abby and David's engagement party last night! We are family friends and just adore Steve, Celestia, and their whole family. I personally benefitted from Celestia's counseling ministry 'back in the day' and then went on to minister alongside them through Mending the Soul.
Long story short, I wish you could have seen the joy on Abby's face when she told the group about the Wedding Feast. So precious.
So glad you've been given the opportunity to bless the boys this way. It will be an unforgettable event. 🙂
Blessings,
Kiara in Phx.
Could you please pass the Kle*enex? This whole project just has me on the verge of tears. I am new to your blog, and I am SO THANKFUL I "found" you just in time for this amazing project. It takes my breath away. The way God knows the ONE…He knows every. single. one. of the boys getting these clothes! And I really loved (and agreed with) your comment about the angles in the luggage compartment of the plane. 🙂 I love your faith, and I am already in love with your family.
Your friend,
Brec
sixteensmallstones.blogspot.com
Box being shipped from Alaska on Monday!
My kids and I are going shopping together today. Our adoption process started because of some boys from Uganda. We are so excited to be a part of this!!!
I had so fun shopping yesterday and it was hard to limit myself! But more important was seeing the enthusiasm of my 6 year old as he shared his piggy bank money to shop for a new friend. He asked so many questions and it was such a precious time planting the seeds of compassion for friends he might never meet. NB: Walmart has boxed sets of shirts and ties for $10 sizes 4 -18! Also sets of 5 underwears for less than $6. The price of the shirt and tie combinations at Walmart were either less or just about the price of the same combination at the thrift stores in my area. So, just a thought.
Blessings.
I adore that Mr. Daddy 🙂
So exciting to see what God is doing. (And wishing we could come along too)
You know, I have been thinking about where I am going to get some shirts for a few days now. And last night, right as I slept in my bed, I had a dream about these little boys wearing the shirts, I woke and immediately started thinking and praying for them. It's amazing the things that God weighs on our hearts. Those little boys are in my prayers and in my dreams, and soon they'll be celebrating in new clothes! 🙂
Linny, I just went shopping…so much FUN!! Our God is sooo good!! I was paraying before and during my shopping trip and walked out with 3 complete outfits. 1 shirt was brand new and one pair of shorts. All for under $25. Whoot Whoo way to go GOD!! I can not wait to see the wedding pictures! I am already praying for your team, the bride and groom and for all of those boys! God willing one day I will join you on one of you trips!(I am already praying for this!)
Shanna
I praise Jesus for this oppurtunity, I praise Him for people like you to be His hands and feet and I praise Him that I have shirts to send!!!!!!!!!!
Please hug those kids tight and tell them how much they are loved!
love
elisabeth