Mission Trip Fundraising Ideas using Facebook, Twitter & other Social Media

So our family has been on quite the journey over the last 6 years. We would have never in our wildest of dreams imagined that by 2013 we would have traveled to Africa 6 times, that 4 out of 6 of our family members would have gone multiple times and that we would have forever heartstrings with so many living there.

 And yet, here we are finding ourselves in just such a position. How on earth have we accomplished this? This is something we still frequently try to wrap our brains around. The first trip was a stretch in itself - sending off two of our precious cargo. The following year 3 of us would make the trip. The next trip we would make would have a total of 4 from our family packing our bags. As you can imagine these trips are not cheap, in fact they are VERY expensive. For each team member the cost is about $3,000. YOWZA!

Every step of the way God's fingerprints are ALL over it! I tell you, the impossible is possible if you are willing to step forward in faith. So that is Step #1 - seek God and ask where he wants you to move forward. Then comes the fun of seeing him show off!

Our family has done a variety of fundraising events:

• Garage Sales, Garage Sales & more Garage Sales
• Dance 4) Africa: Dance Lessons, Dessert & Silent Auction
• Coffee Bean & Cocoa Sales from 963 Coffee Project
• Car Washes
• Worship Night & Dessert
• Jewelry
• Handcrafted Bags
• Freezer Meals
• Scrapbooking Night

Recently my friend found this site and used it for her fundraising towards another mission trip. It popped up on my newsfeed on Facebook. Totally intrigued me, so I checked it out today. SO EASY!!!

Our family is down to the wire now - we still need to raise $2,500 in just 10 days (deep breath)  - so we really needed to find a quick and easy method to get the word out. This is perfect. GoFundMe.com created a way for us to share our story and need while they provide an online payment method with a minimal fee. Payment is available real time. You simply set up your account and they will post it to your social media and send it out to the email addresses you enter.

The amount of time it took for me to check it out and research it was more then it took me to set it up and have it posted on my Facebook account. If I had twitter and others that I currently used it would quickly link and promote on those as well.

Here is our account we set up with them: http://www.gofundme.com/3cnk9g

Check it out! And if you want to donate, we will take that too! :)

-Simply Sublime

Exposing yourself to the WORLD will open your Eyes & Heart

I felt a little creative tonight - as I sat here unable to sleep...once again. So I made this little graphic up. I ran into the quote by Saint Augustine and somehow it stuck with me.

As I wrapped my brain around the quote I started thinking about how the more we expose ourselves to different people & cultures the more we open our eyes, hearts and minds to the bigger picture. Many times we form our opinions on what we know, which is basically what was right and wrong in our family growing up. Many times we don't even have a good understanding behind why we were told something was the way to do it.

Let's visit an example: As a child you were told to always carry the gravy boat with one hand on the handle and one underneath the base. The reason you were taught this was because the family heirloom china boat had a hairline fracture in the handle so your Mom didn't want too much pressure put on it in case it would break. This was never explained to you though - so in your mind the "RIGHT" way to carry a gravy boat at all times is to have one hand under the base and one on the handle.

This may seem like a silly, very simplistic example. It's true - it is. The point is we carry this into all kinds of areas in our lives. Our family, friends, community, media and our culture form our opinions in ALL kinds of areas. Half the time I don't think we even realize we have an opinion, it just comes so naturally. And - it can come across so stinking judgmental while being based on something irrelevant to the situation.

I think the more we learn about others &  the why behind the choices - The more we get to know the hearts of people who are different than us -  The more grace we have for others differences.

Sometimes as adults... growing can be painful - but sometimes it can be REALLY fun. I have LOVED having my eyes opened wide to new ways of doing life. I realize not all can travel to far away lands - but I think we all know in today's world there is A LOT of different cultures within a pretty close proximity of us.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. -1 John 4:7-8

-Simply Sublime