On the Way!

It’s alive!

speroproject — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:00:39 +0000

Check out www.thesperoproject.com !!! We’re so excited to see it come about! This is a “soft launch” to work out all the kinks, etc. Then, early next week we’ll ask everyone interested to participate in a “Blitz” of all the social networking tools to get the word out. Thanks for going through the process with us!

World Vision Calling for Help in Haiti

speroproject — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:23:08 +0000

Check out this link detailing the need in Haiti and how we can help.

Tanzania

speroproject — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:33:19 +0000

Below are the lyrics to Alli Roger’s song “Tanzania.” You can check out her album and read other lyrics at her Website. I’ve seen her play twice now and have been moved by this song. Today it inspired me to be thinking towards a visual arts show/craft fair type thing that would feature work from both American mothers who are artists and Refugee mothers who are artists. I hope soon to work toward a “micro-lending” program of sorts, helping some women create and sell their native crafts, art, etc. here to help them add to their income. It would be a great way to work while they’re still learning English. And this event would help showcase them, raise money for the program, and just be lots of fun. I’m a gone-er now. It’s all I could think about today. If anyone’s friends with Alli Rogers, tell her she’s my hero.

It’s eight hours later in Tanzania
When Jen lays down
Mary’s just opening her eyes
Her child’s feet land on the ground
and dirt scatters
And she feels left out in the open
always left out in the open
She says, “son, wear my shoes to school today”
He turns and smiles and walks away
and she thinks to herself…

Someday I will wake
where the earth is clean and safe
My children have a place to play
not here in Tanzania
And someday I will live
in a house that’s built by
hands that hold the world

It’s eight hours earlier in Chattanooga
Mary sits down and Jen’s just put the coffee on
Katie Couric is talking news and fashion
and Jen feels pushed into a corner
always pushed into a corner, she says
“Baby I know what girls at school are like”
And her daughter rides off on her bike
and Jen thinks to herself…

Someday I will wake
where my children get a break
And there are chances that they’ll take
not here in Chattanooga
Someday I will live
in a house that’s built by
hands that hold the world

Well it’s hard to be mother
and it’s hard to be a woman
and it’s hard to live in Africa sometimes
It’s hard to be mother
and it’s hard to be a woman
and it’s hard to live in America sometimes

But someday I will wake
in a body that won’t break
On ground that doesn’t shake, not here
And someday I will live
in a house that’s built by hands that hold the world

Almost Here!

speroproject — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:44:58 +0000

Well, The Spero Project is almost live. And I keep getting more and more excited! I know it’s really nothing fancy, especially in this initial stage. Anyone could pull together the information, I realize. But, having led some small groups and having worked at a church and having been on staff at a nonprofit organization during college, I’m becoming aware of how beneficial this could be after all.

This morning I was thinking about all the volunteer Youth Pastors there are out there. They are so committed that they work a full-time job AND volunteer as a Youth Pastor. And, anyone I know who’s been a Youth Pastor can tell you that job in itself is much more than full time. I really hope this gives them quick access to some ideas to do with their groups, events to attend, and some encouragement about what God is doing all across the globe. More time for relationships with students. Less time researching, scouring the web for ideas. That’s good.

And, I’ve been thinking about all the times I’ve heard about a nonprofit organization over and over and don’t really get how amazing they are until I do a little bit of volunteer work there. Then I’m sold and I tell everyone about it. By allowing a small group to partner with them on some ‘little’ tasks, these organizations could be getting some life-long advocates. Who knows?

Like I said, I know it’s too simple to get this excited over. But, I love when people come together to accomplish something! And, the plans for The Spero Project are ever evolving each time we come together with friends, ministry leaders, and representatives from nonprofit organizations. What if we came together to do a Nonprofit Makeover? We used IT gurus, graphic artists, interior design students or professionals, etc., and together made a nonprofit more marketable, more comfortable for the clients and staff, AND more effective in their technology/databases/etc.?!?!? What if we were able to partner small groups with refugee families that have come here from all over the world, specifically caring for that family and advocating for their children to receive all the help they need to thrive in school, and for their parents to gain skills to help them thrive in the workplace?!?!?!?

There are unending ideas of how we can all partner together to impact OKC. And to literally change the world. I’m such a little kid about this stuff that I think it can be done. Jesus wants restoration and reconciliation all over. I’m sure of that. So, I say we join in!

Donation Wizard

speroproject — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:19:55 +0000

This is pretty fancy! Global Living sponsors TONS of projects that impact the global community. You can look through topics or locations. But, if you want to narrow it down, you can go through the Donation Wizard. Good thing to pass along!

I’m just a Oklahoma Girl

speroproject — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:16:15 +0000

Well, this feels to me to be a pretty seriously silly prayer request, but I need some help and don’t have a lot of other options!

Spero has some pretty exciting potential in our work with refugees from all over the world. More about that in another post as it develops. So, that has caused Brad and I to become more involved in the refugee population than we were previously. I’m liking that and have no complaints there!

It’s just that I have a hard time remembering someone’s name when it’s Eric. Or Bob. Or Lou. I’ve grown up in Oklahoma and have absolutely no propensity for foreign languages, as evidenced by the fact that I can’t remember how to ask for the bathroom if I were to visit France even though I completed French IV in high school. So, I’m really struggling with remembering people’s names that are so different to my ear. I know it’s important to remember people’s names and it has to make them feel less important to me than they really are when I have to ask several times!

So, I need the Lord to open up my measly little brain! And, to continue to have favor on us in working with this population, creating and blessing relationships.

Thanks!!!

Ornament Project

speroproject — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:07:04 +0000

So, I’ve been toying with the idea of selling Spero ornaments each Christmas. Start with a set of 5 and add a couple to the set each year. The ornaments would highlight a specific country or region and all the profits would go to organizations and churches helping in those areas. I’ve been working on ideas and quotes and haven’t seemed to come across anything that seems just right.

Until this morning when I was meeting with my friend, Jennifer, who is soon going to work at an orphanage in Sierra Leone. We thought it would be great if she took blank ornaments and the children handpainted them! The cost is low, so most of the purchase price would go straight to help the orphanage!

So, we want to use this idea with our first 5 ornaments we sell this Christmas. If you or someone you know are going on a Mission Trip before the end of October (or at the very latest-early November) and would be interested in helping with this project let us know! It doesn’t have to be children painting. Just as long as it’s personalized by people living in the region and there’s an organization doing work in the region that we can send the funds to.

Contact me at kimberlysbandy@yahoo.com if you are interested. Thanks!

Local Spotlight

speroproject — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:20:26 +0000

Check out this local artist with a great heart! This month is a special, buy two get one free on prints. So, think ahead to Christmas!

www.project8256.etsy.com

www.project8356.blogspot.com

Charity:Water

speroproject — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:23:30 +0000

This is pretty fantastic! What a difference a grass-roots effort can make!

http://www.charitywater.org/birthdays/intro/trailer.html

Here’s another update:

speroproject — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:27:19 +0000

Well, again, Brad and I are grateful for the resources provided to us by the great Bryce Bandy. He’s working with a website template that I’m not even smart enough to order, much less put together. So, we’re really excited that the content for Spero is going to be presented in a professional, easy to navigate way.

We’re doing well on content and are excited about some future plans coming up after the launch. But, we’re still needing some help with the calendar component. If you know anyone that would have information, please ask them for us! We know there’s stuff going on–fundraisers (for ministries, mission trips, or individual missionaries), awareness initiatives, guest speakers to churches, etc. Anything with a global perspective that would be beneficial to educate some of us Jesus-followers. Thanks for your help!!!