shine your light

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16

It's the strangest thing, but every Christmas I find myself a year older than the one before.  And at the same time, Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning from when I was young. Christmas was all about the presents until a few years ago.  I knew "Jesus is the reason for the season" was true, but my main focus was on the gifts and getting what I wanted.  Even after I had children of my own I found myself worrying and fretting about what gifts to give each child and making myself crazy!  Presents are still a huge, fun part of our Christmas tradition, but they are honestly the least important.  I've grown to appreciate spending time with family and friends and celebrating the birth of our Savior as what matters most.  But there are still things God wants us to do and to be in the life of others during Christmas and throughout the year.

Looking at Jesus' words in Matthew 5, we are clearly called to be a light to everyone around us. Can you hide a city that is sitting on top of a hill?  Its light can be seen from miles away at night and it's impossible to keep it hidden.  Most of the time we focus our attention and energy on "shining" without considering the times we might be hiding our light.  Simply put, we can hide our light by neglecting to speak up when we should and by ignoring the needs of others.  Ouch! So, what do we do with this call to be a light in respect to orphans and Christmas?

We believe Christmas is hope...  Hope for all mankind because we can have a relationship with God.  Not because we did anything to earn His favor, but because the fullness of God took on flesh and lived on this earth as a man.  "He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:10-12) THIS is what Christmas is all about!  We have hope because of the birth of Christ!  And by speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves and giving to the needy and forgotten in our world, we are shining a light of HOPE to a local church and 36 orphans in Santo Domingo.

This Christmas we are beyond excited that people all across the United States have joined together to use the blessings God has given us to shine the love of Christ to those who might not be blessed with the friends and families we have.  We will no longer feel sorry for those who are less fortunate without doing something about it.  It's time for action!  Over two thousand years ago, Christmas changed the world.  Forever.  If Christians come together and serve the least of these, Christmas can change the world once again by bringing light into darkness.  There are more than 147 million orphans in the world.  If you're anything like me, that number is so large it's hard to comprehend.  For too many years I told myself I couldn't do anything to change the world for 147 million orphans.  The number is too great, but you know what?  While we might not be able to provide love and care for all 147 million, through No Longer we CAN change the world... one orphan at a time.

Thank you for partnering with us to give light and hope to orphans in Santo Domingo.  We look forward to providing construction updates and more details about upcoming trips in the near future.  I pray this Christmas your joy will be found in more than just the presents under the tree.  As you visit with family and friends and celebrate Jesus' birth, pause to thank Him for His many blessings and offer a prayer for the children and needy families around the world who need hope.

the church

One of the most inspiring aspects of working in the Dominican Republic is the partnership we will have with the local church... the people on the ground who are living in the trenches, daily loving and serving 36 orphaned children.  The true heroes who have chosen to sacrifice so much to give what they can to children who are in desperate need.  What a true example of the church "leaving the building" and serving the least of these in their community.

Altagracia de los Santos is the pastor (and leader) of La Inglesia Restauracion Hermosa in Brisas del Este in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  Did you catch all that?  In more simple terms, Altagracia is the pastor of a church known as Restauracion in one of the poorest sections of the city of Santo Domingo.  She and her husband started the church eight years ago and since then have planted seven more churches in the area and have built two schools.  After building the schools, they felt called to do something more for the children in the community beyond education and started construction on the children's homes that are so near completion now.  Thirty six homeless children have been identified by Altagracia, and church members have opened their own homes while they wait on the completion of the orphan's homes.  They are putting James 1:27 into action by "looking after orphans in their distress."  Absolutely inspiring!

During their trip to the DR, Michael and Blake had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time with the pastors and asked a lot of questions over an authentic Dominican meal.  The most important question they asked was about their beliefs concerning the Bible and Jesus.  The one thing we decided No Longer would not and could not compromise on was that our partner church would be a Bible believing and teaching, Jesus-centered church. Altagracia answered their questions by saying, "We believe the Bible is God's Word.  It is 100% true.  We also believe Jesus is God's Son and He is the only way to heaven."

They also had a conversation about the seven churches they have planted.  Blake asked Altagracia how they decided where to plant churches.

"We go to the poorest areas of Santo Domingo because we believe that is where Jesus would be.  We look for areas that do not have a Christian church nearby.  Our hope is to plant a church and then in a few years plant a school.  As long as God keeps providing in miraculous ways like He has been doing, we will continue to plant churches so that people know about the love of Jesus."

Won't you join us in praying for these wonderful people and their community as they "seek justice, encourage the oppressed, and defend the cause of the fatherless" (Isaiah 1:17)?

anticipation

In looking back on the last year I realize we have been waiting in a state of anticipation about what the future holds for No Longer.  Almost like we've been on the edge of our seats and doing everything we can to be patient.  At the beginning of this journey we felt God calling us to do something for the weak, for the vulnerable, for the oppressed, for the least of these in the world.  The only "problem"?  We had no idea who or where our focus would be, but we knew we wanted to be obedient and remain faithful despite the uncertainty and questions.  And, oh, was it worth the wait!  God never disappoints when you earnestly seek Him and wait patiently for Him to guide your steps.  We have some big news to share and it's the answer to the biggest questions we've faced...  WHO and WHERE will we be serving and loving and defending?  Some of you might be tempted to scroll to the bottom to find out the answer, but I think if you read through our story from its beginning you will find the news even more exciting. Okay, okay!  Let's get to it!

