Walking for a Cause

 On May 5th, our family participated in a walk-a-thon for Royal Family Kids Camp.  This organization puts on a summer camp each year for area foster kids.  The purpose of this camp is to bless these kids, give them positive memories, and communicate that they are loved.  We found out about this camp from a mom in my MOPS group--her husband is the director of the Joliet area camp.  We talked to our kids (mainly Sadie) about the importance of doing what we can to help others and what the Bible teaches us about helping orphans.  She had a really hard time understanding why people were giving us money to walk or how walking was helping raise money (even started crying during one of many conversations!) but in the end she was excited to do the "walk-a-pon" for the kids.  It was a great family experience.

 Before the walk-a-thon, they passed out balloons to all the kids.  They had balloons to represent the 50 children who will be at camp this summer (possibly more this year if they get the funds and volunteers needed to make it happen!)  We prayed for these children and their families.  The kids were supposed to keep the balloons throughout the day and tell people who asked about Royal Family Kids Camp.

The walk was 1 mile.  We took the double stroller but our kids walked quite a big--Macey probably walked the most of the three! Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we raised $275!  The same weekend our small group put on a garage sale to raise money for this organization.  We ended up raking in over $1000... Almost enough to send two children to camp.  Our small group is also looking forward to serving one day at camp this summer as a group service project--can't wait!

Our MOPS group also hosted a garage sale this past weekend.  It was SERIOUSLY the largest garage sale I've ever seen!!  "Garage Sale" didn't even do it justice--it was more like a thrift store in a garage.  It was a two week event preparing and pulling off something this big...Lots of hours, lots of moms (and kids!) We started with the goal of sponsoring one child and a dream of paying for 2 campers.  When it was all said and done we made just over $2600--an entire cabin, 4 campers, paid for from our abundance of STUFF with God's blessing.  We were also able to send boxes and boxes of clothes and baby items to Ms. Pearl's ministry, "Under His Wings" ministry (crises pregnancy), and Good Will.  I just love seeing what God is capable of when we allow him to work through us.