On August 14, 2014, which is 4 or 5 lifetimes ago by my (Alex’s) count, we wrote an update to promote a fundraiser to raise funds for adoption (you can read the post here). We had seen the idea a year or so earlier, where friends used a customized puzzle to raise awareness and funds for an adoption, and the idea stuck with us.
The fundraiser was successful in ways we could not have imagined (see “The Completed Puzzle”). In roughly five months, the Lord stirred hearts and enabled us to raise almost the entire fundraising goal of $25,000.
Well, just to put any questions to rest, we are NOT investigating adoption again; however, we are re-applying the idea of a puzzle fundraiser to raise awareness and funds toward our transition to South Africa.
As most of you are aware, the process of picking up the pieces after our displacement from East Asia has been a lengthy one. We spent 2020 confident we would get back, but realized by the end of the year that the Lord was closing that door. 2021 started off with many questions, but God graciously began to direct our thoughts and stir our hearts toward the ministry in South Africa. After two three-month trips there, we can say (as confidently as one can, cf. James 4:15) that we believe the Lord is leading us to join the ministry team on the Garden Route in the city of George.
At present, we are roughly $2,000 per month away from our target budget (down from $3,500 earlier this year, praise the LORD!) and are roughly $15,000 away from our transition fund goal. From August 4 (our first Sunday back following our second trip) until Thanksgiving, we have visited or are scheduled to visit 19 different churches to share our story and present the ministry in South Africa (also, praise the LORD!); however, partnerships and commitments take time.
How does the fundraiser work?
Bethany took pictures from our two visits to South Africa and created a customized puzzle. The puzzle has 252 pieces and you can sponsor a piece for a donation of $25 or more (details for tax-deductible gifts can be found on our Partnership page) . As a piece is sponsored, we will write your name on the back of the puzzle piece and slowly put the puzzle together. We will take photos periodically to show the progress.
To get things moving, we have gone back to the beginning of the year and “back-dated” each of the gifts we have received, whether they came as a gift from one of our monthly partners or as a one-time gift. As a result, we are starting off with 87 pieces already sponsored.
Why a puzzle fundraiser?
I realize that this might sound like a bit of a gimmick, but let me tell you about the completed puzzle. Once the puzzle is completely finished, we will frame it in plexiglass, in order to show the image on one side and the reminder of those who made it possible on the other side.
Following Joshua’s adoption, his completed puzzle hung on our wall as a pillar of grace, a reminder of God’s faithfulness. As many of you are aware, by God’s grace, even though we were unable to return to our home in East Asia, our friends were able to ship many of our belongings to us. Most important of these was Joshua’s adoption puzzle.
The motivation for this puzzle fundraiser is certainly to raise awareness and funds toward our transition. We hope and pray that the Lord will use this to stir hearts and raise up new partners in ministry, whether they are one-time or recurring supporters. But the motivation is also to produce a tangible reminder of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Lord-willing, this completed puzzle will hang on the wall of our home in George, South Africa by March 2023, next to the adoption puzzle, as a testimony to all who see it.
The house we've been staying at the past few weeks has some interesting sayings on the walls. We found the one in this picture very fitting, so we decided to capture a family memory with it!
Praises and Prayer Requests
PRAISE: After waiting three weeks to hear back, we have received our visa appointment at the South African Consulate General in NYC. It is for November 30, 2022. We had been praying we'd be able to visit while we were already in the North East, but the Lord had other plans.
PRAYER: Safety as Alex and Bethany as we fly back up for the appointment.
PRAYER: Clear minds to review and finish gathering paperwork.
PRAISE/PRAYER: For the boys and our mom's while we are in NYC from November 29-December 1, 2022.
PRAYER: continued connections and partnerships as our budget needs are down to $2000 per month (down from $3500 at the beginning of the year). - click here to find out how to partner with us
PRAYER: Continued safety on the road over the next few weeks.
PRAYER: That we would be a blessing to those we see over the next month
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