A few months into the first meeting and planning of No Longer, God led us to a ministry called Global Orphan Project.  GO Project is based in Kansas City, Missouri, and partners non-profits in America with churches overseas who are already caring for orphans.  Their goal is to partner the two groups together to build orphanages and to provide orphan care above and beyond what the local church is able to provide on their own.  After some initial conversations with GO Project it seemed their greatest need for American partners was in Haiti.  In May, several people from the No Longer group visited Haiti on a vision trip, and we were very optimistic about the possibility of one day partnering with a church in Haiti to care for orphans together.  Through the summer the waiting and anticipation for a partnership continued.

But you know what?  God had different plans for No Longer.  A couple of months ago one of the representatives from GO Project called us and said, "We have a church that is ready to be partnered with a non-profit in the United States.  They have already started raising support, built a school and they are currently providing for orphans in their church.  They are ready to build an orphanage but they need a partner."  Of course we were thrilled!  This is exactly what we had been praying would happen.  We were committed to following God's calling, whenever and wherever He sent us.  The biggest surprise with the phone call wasn't that it came sooner than we were expecting, but that it wasn't a partnership with a church in Haiti at all.  It was a partnership with a thriving church in the Dominican Republic!  GO Project was ready to expand to another country and they were asking No Longer to be the first group partnered with this country.  It wasn't where we had originally expected to be working (Haiti), but who are we to tell God where we wanted to serve Him?  After all, it makes no difference to an orphan living in poverty whether they are in Haiti or the Dominican Republic or anywhere else in the world for that matter. As a group we decided to pray about this partnership and send two of us to visit the church for more details before ultimately saying, "YES!"

Blake and Michael arrived in Santo Domingo on a Saturday morning in early November to meet the co-pastors of La Inglesia Restauracion Hermosa and to visit their church and the orphanage/village site.  We'll save details about the church (let's just call it Restauracion for short), the pastors and what they believe, the schools and the city of Santo Domingo itself for later this week, but we do want to give a few details about the orphanage site today. Restauracion has a passion for homeless children in their community and they have already made progress in constructing housing for orphans.  In the past few months they have put a security wall around the grounds of the village to prevent troublemakers from disrupting the work going on in the village.  As of now they have one dorm for boys and one dorm for girls ready for occupancy.  They are in the process of adding and completing an office for the village manager, an office space for a psychologist who will visit frequently, and a kitchen.  All of that is wonderful, but where are the children who will find a home there and what is their situation now?  The church has identified and gained custody of 36 children who had no home or parents and were basically living on the streets.  Right now they are living with church members but will eventually be moved to the dorms when construction is completed and approved by the government.  The hope is that in the near future they can complete construction of the dorms, kitchen, and possibly add more dorms as they begin construction of a garden and sewing center.  BUT, until someone steps up financially they will be unable to complete construction or have the ability to feed and educate these 36 orphans.

After spending a little more than 24 hours in Santo Domingo, Michael and Blake were sold.  No Longer is ready to step up and support this village and this church.  Here is a church with a congregation committed to ministering to the least of these in the absolute poorest area in all of the Dominican Republic.  They have a plan and they have the people ready to make it happen. The church is currently training women to be the mommas in the village.  How could No Longer say anything but YES to this opportunity?  We are beyond delighted to have found a partner for No Longer.  We hope you will pray about joining us as we raise support to complete their work and even build more orphanages and schools as God provides direction.  We also hope your family will consider joining us on a trip in the near future to meet these amazing and inspiring people! Be looking for more information about how you and your family can be directly involved in changing the lives of these children.

speaking up.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, 

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Proverbs 31:8-9

It’s been almost 7 months since we pitched the vision God gave us for No Longer.  We had no idea when we started this journey where the Lord would take us...  We were simply saying that as Christians we could no longer sit on the sidelines and offer our sympathy to the least of these.  Our prayer was, and still is, for the Lord to use us in a way that would glorify Him and make an impact in the lives of those this world has forgotten.  Just like the verse in Proverbs says, we want to "speak for those who can't speak for themselves" by giving a voice to orphans in Hispaniola.

It has been exciting to see literally hundreds join with us in this leap of faith since we shared our vision in April.  Our voice started as a whisper and has turned into a yell! Whether you attended a dinner, purchased something online, retweeted us on Twitter, posted a picture in “Where’s Wooly” on facebook, supported us through one of the No Longer parties or simply shared about No Longer with family and friends...it has been encouraging to see God unite us together in this common cause.  Our vision remains strong: to respond to Christ’s call to look after the least of these through ministering to and providing for orphans.  

Now for what you really want to know!  What is the latest news?  It looks like God’s call for No Longer may be getting a little more clear.  Global Orphan Project has connected us with a potential church partner in Hispaniola.  They have identified a church with a pastor and members who are willing to take on orphan care (providing food, education and basic care), and some of the groundwork is already in place.  GO Project is currently working through their vetting process to make sure the church meets the standards and commitment level required.  We promise to give you more details as the picture becomes more clear.  Two members of No Longer will be making a trip to the site in early November, so for now we are asking for your support through prayer.

