Sunday, September 26, 2010

Attention New Day Sponsors!

We had a request from the Orphanage that we do not include notes and pictures. I know that you would love for your little one to know who loves them but this confuses the children because they associate the pictures as something from their Forever Family. They have enough to process as it is so please do not include a picture of your family in their gift. (Unless you are a matched Mama and Daddy who know for sure you are going to adopt that particular child.) Thanks so much!


We haven't had any takers on the Ethiopian project so I am trying to think of a way to change it up a bit. Any ideas are welcome!!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri



Saturday, September 18, 2010

YWAM: The Ethiopia Project 2010

PRAISE THE LORD!! All the New Day Children are Sponsored!!!

Lets get started on Ethiopia!!

I have went around and around with myself trying to decide how to do this project.

Here are the basics. We have 161 people that we would like to help in Ethiopia this year. This consists of:

50 widows
30 babies
8 school-aged children in our orphanages
35 street kids in Gimbie
38 Orphanage staff - nannies, cleaners, cooks, nurses

I would love to give out each persons name and let families buy for each person like we did last year. But that creates several problems:

1. It is very hard to get photos of each person where they live (all spread out over a large area) and post them online. If the children are adoptable we can not post those pictures online due to Ethiopian adoption laws.

2. There are specific needs and sometimes their needs are not items that we would normally buy as a Christmas gift.

3. Shipping. We must ship these gifts to Washington and then they are sent with adopting families in their luggage to Ethiopia. That  means we must be very careful of weight and size of the gifts we send.

So I have thought long and hard about how to be able to meet these needs and do so in the most efficient and most effective way. Joy and Becky at YWAM have been so helpful during all of this and they recommended making bags for each person. These bags would be a way for the street children to carry their goods as well as make packing easier. The bags we are talking about are made like these but will be made of a more durable plastic and will have Operation Giggle and our motto on them:


Becky and Joy gave us a list of things that would be useful in the bags.

We have went back and forth trying to decide what the best way to do the bags is. I thought about trying to find 164 sponsors to each do 1 (or 2) bags and honestly I think that would be alot of work and a lot of waisted shipping money. So what I have decided to do is post a list of what we need for the bags and asking for volunteers to buy the items (or order them off line and ship them to me through a company like O*iental T*ading.)

For example one of my friends found notebooks on sale and bought notebooks for the 48 students who needed them. One family could buy half the small flashlights (we need 88 of these), or maybe you know a company that could donate all of the wash cloths...you get the idea. Everything will be shipped here and I will round up a  "crew" of helpers to assemble the bags and get them ready to mail.

I understand that this takes some of the "fun" out of it because you don't have a face to look at and you don't get to see a wrapped present all ready to go but honestly this ministry isn't about us. It is about those in need and I feel we should help them as efficiently and as effectively as possible and I feel as if this is the way to do it. I hope you feel the same. So without further ado here is our list of needs...can you help?!



I know this maybe a little hard to read but it is the only way I could get it posted. If you want more information about an item or if you would like me to email you the list as an attachment email me and I will be glad to. Also if you can only afford to buy half of one item please email me we will work it out!
Thanks again for all of your help!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

4 More to go!

Only four more children from New Day Orphanage in China to find sponsor's for...they are Chad, Jayce, Josiah, and Logan. Email operation_giggle@yahoo.com with your name and email address if you want to sponsor one of these sweeties!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Only 5 children left to sponsor from New Day!


Wish List for New Day Foster Home Children 2010


Below is the most up to date wish list for the children at New Day.

