The Bigger Picture

If you follow my blog regularly, you will notice that I have not been writing as often as usual.  It's not because I don't have anything to say, it's because I haven't had the time.  Between being mom, my Calligraphy business and the ever growing popularity of ApParent Project in my church and community, there has hardly been time to document things.  But believe me - it's a wonderful problem to have.  I'm not complaining one bit!

Since this post things have only become even more exciting!  The cereal boxes continue to pour in and the jewelry continues to be purchased.  I have been to different schools to speak about it and I have sold it at our church picnic, an Open House and a private party that a friend put together.  Tomorrow, I will send another $2500 to the artisans.  What really blows my mind is that since I returned from Haiti in February, I have sold over $7000 in jewelry!  In less than three months time!  That, my friends, can only be explained as a GOD thing!

And - we are not finished yet.  The ladies in my church, along with a few in our youth group, have poured themselves into selling the Fund Raiser Bracelets.  

I believe this is one of the most creative and amazing things Shelley has come up with yet.

One week ago today several women from my church took anywhere between 10 and 20 bracelets with them to sell to their co-workers, neighbors and friends.  The bracelets sell for $8.  Four goes to the Women's Ministry at our church (we are going to the Women of Faith Conference in Orlando in Oct. and the money raised will help ladies who can't afford to go) and the other $4 goes back to ApParent Project.

We started with 250 bracelets.  The ladies cannot keep enough of them!  By Wednesday they came back asking for more because they had sold all of theirs and had lists of women waiting for them.  Today, I gave out the last ones and I have already ordered another 250 as the youth group wants to get involved as well.

Now here is the fun part!  Because these women are taking the bracelets to work, etc., it continues to create a HUGE buzz about AP.  More and more people are asking to see necklaces, etc.  So I am constantly receiving phone calls/emails from people wanting to have their own parties so they can see the rest of what AP has to offer.  Just when I think things might slow down a bit, it continues to pick up.

The most exciting part about this is that the ladies in my church are catching the ApParent Project bug!  The more they talk about it, the more excited they get!

I received this message from a teacher friend this week:

"It is no coincidence that you came to Hickory Grove and my coworkers kids are collecting boxes for Haiti. You are doing a wonderful work and it is opening doors to talk to people about church and faith."

I was floored!  How could I have missed the bigger picture?  I sit here in tears as I realize that it's not only about the artisans in Haiti, it's about His Kingdom!  It's soooooo much bigger than just Haiti.

Several women are having this same things happen.  It's giving everyone an opportunity to share about Christ - it is opening doors for spiritual conversations with friends, neighbors, co-workers.  I knew this was happening for me - but I never thought about the impact it could create on a bigger scale.

This is just another confirmation for me that I am exactly where God wants me to be - part of the kingdom work that Shelley and Corrigan are doing in Haiti.  God shows me over and over that He has His hand on ApParent Project.  I am so thankful to be a part of it.  So thankful to help the artisans in Haiti, but also thankful to be a part in allowing people in my church an opportunity to talk about Christ!

ApParent Project is HUGE!  God has great plans for it!  He is already blessing it beyond anything we could possibly imagine and I have a feeling that it's only going to get better!  You know why?  Because that's how God works through people who are obedient to His calling.

Shelley and Corrigan surrendered to that calling. They have sacrificed more than we could ever understand.  Their time, their money, their relationships, their comfort, their safety, modern luxuries that we take for granted.  All to be obedient and REALLY help the poor.  Not by just giving them a handout and walking away - but by giving up their own lives, moving into the community and REALLY demonstrating God's love.  REALLY getting to know the Haitians and their needs.  This is exactly why AP has grown by leaps and bounds in such a short amount of time.  And this is why it will continue to grow and blow our minds.

The ApParent Project goes beyond the artisans and their jewelry, it even goes beyond Haiti.  It is about uniting Christians in different countries, economic statuses and races.  I feel The ApParent Project is a representation of the Kingdom of God in that it seeks to bring hope, dignity, healing and wholeness to the lives of EVERYONE it touches.

Beauty for Ashes.
(Isaiah 61:3)