Please join us in praying for the following things:

• for God to continue to give us clear direction about what he would have us do
• for GO Project as they handle the logistics of our possible partnership
• for the church we may partner with as they make preparations for the orphans in their care
• for No Longer to have the financial ability to support the construction and maintenance of this possible village for orphans

There are still several opportunities for you to support No Longer through our house parties.  Who doesn't love a party with a purpose?  We have some great items and 100% of the proceeds from product sales will help provide for our future orphan homes.  Instead of giving another sweater, tie, or gift card for Christmas, why not give a gift to someone they will love AND help make a difference in the life of a child?!

We have many parties scheduled in November, so we hope you can make it to one of them.  We will be in Vestavia, Hoover, Auburn, Trussville, and Moody, so keep a watch on the facebook page for the latest news.  

Guest Post: Girl on a Mission

(It's a guest post Wednesday!  Lauren Womack is a young person who has decided inaction is no longer an option and taken action.  The No Longer team has been incredibly inspired by the young people who have taken the initiative to do what they can to aid and bring awareness to the plight of others around the world.  This is a story to be shared!)

My name is Lauren Womack and I will turn 12 in September.  I attend First Baptist Church in Trussville, Alabama.  I wanted to share with you why I want to help others who are in need.  My children's ministers at church, Mr. Blake and Mr. Jonathan, have taught me that God wants me to show his love by helping others. My mom and dad have always supported me and helped me find ways to do it.  I have always served with my family in my community, for example on Friday nights or Sunday afternoons feeding the homeless or stuffing pre-made lunch kits and delivering them.  Sometimes we just serve the food but other times we can actually talk to the homeless and hear their stories of how they ended up there and tell them about how much God loves them and cares for them.  I also like to go to a local school that is downtown to bring a special lunch to the students with a few members from my church.  The kids are always so happy to see us when we show up.  I think it shows them that we love them and that God does, too, and that he can provide for them. Sometimes we play games or do crafts, and I really enjoy it.

My very first project on my own was about two years ago when I decided to do a lemonade stand at my house with my friend for donations for One Verse.  We were able to raise enough money to translate almost two verses.  This past summer at VBS we were going to collect money for One Verse, so I decided to do another lemonade stand.  This time I raised enough to translate one more verse.  To date, between my lemonade stands and my little brother and I saving our money, we have translated four verses.  It only takes $26 to translate one verse of scripture into another language.  It makes me sad to know there are more than 2,200 unreached languages.  That means tons of people don't have access to God's Word in a language they can understand.

This past year I was given the opportunity to serve food at the No Longer kick-off dinner in Trussville.  At the dinner I learned there are an estimated 147 million orphans in the world today and they need our help.  The Bible says we are to look after the orphans and the widows.  It only takes ONE person to make a difference in someone else's life.

This summer I went to Preteen Camp with my church.  We learned about transforming our lives.  We talked a lot about different mission projects and I wanted to do something to help instead of just listening to how much others are suffering.  I decided to come up with some ideas of what I could do to start helping more.  I didn't want to help just one group anymore... I wanted to help them all.  I already knew about the ministries I wanted to help but just needed a way to do it.  I came up with the idea of making bracelets to support each different mission area.

When we do chores in my family, we earn money and my parents have taught us how to separate it into three portions.  We have Spend, Save and Give.  I decided to use my "Save" money to buy the supplies to make the bracelets.  My older sister helped me make over 75 bracelets and 20 bookmarks.  I sold them recently at an event at my church and was able to raise over $180.  All of the money will be divided among the four ministries I wanted to help: No Longer, One Verse, Living Water and ROC Ministries.

If you are a kid just like me and think you can't help because you don't have lots of money, let me tell you some ways you can:

• put away a little money from birthday or Christmas or chores into an envelope for missions and church offering.
• order water at a restaurant and save the money you would have spent on a soda.
• make a prayer journal and pray about them.
• find ways to serve with your own family.
• make a lemonade stand, crafts, bake sale, yard sale, or babysitting.

I love knowing that I am making a difference even if only in a small way.  I will always be looking for other ways to help.

What's next?

Recently while reflecting on No Longer's timeline, we realized it's been almost ten months since a rainy Sunday lunch at Moe's changed our lives forever.  A few of us got together to discuss what God was working in each of our hearts, completely unaware that we were all experiencing similar stirrings...  A desire to make our lives count.  A passion for the least of these in our world.  A life with purpose and meaning.  An undeniable sense that God was calling us to action.

During these past few months it has been incredible to see how God has led us and guided each of our steps.  It has been encouraging to find that we are no longer just a team of a few people, but a group of hundreds of people (you!) working together as a part of this ministry.  We stand together and all agree that "inaction is no longer an option."  Since the start of this journey we have created a website, promoted No Longer through dinners, parties and social media, and we have been on a vision trip to Haiti.  The question many of you may be asking right now is: what's next?

The best way to explain this process is to compare it to an adoption.  We believe that God has called us to provide for orphans in Haiti... there is absolutely no denying that!  We have accepted this call from God and have agreed that we will do whatever He calls us to do.  We have told others about No Longer and have been overwhelmed at the number of people who are now advocates alongside us.  We have pursued a partnership with an organization to lead us through the process of funding a village and homes for orphans (Global Orphan Project).  A few months ago several of us went to Haiti with Global Orphan to check things out on the ground.  We have raised financial support and are humbled by the fact that we have raised enough funds to completely finish phase 1 of construction.    

