Alabaster Women's Ministries

Oh to be a watering can....

There is a principle of a fulfilled life that reminds me of a watering can. 

I have found myself saying a phrase several times over the past couple months that has gotten me thinking.  Part of my personality is that I am an external processor.  I work with women in recovery from addictions.  So in my talking with them I have learned a few things that I think are important to be part of Alabaster.  And its the principle of the watering can, or "leaky vessel" as I have said. 

Simply this we have been created to BE FILLED and to Fill/give.  If you want to know one of the secrets of living fulfilled- its simply that: make sure you are being filled and that you are filling others.  Being filled looks like: recieiving help or support from friends or family, being in a support group, bible study; having others pray for you, having a counselor or mentor, or going to church.  Filling others looks like giving a listening ear, giving a few dollars to a person in need, volunteering, leading a bible study, giving of time, emotions, engergy, finaces, ect.  

 The problem comes when you are too prone to giving or to recieving and you don't balance them.  If you are giving too much you will burn out and become resentful of others because they "use you".  If you recieve too much you become entitled and selfish, where whatever you get is never enough.  People around you constantly feel drained because of your presence.  Of course the answer lies in the balance.  God created us to be given and to give.  When we have this balance we are more often going to feel satisfied, fulfilled, purposeful and loved. 

With Alabaster Women's Ministries our vision is to create a women who is balanced at being able to recieve and also to give.  Envision a women who is strong and capable.  A Ugandan woman who is able to recieve the help from her sponsor, and then later turn around and help fellow women because successful and empowered to make a difference.  A county full of these type of women, it truly looks like a new country, a country that is full of mothers to care for the next generation, a generation of world changers, leaders.  That is truly the power of an empowered woman.    

My Prayer

Father,

Thank you for the ways that you have blessed me throughout my life.  Lord thank you for guiding me.  Lord my prayer today is for a better tomorrow.  Lord you said in your word, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12.  Lord Jesus in your name people were healed physically, emotionally and spiritually.  Lord I have faith in you! In the name of Jesus may nations be healed, families be healed, and people be healed.  Give me guidance each day how I can be a blessing to someone.  

In Jesus Name 

Recently I was asked a question on my facebook about why I do ministry in Uganda and why don't I do ministry here in the USA. I prayed about it and realized that there are probally many more with the same question. I realized that many may not have the same knowledge that I hava about Africa and the issues that are facing the women in Uganda.

Now first I want to state a disclaimer: Not EVERYONE is called to minister in Africa/overseas. God calls people differently and I understand that and appreciate it. Different callings for every person, and that is on purpose. My goal in this blog is to help someone with this question understand WHY I chose to minister in Uganda.

The poverty in Uganda/Africa is deeper than in the USA. I understand that there is poverty in the USA and of course it also needs to be dealt with, but in Uganda there is not access to resources that there is in the USA. In the USA there is access to governement assistance, food stamps, WIC, SSI, Unemployment, MFIP, TANF, food shelves, Catholic Charities, clothing assistance, heating and transportation assistance, subsidized housing, homeless shelters, disability insurance, and numerous charity organizations that are willing to work with individuals who have various needs that are unlisted here. Now let me be clear that I understand that many of these resources are tapped, BUT lets not forget that MANY are still being helped, even if it doesn't cover EVERYONE. There is room for improvement but it is definitely better and more hopeful than the current situation in Uganda. The situation in Uganda is often very grave and MANY MANY women resort to prostitution, starvation, sickness and disease and infection. Numerous women and children die from common curable diseases, or simply childbirth. When someone goes to the doctor, if they cannot pay, THEY DO NOT GET TREATED, and will die. Currently in Alabaster we are working with a young woman who was near death because of lack of proper prenatal care. She had galblatter problems and then had a c-section, and she had complications from both surgeries and developed fistulas. http://www.endfistula.org/public/lang/en/pid/7430;jsessionid=FDDE10C4985028466610110423C5E0F1.jahia01
The doctors said if she did not recieve medical care she would die. Praise be to God, generous people came forward and were an answered prayer. This is just one personal example, out of the many of how grave the situation is in Uganda. I cannot turn my eyes and heart away from this extensive need. I have also been called by God at a young age to enter to mission field and start a ministry for women. There are many more reasons why I feel passionate about serving in Africa. Realize that God's heart doesn't stop at the borders, his love is boundless. I will continue this conversation at a later date, but I want the conversation to start. Blessings! Kelly

Recently I was asked a question on my facebook about why I do ministry in Uganda and why don't I do ministry here in the USA. I prayed about it and realized that there are probally many more with the same question. I realized that many may not have the same knowledge that I hava about Africa and the issues that are facing the women in Uganda.

Now first I want to state a disclaimer: Not EVERYONE is called to minister in Africa/overseas. God calls people differently and I understand that and appreciate it. Different callings for every person, and that is on purpose. My goal in this blog is to help someone with this question understand WHY I chose to minister in Uganda.

