Beginning & Now

  I'm sitting here at my kitchen counter drinking coffee, I'm posting stuff on Ebay for my mom and my family is getting ready to have all the men from the church out for a guys night, so we've been in cleaning mode for a few hours.  I keep grabbing hugs from Mark and Ben as the pass by me, with their cut off jean shorts and no shirt smelling like little boys smell after they've been playing outside for a while.  I'm watching the girls clean the kitchen, help with laundry and run in and out of the house bringing stuff in from our garden and now they're all getting ready to go out and swim or somethikng.
I'm taking it all in.


  In 48 hours, Maddie and I will board a plane to Miami and then from there we will go onto Recife, Brazil where we will spend 4 1/2 weeks staying with our dear friends Nic and Rachael Billman and working with their ministry Shores of Grace (www.shoresofgrace.org) to do our small part in helping defeat the giant that is human/sex trafficking but most importantly to just go love on people! :)
  Maddie and I have known Nic and Rachael and their kids for as long as I can remember.  We grew up under their ministry as the youth directors for The Gate.  We've always considered them family, always had a special bond and always looked up to them.  Their heart for Jesus and their heart for people is beautiful and it drives us and encourages us to love more. Over the past few years, God has been stirring up a burden in both of our hearts to work with the men, women and children stuck in human trafficking.  So, it's kind of been a dream of ours to visit them ever since they felt the call to move to Brazil and work with the men, women and children there.  It's finally here, and we couldn't be more excited to go see them!  Also, we got connected with Nic's brother, Luke and his wife Alisan and their kids (they were living 2.5 miles from our house!) and we got to visit and hang out with them a few times before they moved down there the first of July.  We can't wait see everyone again!
  It's the first time in Brazil for the both of us! (and definitely not the last!)


  We began planning this trip back in January I think.  We planned on going in May for 2 weeks, but air fare went up and we were looking at spending an extra $600-800 just for tickets.  And at that time we still didn't have Maddie's Passport or our Visas.  We felt that we would just be spending a bunch of extra money and didn't feel a peace about it.  So we skyped with Nic and Rachael, and asked if we could push it to August and asked if we could stay longer.

 God has just completely blown us away and blessed us with the finical aspect of it all.  We only had 2 fundraisers and a bake sale and then there were people who generously gave from their hearts in between the events.  We thank each and everyone of you.  Seriously, we love you all and we can't say it enough!

Before our first event, we were already given around $1600.

 - February 16 - Daddy Daughter Dance.  We raised a little over $1400
We didn't spend anything out of pocket, everything was donated.  We used decorations from our older sister Amanda's wedding and stuff that mom had saved from putting on Daddy Daughter Dances when we were younger.  Kroger donated like 9 dozen roses and cookies and cakes and stuff all left over from Valentines Day.  Mrs. Jill O'Brien, a wonderful lady at our church, adopted aunt, made some delicious goodies and brought those as well.  Maddie's boyfriend, Kyle, and his family came down from Missouri to help us set up and be apart of it too.  And of course our family, aunt & uncle & Grandparents and all of our friends donated their time to help us put this on and donated stuff for our silent auction.
We had a great turn out and I think each dad cried at least once, so I think it's safe to say it was a successful night :)

- June 15 - Coffee/Music Night.  We raised around $1200
Not a whole lot was spent on this fundraiser either.  Steve Lowe, a guy from church, donated all the coffee and again Mrs. Jill, Nadine Clifton, Grandmommy and Maddie made all the baked goods for the night.  Our friends, Hannah Peasall and Callie McKinney came out and graced us with their musical talent, Sarah and Kenan McGuffey were our designated baristas for the night (and the cutest that ever were) and then Luke and Alisan shared about the ministry and answered questions.


  We have also been blessed by all the prayers said over us!  We are loved by many and we thank you in advance for your continued prayers over us as we travel there, visit and do work, and travel back!
Our church family at Gateway Christian Center, my wonderful friends at Pneuma (my young adults group) and our new friends at One Stone church in Nashville.  Whether it's been in a group or 1-on-1 prayers, we definitely feel the love.
 The one prayer that was/is so special and meant the most though was last Sunday when our dad prayed over us.
  Little bit of a back story here,  We haven't really talked to dad about the trip a whole lot.  He helped us with plane tickets and helped us with visas.  He's been pretty busy with work, and we've been busy with other things and so we just haven't all sat down and really talked about it.
  So, Maddie and I were at the front of the church holding hands, surrounded by our siblings our parents and our whole church family, laying hands on us and praying special prayers for us.  Then my dad made his way in front of us with a little bottle of anointing oil and knelt down on the ground.  (I'm crying as I'm writing this)  He then anointed our feet, our hands, our hearts, our lips and our ears and sent us out with his blessing and all his love and the call that God has placed in both of our lives, knowing He is with always.  Every step of the way.  I can't even begin to imagine what my parents are going through, sending their 2 teenage daughters to a different country all by themselves where sex trafficking is a big issue.  Kind of a big deal! Their faith and their trust in God and his plan for us is definitely encouraging and definitely a blessing.  And we're so glad that God gave us to them ;)


 At this moment we still aren't completely packed, but if you know us, it's really not that big of a surprise!  We have 4 suitcases; 1 stuffed full of toys and goodies for the Bethany House and the staff, 1 for Nic and Rachael and family and 1 for Luke and Alisan and their family!  So now we just have to do all of our laundry and then neatly shove it into the last suitcase for us!!

I think this is a long enough post for now.  I won't bore you with all of the little details.  But, I will let everyone know we we get there and how the traveling went and I will keep you all updated over the next 4 1/2 weeks with pictures and stories and stuff!!

We love you all!!!

Mallory & Maddie