However, we are still waiting on God's perfect timing...

We are now in the most difficult part of the process.  We are ready for action.  We are ready to begin the process of building homes for children who need a roof over their head.  We are more excited than ever about partnering with a local church in Haiti and meeting the pastor we will work with so closely.  And the most exciting thing is the chance for families to partner together and lead trips to Haiti.  We. Are. Ready.  Yet, in our excitement to go and do, God seems to be calling us to wait for His timing.

As of now, we still feel led to work with Global Orphan Project, but at the same time we are completely open to whatever God may call us to do in the future as it relates to providing for orphans in Haiti through the local church.  We are passionate about pursuing His purpose and plan for No Longer, not just fulfilling our personal desires on our timeline.  It is our prayer that in the next few days, weeks or months Global Orphan will call us with a partnering church and we will begin the process.  But right now we are simply waiting for the Lord to direct our next steps, and in the meantime will continue advocating for orphans in Haiti and raising awareness and funds.  One thing is for sure, though!  None of this takes God by surprise, and He knows we are completely dependent on Him for all that we do.  

Our prayer is that No Longer will be a movement that changes all who are involved as we support orphans in Haiti.  As we become more aware of the needs of these precious children,  we pray God  will show us how blessed we are and stir within us a desire to act.  It is because "the love of Christ compels us" (2 Cor. 5:14) that we are committed to doing whatever it takes.  Thank you for joining us on this journey.  We know it's not going to be easy... but it will most certainly be worth it!

Guest Post: A Dad & His Daughter

(It's a guest post Monday!  Bill Dufrene and his daughter Whitney were part of the group who traveled around Haiti with the No Longer team on the vision trip in May.  They are from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Whitney will graduate from a college in Mississippi this December.  The pair were on their second mission trip to Haiti together, and Bill explains why you should consider making it a tradition with your own life and family.)

The group from Baton Rouge and Birmingham

A Dad & His Daughter

My daughter and I were privileged to serve alongside a group of four men from No Longer in Haiti this past May.  The Baton Rouge group of ten were paired with Blake, Michael, Kevin, and Kent from Birmingham.  My message to No Longer supporters, blog readers, and families is simple: go.  Here is our story...

My daughters and I have always been extremely close.  Anyone who knows me knows my daughters.  One day when my oldest daughter was out of state in college, my wife and I and our youngest daughter joined a great church that places a strong emphasis on missions.  We had only been there for three months when my oldest daughter was home during spring break and visited our new church for the first time.  Ironically, it was, and still is, the only Sunday when church members recounted their recent trip to Haiti.  Two ladies shared photographs and remarkable stories of visiting several orphan villages with a group called Global Orphan Project.  They explained the many blessings they received and encouraged us to go.

My oldest daughter and I looked at each other.  We both knew somehow they were speaking to us.  However, as a father and a self-professed workaholic, I never thought foreign missions was for me.  In my mind, I saw all of the challenges and they were many.  They included, among others, time off from work, expenses, vaccinations, getting passports, living in a third world country, witnessing poverty, travel logistics, safety concerns, health concerns, language barriers, etc.  Meanwhile, my daughter saw the children.

Bill & Whitney

I must confess the only reason I originally decided to go was because I didn't want to send my daughter by herself.  And now, as of today, we have just completed our second daddy-daughter trip to Haiti.  Yes, most people we encountered are struggling to survive, live in unspeakable poverty, and do not have reliable electricity or running water.  Yet they are gentle, loving, and happy.  When you look into their eyes you see serenity, depth, and countless stories.  Their country has infrastructure problems and a storied past.  Slavery, political struggles, perpetual poverty, hurricanes, and earthquakes highlight their history.  In stark contrast, Haiti is nestled inside a backdrop of majestic mountains and blue-green waters.

So, why should you go?  First and foremost, the Bible is pretty clear regarding this topic.  James 1:22 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says."  Then a few verses later in verse 27, James says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."  Based on our experience and the experiences of others on both of our trips, be assured that you will receive more blessings than any you give to the children you visit.  The experience is rewarding and fulfilling and often difficult to describe.  Some will say it is life-changing.

Now, what would you do on a trip to Haiti?  It depends on your team and their gifts.  Basically, we did vacation Bible school type activities with the children.  The list included music, singing, dancing, arts and crafts, basketball, soccer, coloring, balloons, puppets, skits, stories, etc.  Even with all of these activities going on, most of the time you will be holding a small child or holding the hand of an older child.  You will struggle with your best Haitian Creole to ask them their name and their age.  You will probably repeat the process at three or four orphanages and encounter between 200 and 300 children during the trip.

The Global Orphan Project is experienced and has the logistical staff in place to ensure that their teams are safe, secure, healthy, and given the best accommodations Haiti has to offer.  Now that I have been twice, I would let my oldest daughter go on a vision trip alone.  However, we have officially made our Haiti trips a daddy-daughter bonding experience and are planning our third of many more trips together.

It's a house party!