The poverty in Uganda/Africa is deeper than in the USA. I understand that there is poverty in the USA and of course it also needs to be dealt with, but in Uganda there is not access to resources that there is in the USA. In the USA there is access to governement assistance, food stamps, WIC, SSI, Unemployment, MFIP, TANF, food shelves, Catholic Charities, clothing assistance, heating and transportation assistance, subsidized housing, homeless shelters, disability insurance, and numerous charity organizations that are willing to work with individuals who have various needs that are unlisted here. Now let me be clear that I understand that many of these resources are tapped, BUT lets not forget that MANY are still being helped, even if it doesn't cover EVERYONE. There is room for improvement but it is definitely better and more hopeful than the current situation in Uganda. The situation in Uganda is often very grave and MANY MANY women resort to prostitution, starvation, sickness and disease and infection. Numerous women and children die from common curable diseases, or simply childbirth. When someone goes to the doctor, if they cannot pay, THEY DO NOT GET TREATED, and will die. Currently in Alabaster we are working with a young woman who was near death because of lack of proper prenatal care. She had galblatter problems and then had a c-section, and she had complications from both surgeries and developed fistulas. http://www.endfistula.org/public/lang/en/pid/7430;jsessionid=FDDE10C4985028466610110423C5E0F1.jahia01
The doctors said if she did not recieve medical care she would die. Praise be to God, generous people came forward and were an answered prayer. This is just one personal example, out of the many of how grave the situation is in Uganda. I cannot turn my eyes and heart away from this extensive need. I have also been called by God at a young age to enter to mission field and start a ministry for women. There are many more reasons why I feel passionate about serving in Africa. Realize that God's heart doesn't stop at the borders, his love is boundless. I will continue this conversation at a later date, but I want the conversation to start. Blessings! Kelly

Women Empowerment Through Sponsorhsip

Women Empowerment Through Sponsorhsip

As one of our objectives under Alabaster Women’s Ministries, Empowerment of women in slums is more vital as it helps them towards selfsustaining. Empowerment for women has to be done through a number of ways and one of them is Sponsorship, we have carried out research and we realised that a number of women living in Katoogo slum are school drop outs and others have never been to school. We also discovered that a big number of women in Katoogo would love to have a chance of going back to school and others would love to be trainned in different working skills including tailoring, catering, hand crafts and so much more…. for this reason, since our aim is to transform the lives of these women both spiritually and Physically, we would love to support these women and their families through sponsorship. This would mean that they will acquire skills and knowledge of creating their own small businesses that can help support their families and the societies at large. We are working on taking back a number of them back to school and then training others with more skills, this can only be possible if you join the cause and consider sponsoring a woman in katoogo slum. You can make a difference today by helping us reach our goals of empowering women through sponsorship. Contact us and find more info on how to be part of the sponsorship Program.

www.alabasterwomen.com

A new Life

For the women we work with life is very hard. Their living conditions are less than ideal, and that is putting it lightly. For one of our sponsored women, Lydia, she came to us with literally NOTHING but the clothes on her back and a couple other outfits that were old and tattered. In fact Lydia told me that sometimes she could go a couple days without eating. I personally do not know what this is like. I know that should things get bad my parents would help me, but for Lydia her parents died in a fire and left her, not only an orphan but, with 3 younger siblings to care for, and little means to do so.

When we first found Lydia she was living in Katoogo slum with friends, these were not very good friends, because they did not treat her very well. She is a hard working, dedicated young woman. She is also so full of life despite her desperate circumstances. Honestly I am so inspired by these women, they stay encouraged when when life is harder than anything I have lived through, it encourages me to be strong. We first told Lydia we were going to find her a sponsor, then we went back and started contacting people that I thought might be interested in being part of this developing ministry. It took us a while to hear back and then contact her again. By the time we talked to Lydia again she thought we had forgotten her! Can you imagine! When we told her we found her a sponsor and that in essence, she would be starting a whole new life, a life with hope! And that is just what she said, she said that she now felt that she had hope, something to look forward to, something to believe in. I have never felt so blessed by someones words and so proud to be part of what God is doing in her life. Please pray for Lydia as she starts her new life!

Malaria- the killer

I left MN on Friday December 30th at 5:00 pm I spent the following 24 hours in limbo between time zones, countries and years!  I officially spend my New Years on a Turkish Airline plane nodding off next to two men I barley knew.  Anyways I arrived safely in Entebbe Uganda at approximatley 2:10 AM Ugandan time.  All of my bags arrived and I was greeted by Ivan, Rama and Caroline who had been patiently waiting for me for an hour.  By the time we got to Kampala and I got to bed it was around 5:30 am Uganda time!  

 

Yesterday was the first day visiting the Katoogo Slum.  We met with one of the local leaders who showed us around Katoogo and answered our questions about the issues facing the women in Katoogo.  The leading issues facing the families in Katoogo is Malaria.  Malaria is caused by being bitten by an infected mosquito.  Katoogo is especially vulnerable because of their lack of proper water drainage, which leads to a high volume of standing water, which is the breeding ground for mosquitos.  According to the Malaria Foundation International:

• Children are especially vulnerable to malaria. In Africa, where 80% of malaria cases are treated at home, the disease kills one child in twenty before the age of five.