Anabelle - cute hats and sunglasses, pretty dress
Angela - infant books, snacks
Anton - Toy for 1.5 years old and soft ball
Aurora - (dolls,toy bricks)
Brooke - infant toys, baby food
Caleb - chalks, infant books, toys
Camille - Nice dress and hair stuff (small ones)
Chad - toys with music)
Claire - drawing board, hair bows, school bag
Cooper - balls, cars
Cora  - toys with music)
David- balls
Donovan -balls
Eliana  - (toys with music)
Elizabeth -  jewelry, necklace, bracelet, clip on earrings (no pierced ones please), watch for telling time so prefer one with hands rather than digital.
Emelia - (dolls, puzzles)
Ethan - vehicle, building blocks, jigsaw
Evangeline - toys with sounds (pref. non battery powered)
Evie - infant toys
Hannah -  Stickers, color/activities books, necklace, bracelet, stuffed dog toy
Henry ballstoys with music
Jack - balls, toy cars)
Jadeyn - cloth dolls with sounds, toys with music
Jamison  (cars,books,balls)
Jayce - infant toys
Jenifer toys with music
Jenna - Loves toy cars, dr. or nurse kit, stuffed animal
Joel - He wants cars, train
Joshua - picture books
Josiah - infant toys
Judah - balls, nesting cups, books
Judson - (cars ,balls)
Kiah - cloth and toy
Lindsey - (toy bricks,toy with music,balls)
Logan -(balls, toy cars)
Lucy -dollsbookstoys with music
Melody -  (dolls , electronic piano  )
Noah - (balls,cars, toys bricks)
Owen -(cars balls)
Philip - (cars,toy planes)
Polly - ( stuffed animals, toy with music)
Raegan - drawing board, school bag
Robert - vehicle
Rosie -  Toy with lights and sound
Samuel - percussion instrument, building blocks
Serena -  Loves jewelry, necklace, bracelet, clip on earrings (no pierced ones please) (sturdier rather than dainty), watch (will be learning to tell time so prefer one with hands rather than a digital, barbie
Shaun (toy bricks ,cars ,balls)
Timothy -  vehicle, vehicle books
Vincent - vehicle
Willa -  She wants nice dress, hair stuff and beautiful doll
William - balls, electronic piano
Zoe - dolls, toys with music or ringing, pencil (crayon),

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

5 Children Left!

Just wanted to update everyone,  Chad, Ethan, Jayce, Josiah, and Logan, still need sponsor's!

Please get the word out!!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

Wish Lists

I got an email from Carrie at New Day this morning and she has asked the staff to help us by giving ideas for the gifts that the children might enjoy. Carrie also recommended for us to send toys that don't require batteries, because they can not replace them. This is the first wave of information and she is planning on sending information on the other children as soon as it is available...HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Hannah: Stickers, color/activities books, necklace, bracelet, stuffed dog toy

Jenna: Loves toy cars, dr. or nurse kit, stuffed animal

Serena: Loves jewelry, necklace, bracelet, clip on earrings (no pierced ones please) (sturdier rather than dainty), watch (will be learning to tell time so prefer one with hands rather than a digital, barbie

Elizabeth: jewelry, necklace, bracelet, clip on earrings (no pierced ones please), watch for telling time so prefer one with hands rather than digital.

Timothy: _ vehicle, vehicle books

Vincent: _ vehicle

Zoe: — Pencil ( crayon ),toys which can create music or ringing

Donovan: -balls

David-balls

Angela: ——infant books, snacks

Raegan: ——drawing board, school bag

Joshua——picture books

Ethan:—vehicle, building blocks, jigsaw

Robert: ——vehicle

Jadeyn:——cloth dolls with sounds, toys with music

Claire:——drawing board, hair bows, school bag

Samuel:——percussion instrument, building blocks

Judah:——balls, nesting cups, books

Evangeline:——toys with sounds (pref. non battery powered)

Caleb:——chalks, infant books, toys

Brooke:——infant toys, baby food

Josiah:——rice noodles, infant toys

Jayce:——rice noodles, infant toys

Anabelle:——cute hats and sunglasses, pretty dress

Evie: ——infant toys, baby food

Willa---- She wants nice dress, hair stuff and beautiful doll

Joel ----- He wants cars, train

Camille ---- Nice dress and hair stuff (small ones)

Rosie---- Toy with lights and sound

Anton --- Toy for 1.5 years old and soft ball

Kiah --- cloth and toy

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

19 and Counting

19 Children left who need sponsors, get the word out as quickly as you can. I am really hoping the children will be taken care of by tomorrow night. I want to post the info about Ethiopia on Thursday morning. Please help me help these children!





Saturday, September 11, 2010

ATTENTION NEW DAY SPONSORS!!

We have 26 more children to get sponsored. The children that were shown as available on the last post are still available except for : Kiah, Henry, Joshua and Lucy.

Do you  know someone who would want to sponsor one of these little ones? Would you consider posting about Operation Giggle on your blog, facebook, or sending out an email to your friends and family?

I would really like to post the information for the Orphanage in Ethiopia tomorrow night but I would like to have all of the children already listed taken first. This just makes things so much easier as far as bookkeeping on my end goes.