So, what is a really fun way to help raise awareness for orphans in Haiti and around the world?  With shopping, of course!  The girls of No Longer have been working to find and create products for house parties that will raise awareness and much needed funds for the care of orphans.  The house parties will give the guests opportunities to share the needs of orphans with friends and to let them know how they can be involved in changing the life of a child who desperately needs it.  Our hope is that conversations will be generated, hearts will be changed, and others will join in the effort to show kids in Haiti how much they are loved...  Please join us at our very first No Longer House Party next week in Trussville!

Putting on a No Longer product party in your home is a great way to support the ministry as 100% of the profits from the sales of items at the parties goes to fund orphan care projects of No Longer.  Interested?  To learn more, please send an email to info@no-longer.com and we will contact you with more details.

hope.

The hope of the world.

Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, is known for saying “The local church is the hope of the world.”  In the Old Testament we see that God chose to do His work through the Hebrew people.  However, as we continue to read God’s Word we see that the Jewish people did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and therefore, God chose to use Gentiles (non-Jews) to accomplish His will.  Today, God’s chosen instrument to spread His message of Truth and love is the local church.  We, the body of Christ, are the vessel that in God’s sovereign knowledge He has chosen as the way to demonstrate who He is to a hopeless world.

I have never seen this displayed in such a pure form than I did while in Haiti.  Everywhere we looked - literally everywhere- people were in need.  There we men sitting on the side of the road because they didn’t have a job.  Women were along every street corner trying to sell items they had made or food they had just prepared.  Kids were running up and down the streets with torn clothes and either no shoes or shoes that looked to be 3-4 sizes too small.  This doesn’t even account for the children in the orphanages.  

All of that changed when we arrived to church on Sunday morning.  We saw grown men weeping as we sang to our Lord.  Women were dressed in their nicest as they raise their hands in worship.  Children did not make a sound during the entire service and their eyes were glued to what was happening in front of them.  The people clung to God’s Word and treated it as if it were the greatest treasure they had ever received.  It was evident that people did not just go to church in Haiti for a social gathering or because they were expected to go. They went because it was their ONLY hope.  In the midst of the heartache, the poverty, and the hopelessness of their surroundings, they found hope in the only One who can bring hope: Jesus Christ.  The churches in Haiti are living and active and they are doing God’s work in an incredibly difficult environment.  The Church is providing education for children, training men so they can have jobs, teaching mothers how to raise their children according to God’s Word. The local Haitian church is the one providing care for the 500,000 orphans in Haiti.

No longer is excited about partnering with a local church in Haiti to help them accomplish what God has called everyone to do!  God didn’t call nonprofits to go and provide for orphans. He called His Church to provide care. When God partners us with a local church, we will not just be providing orphan care- we will be helping a local church advance the gospel in their community.  A lot of times when we think of missions, we think about Americans doing the work of the Lord for others.  However, the beautiful thing about what we are hoping to accomplish is that we want to enable the local Haitian church to do missions in their own country! This partnership between our community and their community, both doing missions, is what I believe Jesus envisioned of the Church as a whole: working together to care for the least of these. The local church truly is the hope of the world.  It’s time for the body of Christ to reach beyond ourselves and help the local church in Haiti as they continue to be the salt of the earth.

55 gallons of lemonade later...

No Longer was thrilled to partner up with the Hill family this afternoon with a huge lemonade stand in downtown Trussville.  And we didn't serve just any ole lemonade... we served fresh Toomer's Lemonade straight from Auburn, and it was deliciously refreshing on such a hot day.  The best part of the event was the many opportunities we were given to tell friends (and strangers) about what No Longer wants to do for orphans and how they can be involved in the excitement.  We were also happy to share the Hill family's story with others to raise awareness for the orphans around the world who are waiting for their forever families.  Ashley and Mike Hill are in the process of adopting a baby girl from Ethiopia, and they have involved their two sons, Hudson and Haisten, in their fundraising efforts and made the whole process a true family affair.  Many, many thanks to all who came out and bought lemonade today.  It was truly a success!  We sold 55 gallons of lemonade and raised $2,200!  Thank you, Trussville!

Thank you to the following groups for making the whole thing happen: Toomer's Drug, Lisa at Kuttin' Up, Randy at Legend's Smokehouse, and Suzie at The Chocolate Biscuit!

Big Upcoming Events

Life is about to get busy for the No Longer team and fund-raising will kick into high gear!  A precious couple is hosting a yard sale this coming weekend and they have decided to give all the proceeds from the sale to help No Longer's efforts in Haiti.  We are so excited to use the sale to spread awareness about the orphan crisis in Haiti and to show people a way they can be involved in bringing about change.  If you love a good yard sale or know someone who does, please pass this information along to them.

On June 15, No Longer is excited to be partnering with Mike and Ashley Hill's family at the ultimate lemonade stand in Trussville.  We will be serving famous Toomer's Lemonade straight from Auburn, Alabama.  The Hill family is in the process of adopting a baby girl from Ethiopia, and they truly have a heart for the orphan.  Doesn't a cup of ice cold Toomer's Lemonade sound like the perfect treat for a hot summer day?  At the same time you can help bring their baby girl home and offer encouragement and support to orphans in Haiti!  If you are interested in pre-ordering a gallon of Lemonade for a donation of $20 or more, please email Ashley (ashleyhhill@hotmail.com) before Sunday, June 10.  We will also have the new blue wooly shirts available!  