 

• Pregnant women are also at high risk. They have an increase risk of disease and death, as well as adverse impacts for their developing babies- including low birth weight, growth retardation, still births and death.

Malaria is easily prevented by the use of Mosquito nets.  Although because of extreme poverty many cannot even afford a Mosquito net, which costs aproxiamtley 10 US Dollars.  For many in Katoogo this price is MORE than their monthly rent.   Can you imagine! Not only that but if a person contracts malaria the chances of someone in Katoogo recieving medical treatment is very rare.  So death from malaria becomes a reality. 

 

One of my goals while I am in Uganda this month is to hand out 50 Mosquito nets to the needy families in Katoogo.  In all sincerity a mosquito net can save LIVES! 

Are you willing to sacrifice 10$ to provide a family in Katoogo with a mosquito net?  For many in the USA 10$ is about the price of a meal at Applebees or about 2 starbucks/Caribou beverages.  But for those in Katoogo this 10$ is vital.  Thanks for helping!  God Bless

 

Kelly- Alabaster Women's Ministries

My life so far

Here is sit in Caribou in Central MN, in Saint Cloud listening to Lecrae at 7:37pm. Sounds pretty good huh? Around the world in Uganda East Africa it is the middle of the night. For many Caribou is nothing but a North American Animal. AND the cost of one drink at Caribou is MORE than many live on each day, especially the women in the Katoogo slum as they sleep on dirt floors with dirt walls surrounded by lethal water and garbage.

Right now my heart hurts because I want to be in Africa. God has given me a heart for the people. But at the same time God is using my time, my transitional time from college as a really big learning experience. I am learning the art of waiting. All good things are worth waiting for. But still waiting isn't easy. I am striving to understand. I want to understand exactly what God has instore for me during this time of waiting. God gives us EVERY new day, not just the ones where something exciting happens.

SOOOO fundraising is really a new experience. There is really a lot of work that goes into one small fundraiser! On November 6th starting at 8 am till noon in New Munich MN there will be a fundraiser for Alabaster. So that is what I have been up to lately!

Update on Life back in the States

It has been some time since I updated you few, faithful readers of my blog!  As of right now I am fundraising.  This has to be the least pleasant part of being a missionary.  But at the same time it is a time to really trust God.  I have been learning so much about faith and what it means.  My new definition of faith is beleiving that something is yours because you prayed for it and trust God for it.  Sometimes is isn't even about a firm conviction, but rather the speaking of the words, "Thank you Lord for giving me..."  That is faith.  In the past month I have really had to trust God for finaces for both myself and a few of those that I love.  There have been some very trying times.  As I have said before I struggle with depression and anxiety, when things are uncertain, satan comes in and tries to use those same old tricks again on me.  Now I just need to beleive and take by faith the freedom from those things, because it is already mine!  What an idea!  What a truth!.   God is so good to us, not because of material things, but because of what he does in our hearts...  if we let him him. 

 

Right now we (Hope Blooms and Alabaster) are working to pull together the BBQ on Aug 7th from 12 to 6.  I am excited.  This will be fun to say the least.  I am excited to see how God will use this fundraiser, as well as the ministries for his glory.  Please pray for me through this time, it has been trying!  Bless your heart! 

 

Kelly

My Trip to Uganda- The outcomes!

There is a lot to tell about my trip to Uganda.  I wish I would have started writing earlier, but of course that is not always practical while on the mission field.  Everything went flawlessly on my flight Journey.  God gave me some wonderful people to sit next to and with whom I navigate Brussels Airlines.  I arrived at the Entebbe Airport around 11 pm their time.  It was a little confusing because I waited for Ivan for about 15 minutes and wasn't sure where he was and had no way to contact him, until I saw a fello muzungu (white person) and asked to use her cell phone to call him, only for his phone to be off.  Well eventually he came and all was well.  The first night I really didn't sleep, I was really off a time schedule.  The falling three days were spent traveling to Gulu and doing missions work in Gulu.  I ended up being able to interview a 19 year old woman who was kidnapped into the LRA, and given as a child bride at the age of 13.  We captured this whole interview on video.  Then once I came back I had time to go to the slum in Katogo as well as an orphanage in Kampala.  It was such a blessing to be able to do all of these things.  I was also able to visit with many people and spend some quality time with Ivan.  I also had a lot of time to eat, and sleep and watch big brother africa!  My return flight went flawlessly and I returned on time to MSP in time for my mother to pick me up from the airport.  Returning home is always bitter sweet.  It is nice to see people you miss, but at the same time it was hard to leave especially when I know God has called me to work with these women and young girls.  

I was able to do a lot of planning and preparation work while I was there.  We came up with a number of ideas for programs, and services.   

SInce I have been home now nearly two weeks, God has really blessed me and Alabaster.  As of last week Hope Blooms and Alabaster have joined forces.  Alabaster is now a branch of Hope Blooms Inc.  This provides so many more opportunities as well has brings the mission and services of Hope Blooms on an international level.  It will be very awesome to have the accountablity and support of Shannon and all the staff at Hope Blooms.  We are currently working on a fundraiser for the first part of August.  I am excited to see where God has brought us in this short amount of time.  Together we are stronger! 

 

Kelly