It Came! It Came!

I got home today from a long, hot day on the square at two different arts festivals to find THIS in my mailbox!

How exciting! It seems like we JUST sent the paperwork off yesterday! 

Being a nerdy social studies teacher, I L-O-V-E the fact that there are all sorts of patriotic quotes on the inside by famous Americans. I'm getting all geeked out over my passport!

I'm also pumped about the fact that my Yankee Candle fundraising catalogs are here. I've got 5 pages of order forms, people, so get out your checkbooks ;) 

What's great about this fundraiser is that for every item I sell, I get to keep 40% to go to my Zambia fund. So that means for every jar candle that someone purchases for $25, I get to deposit $10 in my account at the church! So, I just need to sell about 300 candles ;) Just kidding! But every candle sold puts me a little closer to spreading the love of my Savior and acting as His hands and feet. 

If you want to browse my brochure and you're local, just let me know. If you don't want to buy a candle, but you want to support this trip, I'll be more than happy to zip over the tax deductible form for you to send in a donation to the church. I'm relying on God to help me provide for this trip, so if you are reading this and feel like you want to help out financially, get in touch with me and I'll be happy to give you details for donating.

For EVERYONE reading this blog, those who can afford to donate and those who cannot, I am also requesting your prayers. Now that the passport is here, this trip is feeling even more real to me! I truly covet your prayers for my preparations, my travel, and my teaching while I am with the children of Zambia.

Thanks for keeping up with the journey so far! I can't wait to fill you in as we get even closer! May 2013 - that's just 8 months away!!!

Love in Christ,

Dallas

SOZ-in-Training

Zambia Updates, and a Bush Barbecue!

I'm excited to be able to fill you in on some fun for our trip to Zambia! Here's what you've missed since my last post:

#1 - My passport paperwork has been processed! (Say that 10 times fast!) Woohoo! Thanks to special friends Mike and Dianne. I love you both, and I truly appreciate that gift!

#2 - Our church session has approved two fundraisers for the VERY near future! I've been waiting to fill you in, and now that we have approval, I've got some fun details for you!

First, we will be having a Yankee Candle fundraiser from September 21st through October 10th. This is right at the end of the month, so hopefully you'll be able to buy a candle (or two or three!) from us at this time. We'll have brochures to hand out soon, but if you want to start a "wish list," I certainly won't stop you! These will be here before Thanksgiving, so it's a great time to order some fabulous fall scents for your holiday get-together. It's also the perfect time of year to order Christmas gifts. Please consider placing an order with us when our brochures are available!

Also...

Have you been thinking about this trip to Zambia and wished you could be a part of the mission? Well, you don't have to travel to Africa to experience the call of the wild!

The Sisters of Zambia are hosting an African Bush Barbecue, located in the safety of South Enota Drive! 

Where: 

First Presbyterian Church

800 S. Enota Drive

When:

Friday, October 5th

5 pm - 7 pm

Here's our menu:

BBQ Pork

Curry Chicken

Vegetable Beef Stew

Macaroni & Cheese

Rice

Couscous Salad

Baked Beans

Hot Dogs

Tea / Lemonade / Water

We will also have assorted desserts and wild animal cookies for the kids! Children will be able to decorate their own cookies in the shape of elephants, monkeys, and other safari animals.

Of course, in order for this to be a traditional bush barbecue, we have to have a huge bonfire! We are also pleased to announce that there will be live music for your enjoyment as well, so bring your favorite outdoor chair and prepare for a fabulous evening out!

Tickets for adults: $20 each

Tickets for kids: $5 each (for families with lots of children, all of your children can eat for $10 total)

Order your tickets from any Sister of Zambia today!

It'll be great fun, and we ain't "lion!"

Love in Christ,

Dallas