For those families who have already picked a NEW DAY CHILD I am going to go ahead and give you some information about what happens next.

This year we are going to have to change the way we do things just a little bit. You live and you learn...and last year was our first year doing this and lets just say we figured out what NOT to do on a few things. :-)

1. The first thing you need to do is purchase a box. You MUST use a 12"x12"x12" box. You should be able to find these locally. If you can not find these locally you can order them on-line. I know it is bothersome to ask for a particular size box but for us to ship the gifts we need to be able to count on how much space your gift will take up. Last year we had some presents that were VERY BIG, I am sure the children loved them but we ended up having a very hard time getting everything packed and shipped.

2. Remember there is a 3lb limit on the gifts please make sure you weigh your gift in the box and that it is under 3lb's if it is not I just ask that you try to give a little extra money for shipping. Which brings me to number 3.

3. If every family that sponsors a child gave $25 toward shipping we would be able to cover it with no problem. I am not requiring that you give $25 nor am I saying to only give $25 you give what you feel is fair but I am asking that if you agree to sponsor a child you give something toward the shipping.

4. After you get your box you may begin buying gifts for your child. Please do not buy clothes, food, or liquids. (the Foster Home is supplied with plenty of clothes and they have asked that we do not send clothes.) Also please do not send battery powered toys and please do not send guns, or any violent toys. We are a Christ centered organization and we would like this reflected in the gifts.

I understand that these requests are different then last year and if you have agreed to sponsor a child already and feel that due to these requests you are unable to sponsor that child now please let me know. I hope everyone understands that these requests are made to keep things fair and so that we will be able to continue to provide gifts without a financial hardship with the shipping.

Once you have your gift and are ready to ship it you may send it to:

Operation Giggle
123 Cedarwood Trail NW
Cleveland TN 37312

Thank you so much for sponsoring these children. Remember what James 1:27 says: 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

Lets make this Christmas wonderful for these children!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

Thursday, September 9, 2010

22 children have been sponsored!


22 children have been sponsored so far!

Below is an updated Sponsored List.

The children with Santa hats and scarves have been sponsored!






Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Update! 12 children have been sponsored!

The following children with Santa hats and scarves have been sponsored today!

Caitlin
Eliana
Emelia
Hannah
Jack
Judah
Melody
Noah
Robert
Rosie
Vincent
Willa








Tuesday, September 7, 2010

New Hope Children


I am posting our first "wave" of children. If you see a child you would like to sponsor please send me an email at operation_giggle.yahoo.com in the subject line please put the name of the child you want to sponsor.

If you ask to sponsor a child this year things will be a bit different. First of all there will be a specific box that you will be asked to purchase. I am checking with the major retailers as well as the post office to find a box that will work for our needs and that should be available in most areas. The cost of the box will be very minimal. If you can not find the box I will mail you one after you donate the cost of the box plus the cost of shipping it to you via pay pal or by mailing me a check. I hate to have to be so strict on the boxes but if you were one of the people trying to pack ALL THOSE TOYS! And also trying to make sure the gift giving was fairly even...you would understand the need to keep the box sizes the same.

Also we would really like to have everyone who is buying a gift make some sort of donation toward shipping. The shipping prices I have gotten are over $1000 and we really need help paying that shipping. If you can not afford to do both then please let me know. I am sure we will have some people that do not have time to shop for toys but are willing to just give money toward the shipping.

Last year was such a great success! We can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for this year!!

So without further adieu...here are the children from New Hope!





Please remember that some children may be matched with a family if you request a child that is matched with a family and you are not that family you may be asked if you want to pick another child or be on the waiting list for that child. If the Forever Family hasn't contacted me by October 15th I will match those children with whom ever is first on the waiting list. We will be partnering with YWAM again this year to help in Ethiopia. We are still ironing out the specifics but I will let you know when I have the details.

One last note, I am working full time this year so please be patient when waiting on a response. I commute 2 hours a day work 8 hours a day and take care of my family...I am not ignoring you, just trying to do it all... I will update later in the week with a reminder of what is and is not allowed to be shipped and other important information.

I have recruited a helper...my best friend and all around cohort in crime Tara helped me get this post ready and is going to be helping me with some of the massive amount of emails I get...over 700 last year! I am so blessed to have her in my life and honored that she is working with me on this.

For now if you want to sponsor a child please send me your name, your email, and the child's name you would like to sponsor.

God Bless You All!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri