Alabaster Women's Ministries

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

But there are so many hurting people here in your own backyard- Why UGANDA?

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My Answer to that question is both simple and complex and quite frankly unsatisfying for most.  The answer to : because it is my calling, my vocation.  It has been my well meaning mother who has asked me this question most often.  But I cannot give her a beautiful, well scripted answer because there is not one.  It is just plain and simple, God has called me away from my comfort zone, away from my family, away from my friends to a place where the one I need to lean on is God.  My belief is that God has called me because there are things that he wants to teach me and people he wants me to touch that would not have otherwise been touched had he not called me.  

The last few months I have been pondering why I was given the chance to be raised in America, with a loving family, given a good education and a long list of blessings?  My answer I believe has given these things, given wisdom, given education and access to resources so that I could in turn give back.  I believe the measure of my life will be how well I used the gifts God has given me to help others, how much I have loved others.  My gifts are not my own, but they are just that, gifts, they were given to me to use either for myself, or for Him.  At the end of time, when I stand before him I want to hear the words "Well done, good and faithful servant".  Don't confuse the free gift of salvation with using your gifts for Him.  How I choose to live my life and give my life will be the measure of my character.  So for today I will seek to find ways to be a good and faithful servant.

 

Lord show me what that means!  Love your daughter -Kelly ps.  Thanks for all the blessings!

 

Keeping it sassy

 

Kelly 

What does Sunday, Excel, Ally Hoover, Mac Computers and Africa Have in Common???

Well I am sure I could think of a couple things, but mostly- the grant I just submitted to Student Philanthropy Fund at CSB.  It felt good to do it.  I have everything all planned and pretty!  Now I am working on a sweet logo and t-shirts!  So if you are creative and want to be part of a great organization (new too!) I WANT YOU!  By the way Ally Hoover is AMAZING!  She is such and awesome gal!  I could not have written this grant without her!  and her Excel spread sheet skills are really impeccable!  But either way so onward and upward.  Give me feed back and suggestions!!

 

Much Love!

Proverbs 3:5

 

Kelly- Your young dreamer!

My Heart

Hello,

So right now I am at a stand still, at least metaphorically.  As of right now I have my plane ticket booked for my flight for my planning trip.  But no real fundraising will occur until AFTER I return.  I want to make sure I have a good work plan to follow and present to those of you who support me.  I am excited but I am nervous.  Last night I watched the movie War Dance , which is about a group of school age children from northern Uganda who prepare to compete in the annual competition in Kampala.  These children are war children.  They were all devastated the war, most lost parents, brother's and sisters, and some of them were even abducted into the rebel army.  Needless to say, I CRIED!  It was such a moving, and inspirational movie.  This movie made me very passionate to work in Uganda.  I am excited for what God is going to do through me.  I am grateful God sees me as someone he trusts enough with a piece of his plan.  

More information on the status of my heart is that I am struggling to trust God to provide for me financially for this work.  Obviously he will provide for the call, but sometimes I am lacking when it comes to having faith.  Please continue to pray for me.  

 

Your Young Crazy Dreamer

 

Kelly

An overview of WHAT ON EARTH IS ALABASTER??

Since I was twelve years old I have had a draw to missions work. I have always felt that I wanted to do something for those starving children and desperate people I saw on TV. After high school I went to the College of Saint Benedict in Saint Joseph MN. I am currently a second semester senior and will be graduating in May, 2011. I chose to study social work. I never wavered or changed my mind, I always knew what I wanted to do: help people. 


During my education at the College of Saint Benedict I learned a lot more about what was actually going on in the world around me. Not only that, but as time went on I grew more compassionate and passionate about helping people. The summer of my sophomore year of college I went to Rwanda with New Mercies Ministries. This trip literally changed my life. While I was there I knew that the Lord was calling me. I spent only a few short weeks in Rwanda, but it was enough to impact me in a big way. While there I had a chance to play with the children in the village, pray with a mother suffering from horrible varicose veins, talk and minister to three homeless street orphans, and a lot more. 

So where does all of this lead? After I graduate in May, I will be going to Uganda, East Africa to start a women's ministry I have named Alabaster Women's Ministry. I will be working with Pamoja Ministries Uganda. I will be starting a ministry for women who have been victims of sexual violence. Sexual violence to women is common place, due to a lack of respect for women. As you may know, when a women is sexually violated she may begin to feel used, worthless. Often she will contract a disease or become pregnant long before she is prepared to be a mother. My goal with Alabaster Women's Ministry is to empower women to heal. To empower them to be over-comers. I will be using my skills as a social worker to facilitate small group supportive therapy, parenting skills education, health education and assistance, healthy relationships, and assist the women to create a way for them to share their stories. The end goal is to rise from poverty and connect them to education in order to help them be self sufficient. 

This is only the start. My heart is to see women empowered to make something of themselves, regardless of their circumstances. My question is: will you support me in this ministry to hurting women? I am volunteering all of my time and skills to these women, in order for me to do this I need financial support to support myself while I live there. But not only that but I NEED your prayers. Without your prayers this ministry will not happen. I need you to ask God to bless what I am doing and for his presence in what what he has called me to do. My living and ministry costs for the entire year is estimated at $13,000 (this is only an estimate). Let me know if you have questions. 

In the Beginning...

My whole journey began when I was 12.  At this age my heart was called to the hurting.  I knew I had to help, I had to do something.  Through a series of life events, including a life-changing missions trip to Rwanda, I find myself now planning for my mission in Uganda.  

 

Right now I am in the planning stage.  I am finding supporters.  Sometimes this all seems overwhelming, more than once I have asked myself, "what am I doing?", "do I really have what it takes?".   Surprisingly enough I have learned that I don't have to be enough, I just have to be willing.  The phrase: "God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called", has been very inspirational to me at this time.  

About a year ago, a junior in college, I had a vague dream of setting up a program to help women who have been are being sex trafficked.  As this dream has slowly become a reality, the details have transformed.  And in all reality, the transformation of the details is far from over!  But thank God I have learned how to be flexible.  Now it has transformed into a ministry for women who have been victims of sexual violence.  So right now I am working out the details, like: what will the day to day functions of Alabaster look like, how exactly will I reach the women, how will I choose which women to work with, how will I let women know about the ministry.  And the most scary of the questions: HOW WILL I FUND THIS MINISTRY?   But this is the part where I know I need to trust God the most.  

Its odd how easily we trust getting in our car, eating food others prepared, trusting the we will not get sick, trusting that someone is not going to break into your house, trusting other drivers on the road, but yet  we cannot seem to trust God with the smallest details of our life, such as money for a ministry that he has called me too.  But this is all part of God's refining process.  I know that this is just the beginning.  I am excited, yet honestly a little apprehensive.  In the end I know that, ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.- Romans 8:28.  

 

The Lord is faithful.  So begins the journey!

 

Kelly Broughton