   

A very special thanks to Toomer's Drugs and Kuttin' Up for making this possible.

Haitian Chicken Farming

One of the coolest pieces of information the No Longer team brought back from Haiti was the plan for chicken farming with The Global Orphan Project.  The voice you will hear during the video is our GOP contact Adrien Lewis.  He led Kevin, Blake, Kent, and Michael's trip around Haiti two weeks ago and he has been invaluable to our group.  I hope this video inspires you to help the people of Haiti break the cycle of poverty and dependence in the seemingly small way of raising chickens.  Be watching for more photos, videos, and blog posts detailing the trip in the days to come!

reflections.

Fighting. Pushing.  Pinching.  Yelling.  These were all reactions from kids at the orphanages we visited in Haiti: not because they were in a fight with each other, but because they were fighting for our attention.  These children were starving for someone to give them a high five, pat them on the back, or pick them up. 

I tried my hardest to leave for Haiti with no expectations.  Even though I managed to keep this goal, what I did experience is something I will never forget. 

I have been on several mission trips and have even visited three other third world countries.  In each country, the poverty is astounding.  However- there was something different about the poverty in Haiti. In all the other third world countries where I’ve visited, there were large pockets of poverty but there were always sections that weren’t as bad. An oasis in a land of the poor.  In Haiti, however, there was no oasis. There is no “poor part of town”, because to have a poor part, there must also be a nicer part. That kind of disparity doesn’t exist in Haitian villages because they are all desperately poor. In fact the longer we traveled the more reality sunk in that all-- every bit-- of Haiti is desperate.

 
As we traveled each day to a different village run by Global Orphan, we would pass thousands of people and children on the street with nothing to do.  The nicest homes were made of a few sticks with tarps on the roof.  We passed several cities that were literally made up of tents- hundreds of tents.  It was overwhelming to pass all of this on our way to the orphanage.  In my weaker moments I began to let my thoughts wander:  There is no hope for this place.  Even if we do help 40-100 orphans, what will the kids do when they are too old to stay at the orphanage?  Will helping a few orphans even begin to make a dent in the massive problems that exist in this country? This is way over our heads...

It wasn’t until I saw the smiles of the children that I realized I couldn’t focus on the thousands of children no one is helping. Instead, I had to stay laser-focused on using my life to invest in the few lives that I can impact.  The children in the orphanages are taken care of by “mommas”, where they have food to eat and a school and church to attend. But one thing was missing: the love only a mom and dad can give.  God clearly revealed to me that my job was to love on these children and show them the love of Christ through simply being in the moment.  I could not change their life circumstances or give them things that would make their pain go away.  However, what I could do was tell the mommas how much I respected them, listen and pray with the local pastors who have taken in these orphans, and provide two arms to pick up children who needed to feel love. 

In the coming days I will blog more specifically about what we did while were in Haiti.  But for now, I just wanted to focus on the emotions that I experienced while I was there.  Now that I am home, I am even more passionate about what Global Orphan is accomplishing and I am ready to be partnered with a church so we can start providing for more of God’s children in Haiti.

Upcoming Haiti Trip--We need your help!

In a little over a week, we have our first team going to Haiti.  A group of four will spend their days submerged in Haitian culture.  The excitement is definitely building as we get closer to being "on the ground".  The group will spend their days traveling to different villages and seeing the different phases of the building process.  It will be exciting to see first hand the steps that we will soon take to help build a village.  It's also possible they will visit potential village sites for No Longer.  But, more important than all of that, they will spend their days LOVING on the orphans in Haiti.  They will be playing games, coloring, and telling them that Jesus loves them more than anything in this world.

As they prepare to go, we have a few immediate needs that we need your help collecting.  The following items are needed before they go on the trip.  The team will have their personal items in carry-on bags, and all checked luggage will be used for carrying supplies.  Let's try to fill those bags up and maximize the space!!!

What we need: 
(10)   soccer balls (that can be deflated--they will have to deflate to travel)
(10)   nerf footballs
         jump ropes (dollar stores are great places to get these)
         peanut butter
         small boxes of crayons
         twin sheet sets

We have set up the Alfa Insurance office in Trussville (1808 Gadsden Hwy 35235) as a drop off point.  This is Brian's office and it is located between Target and The Pants Store on Hwy 11.  The office is open until 5:00 pm every day.  All drop offs need to be done by next Monday, May 21.  Please leave a comment if there are any specific items you can help with or if you have any suggestions/questions.  If you are unable to drop items off in Trussville, please send an email to info@no-longer.com to arrange delivery.

Lastly, please keep our team in your prayers next week.  Hopefully we will be able to update with daily news and prayer requests while the team is traveling, but internet and phone communication might be spotty.  This has been an exciting journey to this point and we can't wait to see God's plan unfold!!!

Winner, Winner!

And we have a giveaway winner!  Post #48 - Dianne Bonner!  She is the winner of a blue No Longer tee, tote bag, and other fun stuff.  Thank you so much to everyone who participated in our first blog giveaway and look for more opportunities to score No Longer gear in the future.

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And if you are just really bummed you didn't win one of No Longer's new wooly tees, why not order one now?  Check it out in the No Longer Store!  

