Miracle

It's very hard to describe what I witnessed over the last 5 weeks. The only word I can think of is "miracle", but even that seems to fall short.

$75,000 in 30 days seemed like an impossibility. Three weeks in, the need was still as high as $54,000, and the day of we were short $20,000.

Yet by 9:30 Sunday night - two and a half hours before the deadline - we were FULLY FUNDED!

Yes, this is a miracle, but it's the stories behind these numbers that tell of something more. Obedience and sacrifice - and without the two this miracle would not have been possible.

I believe God's purpose for our lives is simple - love one another as He has loved us. OK, so let's ask - HOW has God loved us? By giving us His son, Jesus, who through obedience, sacrificed his life for ours! OBEDIENCE and SACRIFICE gave us a NEW life!

Just as the OBEDIENCE and SACRIFICE of those who gave to our need in India will give NEW life to 33 children now, and more in the future!

During this fundraising process we had complete strangers give $1,000 donations - multiple times. One guy sold a car and sent us the profits! Another donor took money from his child's college fund so that these kids could have a better life. A girl mailed us a large check with a letter saying she couldn't sleep until she donated! We had a pastor reallocate $10,000 that was meant for his church's building fund. One family even donated their DOWN PAYMENT toward a new home!

These are simple, ordinary people who responded in extraordinary faith. They were OBEDIENT to God's call to SACRIFICE so that others may have a better life. THIS was the fuel behind the miracle.

And that's exactly what our kids in India were praying for, a miracle - and God provided one, through YOU!

So thank you to all who gave, and who sacrificed so much. Your obedience will echo into future generations of children in India.

Oh, as a VERY important side note. Clearly we raised the money is US Dollars - but the land will be bought in Indian Rupees. Turns out the Rupee has been losing value over the last few weeks - so what does that mean? We will have MORE than enough for the land - and what is leftover will give us a good start toward construction costs of the new home!

Asha Land UPDATE

Yes, this is another post about the kids at Asha Mission Children's Home and our URGENT fundraising need for land! I don't normally inundate my blog readers with constant updates like this, but we have never had a need this BIG or this URGENT before. And I am reminded of what Asha Mission Founder, Babu John, said - "I will get on my knees and beg for these children, if it keeps them from becoming beggars." AMEN. (For those of you who don't know - many orphans and vulnerable children in India are kidnapped and disabled on purpose (eyes gouged out, legs cut off, arms cut off, etc) to become more pitiful, more "effective beggars". It's disgusting. And we will NOT let it happen to any of the precious kids we care for!)

But the good news is, we have a pretty INCREDIBLE update for you today! If you remember, months ago we started this fundraiser needing $200,000. On Sunday I updated you that the need had dropped to $54,000. Well friends - it has been an AMAZING week! Our current total needed is only $24,500!!!

WE are completely blown away! The stories people are telling us about their donations are so humbling and encouraging. One church gave away $11,000 out of their building fund so our precious kids could have a home. A dad in Mississippi gave away $5,000 he'd been saving for his son's college housing fund. People are choosing to sacrifice their future plans for the future of these 33 little boys and girls in India. It has been incredible to hear how God is moving in the hearts of people all over the nation! We are absolutely watching a miracle in the making!

Just a reminder - these are the precious kids you are caring for when you give to this need! 

Asha Mission Brothers (above) and Asha Mission Sisters (below).

But friends - we are down to the wire! We only have until midnight THIS Sunday night (May 20th) to raise the last $24,500! So I am asking all of you - one more time - to get involved! Ask yourself what you can sacrifice for these kids. Will you donate part of your savings account? Will you give away your tax return? Will you ask your friends and family to give by sharing this blog, this link, or this video?

Let's make a miracle happen!

$20,000 Raised... $55,000 to go

We're getting there people, like the title says - we've raised right at $20,000 - we got TEN DAYS to get another $55,000!

I've been consistently humbled throughout this process! Many folks out there have given so generously, people we don't even know dropping off $1,000 donations! In fact, today we got a $2,000 check in the mail from a guy who SOLD a car and donated the profits to our kids in India!

If you are getting this, I'm asking you to give, to pray, to share this video! These kids deserve a permanent home, and that can't happen until we buy this land!

URGENT NEED :: Asha Land Project from The Sound of Hope on Vimeo.