Calling All Reviewers!

There are eight days left on my reviewing fundraiser. So far $90 has been raised. I'd like this to be an even $100 or beyond, so I'm asking for anyone who has time to click on the link below, create a profile, and review places and businesses you've been. I have reviewed places in Grand Rapids, V-Burg, Port Huron, Mackinaw City. The sky is really the limit. It's easy and a fast way to raise funds. Thanks!

http://www.insiderpages.com/fundraisers/Impact-Ireland-2008-Waldron

Holy Cannoli!

This week has been an incredible blessing. A whirlwind amount of support was raised and donated this week, and there were times I sat dumbfounded by what God can do. The goal is in site!! Thank you so much, friends and family, your support has meant more then you know.

I want to give a shout out to my two anonymous donor. I can't properly thank you with a card, but I want you to know how encouraging your letters were. I'm taking your artwork to Ireland, so look for picture when I get back.

Review for a Cause

A friend brought this fund raising idea to my attention. Follow the link below and review local businesses, to raise support for Impact Ireland. It's easy and takes no time at all. For every first review a $1 is donated and every review from 2-4 will earn $.25. I've already raised $34! Simply sign up and get started.

http://www.insiderpages.com/fundraisers/Impact-Ireland-2008-Waldron

Thanks every one who came out to Culver's tonight. I deem the night a success.

Here, Katie and I are sporting our Culver's aprons. We got to work the dining room, delivering orders and cleaning tables. The night went by fast and it was great to see everyone. Lakeri and Emma (my roommates) also took turns helping me out.

An early estimate is about $100 raised! What a great night!

I purchased my airline tickets for Edinburgh and booked my hostel. I had never called outside the US and it was wild to think I was sitting in Grand Rapids calling at 1p and it was 6p in Scotland. All th big planning is finally done. There are only odds and ends to wrap up now.

Thank you for the prayers.

Tell Your Friends

The flyers are here!

March Update

Support is at nearly 50%!

With God's help, and yours, each month is bringing that number closer to the goal.

St. Patrick's Day was a nice interlude in March. The holiday touch on my excitement and anticipation for Ireland. It was a nice break in an otherwise low key month. There were no events and very little physical preparation on my part. Support wise, three day sponsorships were filled and 460 miles were sponsored!

March marks the half way point. Three month in. Three months to go! The first three month is marked by nearly 50% support raised and now we are in the home stretch. $585 is needed in my OM account by May 10, and I'm $40 away from that goal. With 1 1/2 months to go, I have no doubt that it can be reached. Beyond that, funds will still be needed to cover a few days and the remainder of my ticket. There are five day sponsorship opportunities still available. This is a commitment of both financial ($40) and spiritual (prayer) support, for one day of the trip. In turn my prayers would be lifted up for you on that day, and you'd receive a fun picture of your name somewhere in Ireland (I already have ideas!). Airline miles can also be sponsored for the low price of $.12/mile, and it is many miles to Dublin.

My prayers in March were a little lagging, but I hope to change that in April. I'm still tackling what it means to be part of a short-term missions trip to Ireland. I desire to know what God is doing there and I hope to gain a broader understanding of the world outside our country.

Custard for Ireland

Mark your calendars! On April 14, the Cascade Culver's (28th St) will donate 10% of the night's sales, from 5:30p-8:30p, to support the Impact Ireland trip. Come out and enjoy some great food for a great cause.

I've had a few friends host a night at Culver's with great success and I'm hoping for the same. What makes this fund raiser extra fun is that myself and some specially chosen friends will be bringing the food out and busing tables. A good time will be had by all!

Help me spread the word. No flyers are needed for this event, but sometime soon I'll have one up. Feel free to print it out and hang it up at work or on your refridgerator at home.

Picture From the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Ireland

This trip brought to you by St. Patrick

Celebrating is one of my favorite things. Give me a holiday and I'm ready to party. Not only is today another reason to go Irish, it's also a holiday close to my heart. Until a couple years ago, today's holiday just meant shamrocks, wearing green, and saying phrased like "Pot o' gold" or "There magically delicious (Lucky Charms Style)." Then freshman year, trying to find a topic for a informative speech, I chose St. Patrick's Day and more importantly St. Patrick. Ready for your history lesson?

Patrick, Missionary to Ireland

As Attila the Hun prepared his first attack on Roman provinces and Augustine secluded himself in his study writing The City of God, Patrick's parents worried about their son. At almost 16 years old, he hadn't professed faith in Christ, even though his father Calpornius was a deacon and his grandfather Potitus was a pastor in the church. Something of a rebel, Patrick had already committed a serious sin that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

One night shortly before his 16th birthday, Patrick stayed at his father's country estate in Britain with the household servants while his parents traveled to a nearby town on business. While everyone slept, a party of Irish slave traders surrounded the estate. All the able-bodied members of the household were kidnapped, bound with chains and loaded into boats to be transported to Ireland. Those who resisted were killed outright.

After a two-day journey in an open boat, chained to the other captives, Patrick was sold to a farmer and given the menial task of watching the sheep. Three days before he had been a nobleman's son commanding slaves, now he was a slave. Patrick wrote about this time in his Confession:

But it was here in Ireland that God first opened my heart, so that—even though it was a late start—I became aware of my failings and began to turn with my whole heart to the Lord my God. For He looked down on my miserable condition and had compassion for me, young and foolish as I was. He cared for me even before I knew who He was, before I could tell the difference between right and wrong. He protected me and loved me even as a father does his own child.¹

Patrick prayed constantly during these years, alone with the sheep, and remembered the Godly teaching of his parents and his pastor. Patrick also learned to speak the language of the Irish people, gradually learning their customs and about the gods they worshipped. In learning to protect and care for the sheep, Patrick was for the first time forced to think of something other than his own selfish desires. Patrick said:

God used the time to shape and mold me into something better. He made me into what I am now—someone very different from what I once was, someone who can care about others and work to help them.

After serving as a slave for six years, Patrick twice had a dream in which he heard a voice say, "Your ship is ready." Taking this as a sign from God, Patrick ran away from his owner and traveled "maybe 200 miles" on foot as a fugitive. Patrick was utterly alone for weeks and yet said he was never afraid until he came to the port city. There, he summoned up his courage and asked a ship's captain if he might sail with them to Britain as a member of the crew. The Captain initially refused his request, but as Patrick breathed a prayer for guidance, the officer changed his mind. Patrick was going home.

Can you imagine the celebration as Patrick walked into the courtyard of his home in Britain? The son they had thought twice lost, both to this world and the next, was twice found. Patrick said, "They took me in—their long-lost son—and begged me earnestly that after all I had been through I would never leave them again."

We know little about the next few years of Patrick's life—how long he stayed at home or what plans his parents had for his future. We do know that as a result of a series of dreams, Patrick was convinced that God wanted him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick's parents would lose him yet again.

After receiving the proper training and the blessing of the church, Patrick obeyed God and returned to the land of his captivity, preaching among the people there for the next 40 years. Thousands of people came to know Christ and the church in Ireland was established. In Confession, a letter Patrick wrote late in his life, he said:

My final prayer is that all of you who believe in God and respect Him—whoever you may be who read this letter that Patrick the unlearned sinner wrote from Ireland—that none of you will ever say that I in my ignorance did anything for God. You must understand—because it is the truth—that it was all the gift of God.

____________

¹ Quotes from Patrick's Confession were taken from the translation of Philip Freeman, St. Patrick of Ireland (Simon and Schuster, 2004), pages 176-193.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick)

St. Patrick's influence is still felt in Ireland. It is this history that I will be stepping into as well. There is no doubt that religion plays a part in Ireland's tumultuous history. Today the majority of Irish are in name or practice Catholic. Our hope on this trip is to expose people to the vibrant message of Jesus, that views and lifestyles might be transformed into living the fullest kind of life; the life Jesus showed us. So, thank you St. Patrick for paving the way, but there is still work to be done.

February Report

40% Support Raised

I am again overwhelmed by the provision God is showing me and the people he is doing this through. There have been multiple time this month, where my mouth is left hanging open in awe. Thank you!

February, was a quite month. Apart from the fundraiser, planning this month was minimal. It was a nice change of pace from January.

Looking forward, March will be a pretty quite month as well. I plan to organize another fundraiser night toward the end of the month and I will need to by my airline tickets soon for Edinburgh. I also need to decide where to stay while in the city. Toward the end of July Edinburgh hostels, hotels, and guest houses fills up fast, due to the Fringe Festival in August. I emailed the YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base in Edinburgh to see if someone on their team might be able to host me while in the city, but they were unsure because it is three month away. Please pray that I might find inexpensive, safe accommodations.

My prayers in February were way layed by some other spiritual issues I've been contemplating. One of these topics, is how to spread the gospel message without sounding like a sales pitch. I've been reading Brian McLaren's More Ready Than You Realize: The Power of Everyday Conversation. Though I am on the fence about the author, he makes some very powerful points in his book about disciple-making as conversation and friendship as opposed to argument and conquest. It is my deepest desire that everyone would know the freedom Jesus brings, but I do not think you can sell freedom, freedom is a choice. Just some thoughts. There is certainly lots more on this topic and I plan on reading up. Any words of advice would be appreciated. Remember, you can leave comments.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. ~1 Peter 3:15

Thank you!

Thanks to everyone that braved the weather to come out to Moe's tonight! It was much appreciated. It was nice to visit with everyone and great to feel the support. If you couldn't make it out for this one, stay tuned for another fundraising night in the Spring! Thanks again.

Burritos for Ireland Fundraiser

IMPORTANT: You must bring this flyer to the restaurant and present it when you pay.

The Moe's fundraiser is a go! Here are the specifics! It's February 29th @ Moe's Southwestern Grill (28th Street and I-96, by Target). Come anytime between 5p-8p, buy a drink with your meal and present the above flyer. It's that easy. Moe's will donate a portion of the night's proceeds.

Please help me spread the word. Everyone is invited, so tell your friends, family, co-workers, and strangers. Print the flyer off and hand it out. If you would like to help, but cannot make it to Moe's, consider donating the price of what you would have paid for a meal ($5-$8). Donations can be made by clicking the Support Amanda Online Tab to the right.

Moe's Southwest Grill
5070 28th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Snag

While on OM's website this weekend, I saw the Impact Ireland trip price listed as $585, rather than $505. After emailing my contact, she reveled that the trip had indeed gone up, due to the current dollar/euro exchange rate. Currently 1 Euro = ~$1.50. This means I need two more "day" sponsors. $85 is not a significant difference, thankfully, but I still need to raise it.

January Report

I had my first check-in with Nancy (my OM contact) this week and have recieved about 10% of the support I need. What a great start! I have also received replies and notes for prayer support, which I am very thankful for. Some days I think, "Amanda, what are you doing? You are going to another country... for three weeks...by your self." Then other days I am content to trust in the plans God is making for our team in Ireland. So, please keep your prayers coming.

In January, I collected many of the things I will need on the trip. I have purchased an internal frame backpack, for my luggage. This seemed the best option, since rolled suitcases might not be able to go everywhere I need to. I researched and finally bought a pair of good walking shoes. It took some time to decide as my requirement were that they'd be good to my feet and look decent with a skirt. Many sites were having good deals after the holidays, so I got the shoes at a fraction of the price. I also puchased my plane tickets and started a mental list of clothing I will be bringing. I'm hoping to locate an inexpensive raincoat in the next months and a carry-on bag that can also double as a purse.

My prayers in January, countinued to focus on the strengthening of my weaknesses and an ongoing conversation about how I reveal Jesus to the world and ultimatly how I reveal God. Not that I reveal God, but how do I, as Amanda, carry the words of God into the world. It's been a month or growth, as well as a month of setbacks. In my prayers I have identitfied area where I wish to grow in knowledge and courage. I'm excited to see how I can serve God in February.

Finally, Januray has been a month of planning. In a way I feel like that is all I've been doing in Januray. Since, what is happening in Ireland is being planned by OM, my focused planning has been on Scotland. I have researched activites, accomidations, bus schedules, and resturants. And though I have done a months worth of research, I have only narrowed categories down. Toward the end of the month I began to realize just how little I knew about Kilkenny, Ireland and how much I knew about Edinburgh, Scotland. This did not seem right as the the ratio of days did not equal the amount of research I had done on each place. Thus my focus in Feburary will be mainly on Kilkenny, Irleand and those that live there.

Thank you again for countinued prayers and the support you have shown me. One month down five more to go.