Bread For Life ~ 10 Months In Review

This blog post is dedicated to everyone who has purchased a loaf of bread, prayed for this ministry or simply offered precious words of encouragement along the way. Without YOU none of this could have happened. 

‘Bread For Life’ is the Lord’s ministry. I offered Him the one talent that I was confident I had (baking pumpkin bread) and, because of His unfathomable love for the orphan, He has done the rest. In short, ‘Bread For Life’ has raised over $10,000 is less than 10 months! Unbelievable. Or is it? 

BFL was conceived in December of 2011 when I learned that most orphans do not have daily meals,  have no safe place to lay their head., and have nobody to hold them and tell them they are loved. They are abused, abandoned and often left to die. My heart bleeds for these children daily. There is a never-ending cry in my heart to love these children, whatever that may look like. 

After much prayer and seeking the Lord, I kept asking, “What can I do?” Then the idea came to mind, “Well, everyone tells me I bake good Pumpkin Bread” (all credit goes to my mother! It’s her recipe) “I could bake bread and sell it.”

From that moment on, that is what I set out to do and sure enough, people loved the bread. Most of all, however, they loved the cause! Once made aware of the urgent needs of children worldwide, they were eager to help in anyway possible. This is why my heart becomes overwhelmed with hope, gratitude and thanksgiving. Because WE have made a difference for so many lives, already. It hasn't even been 1 year and lives have been radically changed forever!!

Why? Because this is God’s ministry! This is His heart. We get the privilege to be His hands and His feet and through that He blesses us with unspeakable joy. Isn't that the coolest thing ever? I think so!

I also remember the day the Lord spoke to my heart and gave me the name “Bread For Life”. I was walking from my kitchen to my living room and it was as if the Lord said, “Your bread will help bring life to my children. I am the true 'Bread of Life' and you will be used to show them that truth.” Amazing!

I have baked and you have bought.

So without any further a-due, please allow me to share with you all that WE have done together as a team:

** Sanyu Babies Home in Uganda. Over $6,000 donated to this orphanage that takes in babies who have been abandoned anywhere from hours old to 3 years old.  When we visited this past June, my favorite little guy was Philip. He was 3 months old at that time and oh-so-little. Upon my return home, I learned that Philip was abandoned when he was 1 day old on the steps of Sanyu in the middle of the night. The Mamma’s found him wrapped in blankets when they arrived to work that morning. My heart bleeds with sorrow for these little precious bundles of joy. 

** “A Perfect Injustice.” API is a home for young boys who have been rescued from the slum of Kampala and given a chance at life - ‘Bread For Life’ was able to purchase yard equipment (lawn mower and weed eater) for this property so that the high grasses could be cut away. It was able to provide a clear, safe path for the boys and village families to walk to the well to get water and not have to worry about snakes and other creepy African style creatures biting them or hurting them. It also allowed grass to be cut around the home allowing these boys to have a safe field to play sports on. Just what every boy deserves right? I think so. 

** “Redeemer House” Orphanage in Uganda- We blessed the directer of the orphanage Kathy Vaughan with a cash donation for what she needed to better her home. I believe she said she needed to fix (or buy) a dinner table so all the children could eat meals together as a family every night. She also said she had village children she would like to provide for. You can read about Kathy and her story here (click on "About Us"). She is a remarkable and amazing woman that I am honored and humbled to have been able to spend time with. You talk about a woman of faith: this is her. 

** “A House of Praise” (This is my favorite!)- BFL was able to partner with a couple from our trip (Craig and Sherry French) and purchase a PREGNANT cow for 24 orphans who only ate one small meal a day and drank from a muddy creak. Praise is a 24 year old woman who took it upon herself to care for these 24 orphaned, hungry, lost and vulnerable children. She receives little to no help in what she does and therefore SHE NEEDS US! It was the greatest and most heartwarming feeling ever when they delivered this cow to her. The look on her face tells you everything. These precious children now have raw milk to drink on a daily basis to help their weak bodies get strong. Since our return home, we learned that the cow gave birth and the children named the calf “Miracle”. Doesn't that just warm your heart? It does mine. (All of this is a Miracle in my book!)

This is baby "Miracle"

** ‘Bread For Life’ helps adoptive families raise money. We have helped a family in their adoption process by donating over $1,900 in order to save a life of a child. I mean, really, who has $35,000 to adopt a child. Nobody does. That is why God brings people like you and I along to help in that process. *If you know of a family in our community in the middle of an adoptive process, please contact me. We would love to help support and fundraise!

** BFL has donated a small portion of money to help a family lay concrete in their home in the Dominican Republic. Because of ‘just enough funds’ a group of woman from Calvary Chapel Petaluma were able to donate the money for this to happen. This is huge. Image living in a home where the floor was dirt. Rain makes mud. Mud creates filth and disease sets in. What a huge blessing for this woman to now have a concrete floor for her and her family. 

(Not actual photo)

** BFL now sponsors a 12 year old boy who lives at “A Perfect Injustice”. A local Petaluma family and BFL has come together in partnership to save this child’s life. This boy, Bob, was on the streets in the slums of Kampala for 9 months after his family abandoned him. We decided to commit to his sponsorship and his future. On a Wednesday, that Saturday morning he was brought into the home. Look at his face before and look at it now! Praise God! I pray Bob is the first of many children ‘Bread For Life’ can sponsor!

Before API

After

(Sorry about the quality of the photos but I think you can see how happy he is how that he is safe!)

I have listed many things here. As I write these all out I am AMAZED at all that WE have done as a team. Do you realize, my friends, that none of this could have happened without your love and support. Do you see how huge this is. A few dollars here and there adds up! It makes a difference! It changes lives! This is proof!

Jesus made it all very clear in His words when he spoke to his disciples. He said, (I’m paraphrasing) “When you do these things, you are really doing them to me. These little ones are so precious to Me that you can just substitute Me in their place - so closely do I identify with them. In other words: It is ME that you are serving. Deny yourself. Sacrifice what is important to you for my names sake and I will make you fishers of men. I will fill you with a love for me that produces faith that will move mountains. Step outside yourself, trust me and watch what I can do.”

My heart is that everyone reading this will grasp and understand what is being shown here. These are not ‘miracles’ that I created or that you created, but really, it’s simply God’s heart at work, stopping at nothing to seek and to save. He just needs willing hearts. He needs people to say, “Yes Lord, I will!”

Throughout these months of sharing with people the heart behind “Bread For Life”, I have seen young children tithe all their money to this ministry. I have seen young girls empty their purses for the needs of the children. I have seen young adult men come to me in tears handing me all the money in their wallets. I have seen older woman write me checks that I could have never dreamed of. I have seen older men come to me, hug me and start weeping because they “get it”. After ‘so many years,‘ they get it now. Only the Spirit of the Lord could produce results like these. I will say this till the day I die, this is the Heart of Christ. This is what it’s all about. ‘Bread For Life’ is the Lord’s ministry and PRAISE GOD He has chosen us to do His work.

Thank you my friends. Thank you for all the support and all the love. And thank you to the mysterious person who pinned a $100 bill on my front porch and said, “Bread For Life.” Thank you! May God bless your heart, fill you with peace and give you a desire and love to serve Him all the days of your life!

Now, let’s see what we can do in the next ten months!

Blessings  

"And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful."

Titus 3:14