It's Official! "Bread For Life Ministries"

"He defended the cause of the poor and needy, 
     and so all went well. 
     Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the LORD."
Jeremiah 22:16

Friends And Family...
I have some very exciting news!

I am beyond thrilled to announce that,

"Bread For Life" has been approved
through the Secretary of State and Federal Offices
and the name is OURS!!

Woo-Hoo!

Soooo it's official! We are now:

"Bread For Life Ministries"

We are non-profit bound, full speed ahead.

My heart leaps for joy when I say those words.

Who would have ever thought!

It has come to THIS point because of YOU and your continued support of this ministry when in the beginning I really had no clue what I was doing. I had no idea that the very first time I put 22 loaves of bread in the oven, that it would raise $648. Clearly the Lord was moving and demonstrating the simplicity of His work, if we are just faithful to ACT.

"God is calling us... we are supposed to move"

Here we are a year later and we raised roughly $18,000

with BREAD alone! In 12 months!

WOW! 

Glory be to GOD!

Take a step of faith... you'll never know until you do!

I remember when I was praying to the Lord,

"What can I do?"

"How can I make a difference in the lives of the least of these?"

I remember at first thinking I had to do something BIG.

Something.never.ever.thought.of.before.

Something nobody has ever done before, etc…

The foolishness of my heart kept me from seeing that the Lord only wanted me to do what he had already blessed me to do.
I am not a baker but He has blessed my ability to bake yummy bread.
The answer was right in front of my face.

"God does not call the equipped,
He equips the called."

So simple. So easy. So yummy.

I was making it much harder than it needed to be.

I would bake bread. And sell it.

Voila!

The name 'Bread For Life' is so precious to me on so many levels.
I truly know it was a name given to me from God Himself, spoken with authority straight to my heart. I will never forget the day He whispered the name to me back in 2011 as I was walking from my kitchen to my living room. It was so clear. So powerful. So profound.

The Lord's Spirit ministered to my heart and it went something like this:

"Your ministry shall be called, 'Bread For Life.’
You will bake bread, sell it and every penny raised will go to the urgent needs of my children.

Your bread will give life.
The same way that I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE.
This bread represents Me and My love for my children."

"Then Jesus declared,

"I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never go hungry..."

John 6:35

I've created a sticker with this scripture written on it.
It is stuck to the bottom of every single loaf of bread we sell. 

"Bread For Life" is more than just baking bread and selling it to raise money for orphans.
It is sharing the Gospel with my community.
Helping to mobilize the church to do what we have been commanded to do.

We all have "callings" in life.
However, caring for the 'least of these' is not a calling,
it is a command.
We are all commanded to care for the orphan, the widow, the naked, the hungry, the lonely
in some degree or another, no matter what.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." 

Matthew 25 31:40

We are commanded to do this,
in addition to the other great things we are 'called' to do. 

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James 1:27

Again, thank you to everyone who has bought a loaf of bread this past year.
Without YOU, Bread For Life couldn't exist. 

Together, we truly ARE helping children, one loaf at a time.



So here’s to our official name:

"Bread For Life Ministries"

"In you the orphan finds mercy." 
Hosea 14:3



On a side note: I have had different individuals and organizations ask if they could use 'Bread For Life' for fundraising opportunities. I am thrilled that B4L could help others in their fundraising efforts, that will go towards helping more orphans. Whether it’s fundraising for an adoption or a missions trip, or to raise money that will go directly to the needs of orphans, I am more than happy to see about selling starter kits, that can use our logo with our name. (If you need a little help getting your feet off the ground.) I have an amazing 12 member board team and we are currently working out all these details. Hopefully information on 'Bread For Life Starter Kits' will be coming soon. Until then, please message me if you are interested. Thanks and God Bless! 

Let's do this friends!
Let's change lives ALL for the Glory of Him
who changed us! 

"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives."
Titus 3:14

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

Does She Know?

One of my most favorite pictures of the whole trip:

She was walking down this dirt road, 

alone

barefoot,

pregnant.

Where is she going?
What is her name?

Does she have other children?

What has her life been like?

Is she hurting?

Does she have a home?

Does she have enough food and water?

I wonder all these things as I look intently at her face.

Her eyes tell a story.

Do you see it?

I would do anything to sit and listen to her share her life.

My heart breaks for this woman. 

I don't know why.

I believe she is hurting.

Does she know Jesus?

Has anyone ever told her of His unfailing love?

That He sent His Son to

DIE FOR HER?

Does she know this?

Does she know she can live forever in eternity with Him

if she would just believe?

"For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16 

Has anyone ever told her about Jesus?

I feel it is my job.

I need to go back.

I need to tell her about my Jesus.

If I don't, who will?

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest

to send out laborers into his harvest."

Luke 10:2

Miles Upon Miles - Uganda

After we landed at Entebee International Airport we quickly loaded up into 3 different taxi's and begun the trip to our 'African hotel' where we would be staying for the next 2 weeks.

Like I mentioned before, I thought I knew what it would be like.

What it would look like. What it would NOT smell like.

I clearly had no idea.

For the next hour we drove through town-after-town, passing

village-after-village straight into the capital city of Kampala.

My mind could not accept all that I was seeing.

For miles upon miles, as far as the eye could see:

Poverty.

100% poverty!

Aside every dirt road

Behind every "house"

 Up every hill

Around every corner…

POVERTY.

Miles Upon Miles … 

complete POVERTY all around.

Little toddler children alone next to extremely busy roads.

Dogs wondering the street. Sleeping anywhere they could.
(Some piled 3 high, dead on the roadside,

waiting to be burned.)

Goats roaming the streets looking for anything to eat.

Mopeds called "bota-bota's" (taxi's) coming within HAIRS of slamming head-on into your vehicle.

People everywhere.

Dirt everywhere.

No running water.

No trash system.

No plumbing.
No sanitation. 

The ‘homes’ are mounded together by cardboard boxes, brick and mud.

Children everywhere.

Babies with no diapers.

Toddlers with no clothes.

Shoes? You tell me. 

My mind was spinning.

Miles upon miles.

Endless poverty.

I believe it was at this point that my spirit
and my heart went into a bit of a shock.

I truly had no clue how to process or make sense
of much of what I was seeing.

Maybe it was just me. Perhaps everyone expected it to be like this…
I sure didn’t

My spirit was paralyzed.

As bad as it may sound (and at times I admit it sounds negative)

it is truly not the case...

I fell in love with Uganda.

In all the chaos, in all the filth,
in all the pollution, in all the need,
the Lord was revealing Himself to me
in ways that only He can
in a situation like this.

To the average Joe, it looked horrible.
It smelled horrible.
No one in their right mind would bring their family
here for a vacation. 
This would be absurd.

However, as my spirit went into shock,
my God was there ministering to me.
It was as if He was sitting right next to me
in the taxi whispering in my ear.

It was as if I could hear Him say,

“These are my people.
The children represent me.
What will you do? 
Will you humble yourself and love my people
or will you turn your heart against them?
I did not call you for your own selfish gain.
I called you to deny yourself,
pick up your cross and follow Me,
no matter what it looks like.
I am calling you.

What will it be?”

The taxi ride to our hotel was a great trial for me.
Every ounce of my spirit was tested
in ways I could not explain.

However, I can tell you this,
I weep now at the thought of going back.
I would leave tomorrow if I could.

The smells, the filth, the poverty,
the hunger, the needs… the children… the people…
they have stolen my heart.

I asked the Lord months ago
to break my heart for what breaks His…

I believe He has started His work.

"He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
    and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know me?'
    declares the Lord."

Jeremiah 22:16