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in contests and cool t-shirt designs, so I just want to remind us all why No Longer was even created.  There are more than 147 million orphans living in the world today. Each of those 147 million children are missing out on knowing the love and care of a parent.  Think about all we are able to give our kids as parents or all you have been given by your own parents - security, love, physical affection... the basic needs of every human God created.  Add to that our ability to see to the physical and spiritual needs of our children and it's tough to find much that is lacking.  I was brought to tears this morning in church as I watched two friends dedicate their daughters to the Lord.  Both of these daughters came to their families through a Chinese adoption, and their lives have been radically changed; not because they now live in America, but because they have found security, love, and affection in a family.  Everyone is not called to adopt, but that doesn't mean we can't do something to change the life of an orphan!   By supporting No Longer, you will be showing a small group of orphans in Haiti that they were created by God for a purpose and their life has meaning and value.  Through the local church, their basic needs, as well as spiritual and physical needs, will be met and they will grow into a light in the darkness of Haiti.  

A No Longer team will be leaving on May 24 for a vision trip to Haiti, and there are many ways you can help.  Be watching the blog on Monday to find out exactly how!     

It's giveaway time!

When our group first started meeting and praying and talking about making a difference somewhere in this big world, we had a lot of discussions and debates about the perfect name for our group.  We wanted this group to turn into a movement to care for orphans, so there was some pressure to get it right!  Eventually somebody came up with No Longer and it just felt right.  So the name is No Longer, but what's with the wooly mammoth?  The story goes that Blake and Kevin were talking over dinner about what we wanted to accomplish for orphans with No Longer and that led to the topic of extinction.  And talking about extinction led to the topic of the wooly mammoth!  Thousands of years ago, the last wooly mammoth walked the earth. The question to ask yourself is this:  what if one day soon, orphans in need of care and love were also No Longer?  There you have it... a good explanation of No Longer's woolly mammoth.

To celebrate the debut of our newest wooly tee, No Longer is excited to host our first blog giveaway!  Would you like to win No Longer gear and other fun treats?  It's easy!  A winner will be randomly picked here on the No Longer Blog this Sunday night.

What do I win?

• 1 free tee (you pick the size!) 
• a No Longer tote bag full of No Longer treats and other goodies
• a wooden block picture holder

How do I enter the giveaway?

You can enter your name up to THREE times by:

• Leaving a comment on the blog at the bottom of this post!  Let us know what color tee you would like to see offered next!
• Share the giveaway on your Facebook page, Pin it on Pinterest, Tweet about it, Blog about it, Email your friends...  just share it!  Share the giveaway in up to two of these ways and let us know what you did by leaving a comment for each share. 

Be sure to leave your email address in your comment so we can contact you if you're the winner!

Clear as mud?  Leave us up to three comments to get yourself entered in the giveaway three times!  A winner will be randomly chosen on Sunday night at 9pm central time!!  Don't forget to leave your email address in the comment so we can contact you. 

And if giveaways aren't your thing or you really like the new tee, check out the No Longer store and order one (or two or three)!  We will also be offering this tee in YOUTH sizes!!  Shirts should arrive within the next several weeks... just in time for summer!

And while you're in the store, why not leave a donation for a special mother in your life, just in time for Mother's Day?  Read here to find out what your donation will mean to a No Longer "momma" in Haiti.      

Happy "Mommas" Day!

I love being a mom!  My son and daughter bring so much joy and goodness to my life, and I would do anything for them. My main purpose in life while they are young is to provide for their needs and to train them to love the Lord and to love others.  Becoming a mom really made me appreciate all my own mother has done for me throughout my life, and I realize how special her friendship is to me now.  This led me to think about the mothers around the world who have had to make the agonizing choice of abandoning their own children because they can't provide for their basic needs.  Poverty, social inequity and injustice, epidemics, oppression, and disease make orphans of children every day when their parents die or have no choice but to abandon them to give them a small chance at life and survival.  Knowing this happens to so many mothers (and fathers) every minute of the day is heart-wrenching to me, and I cannot even fathom having to make that choice.

So what does this have to do with the orphans No Longer will help in Haiti? Instead of a stand-alone or institutional orphanage, No Longer will be funding the construction of multiple small homes within the local community to house ten to twelve orphans each.  The orphans we will serve are children who are truly orphaned or otherwise without care and without a viable family care option.  This brings me to one of the coolest components of our village system - the "mommas."  These very special "mommas" (or husband-wife team) will live in a home with ten to twelve orphans, and they will be trained and supervised by the local church to provide food, clean water, clothing, healthcare, and, most importantly, love and consistency to the children in their home.  Most of these children are considered unadoptable for different reasons, and this model is a way to let them know they are important and worthy of love.  This opens the door for them the learn about a Father who loves them more than they can imagine.

This Mother's Day, won't you consider giving a donation to No Longer in honor of your mother, your daughter, or that special woman in your life?  100% of the donation will be used to help a momma give love and care to an orphan who has otherwise been abandoned either by poverty or death.  I always struggle to find a meaningful gift to show my mother just how much I care.  This is a gift with eternal significance, and I cannot wait to bless my mother and a momma in Haiti all in one gift. You will find a printable card for purchase in the No Longer store by using this link!

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

Proverbs 31:20

In case you missed it...

This video pretty much sums up how the night of the dinner went for me.  It was a complete blur!  Don't get me wrong, though... it was a glorious blur!!  The dinner was so much more than we anticipated it would be, and the week following the dinner has been equally amazing.  I have had the opportunity to talk to so many people who are interested in getting involved in giving children in Haiti a hope for the future and improving their lives.  It has been so exciting to talk to people and friends who have felt led to do more but they just weren't sure what to do or where to start.  No Longer is an answer to their prayers.

I've heard a lot of people ask what they can do for No Longer now.  Blake mentioned a quote from a pastor who said, "If prayer isn't necessary to accomplish your vision, then you aren't thinking big enough."  And, simply put, there is nothing greater we can do for the children we will reach than to pray for them.  So, the answer to the question of what can be done now is PRAYER!  Here is a short list of specific prayer needs this week:

• Pray for Global Orphan Project as they are finding and vetting a local church to be in partnership with No Longer.  Pray for wisdom as they meet with church members and get to know the surrounding community.
• Pray for the pastor who will be "our pastor" on the ground involved in the daily care of the orphans.  Pray for him to have the strength and perseverance needed to lead his church and to provide love and care for the kids in difficult circumstances.
• Pray for hearts and lives to be changed through the partnership between No Longer and Global Orphan, both lives here in the United States and lives in Haiti.  

Thank you for following this journey on the blog and thank you for the continued prayers!    

The Founding Dinner

WOW!!!  It has taken a few days to process this whole wild ride.  Looking back, it seems like an eternity ago we started planning for a dinner to launch No Longer.  We didn't know what to expect or what to plan for or where to start.  Seriously, about a month ago we only half joked there would be a handful of people at the dinner...including us!  We just couldn't imagine how it would all go.  But, somehow 175 people felt led to come to our founding dinner... a dinner where we poured our hearts and souls out.  ...a dinner where the vision was laid out for others to see and join.  Not simply a vision for the nine of us, but a vision for all of us!  A vision to care for "the least of these".  Thank you so much to all of you who gave up your time to come out and hear our heart.

At the end of the night we were all blown away.  Blown away that people came, they gave of their time & money and listenened to our heart.  Over $10,000 was raised Thursday night!!!  $10,200 to be exact!!!!!  WOW!!!  Only God could show up and show out like this!

A big thank you to everyone at Mathews Manor.  What an amazing group of people!  The entire Mathews family is so self-less and humble, and each one gave us encouraging words all along the way.  They went out of their way to help us pull the dinner off and make it something truly special.  If you need facilities for any type of event...they are definitely the ones to go see!!!

Several other people made the dinner a huge success.  Dan James of James Advertising was a tremendous help getting our shirts made and ready in time.  They look great!  We have a limited amount of shirts ($20) still available.  Send an email to info@no-longer.com if you are interested in making a purchase.  We would also like to thank our accountant Shea Mitchell of Infinite Accounting for his work in helping us incorporate and register for 501c3 status.  It's kind of impossible to be a non-profit organization without all of the paperwork!  And, lastly, a big thank you to all of our families for their patience and unending support as we get No Longer off the ground.  We are all truly blessed!   

This is just the beginning!  Get ready.  This is going to be a wild and crazy ride!!

The easiest way to get involved?

Liking our page on Facebook and following us on Twitter can make an enormous impact in the lives of orphans in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Anytime you like our Facebook page, comment on our posts, share our pictures and videos, or retweet our tweets, you share the vision we have for giving hope to the orphaned and abandoned children in Hispaniola.  We hope you will join us in this adventure and help spread the word to your circles of friends!  It is possible to make a huge difference in the lives of orphans if we all work together!  So, if you haven't already, go like our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Coming Together

I can't believe the dinner is tonight after all the months of planning!  In October, the 9 of us came together and began praying about how God would use us to make a difference.  We didn't know what He was calling us to do, but we knew that we all felt called to do more with our lives.  Little did we know that 7 months later we would be hosting a dinner to share the vision God has given us with some of our friends! 
 

We could not be more excited about the possibilities that lie ahead!  God has blessed our progress these past few months, and we can honestly say that God has directed our path each step along the way.  I have never been more confident that what I am doing is pleasing to God than helping build a village in Haiti or the Dominican Republic.  Honestly, God doesn't need us to accomplish his plans, but how exciting and humbling it is to know he gives us the privilege of being a part of his plan by serving and loving others.

After tonight, No Longer will be about so much more than the 9 of us who have decided to do more for the least of these in our world.  Our hope is that No Longer will now include hundreds of other people who are coming together to say, “We will no longer sit by and simply feel sorry for the 147 million orphans in the world.”  It is time that we turn our sympathy into a movement and start using the blessings that God has given us to make a difference! 

It’s going to be a fun ride and we hope that you will join with us!

Welcome!

Welcome to the No Longer blog!  We hope you will follow and join us on this incredible journey as we take a leap of faith in supporting orphans on the island of Hispanola.  Right now we have a lot of general information about our project, but there are so many exciting revelations to come along the way.  Revelations about the location of our village (in Haiti or Dominican Republic?), the name and personalitiy of our village pastor, the faces of the precious children we will serve, and on and on!  You don't want to miss it!

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Hebrews 11:6