Hello, all!
After the stresses of changing a flight due to not receiving a background check in time to submit to the South African Embassy, my flight to Johannesburg was changed to November 3rd-just 5 days away!
Wow. Since that flight change, I have an approved volunteer visa and passport in my hand! Yay! The stress of needing to sell a car remains, but everything else is "a go!" Here are the final days of packing, organizing and shifting to an African adventure.
Please keep myself and my fiance Josh in your prayers, as it won't be easy to be apart from now until July and that God would do amazing things and bring all travel details together. For the orphans at the Tsholofelo Baby sanctuary, that they would find forever homes and be emotionally open to give and receive love.
Thanks friends!
Lauren
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Update!
Hello Bloggers!
Hopefully, this will be my last blog before flying out to Johannesburg this Tuesday, the 15th!!
That means there is only one week left for preparation! In light of this, I need to ask you for major prayer!!
Prayer Need #1: Just over a week ago my sweet significant other Josh Best proposed! This means I will be away from my fiance for 9 months while we try and sort out a wedding. STRESSFUL! But, still committed to being a house mother at Tsholofelo Baby Sanctuary.
Prayer Need #2: After getting paperwork back from New Zealand months behind schedule, I was just able to send the rest of my application for a South African visa yesterday (10/7) with a fly-out date of 10/15. The embassy in Los Angeles will need to send out an approved visa to me in time, Lord willing, this Saturday. YIKES.
Prayer Need #3: Before leaving the country or soon after, I need to sell my New Beetle. It's a financial stress that needs to be removed.
Thank you so much for reading this and caring about recent happenings! Can't wait to experience life in a Baby Nursery and see God do amazing things!
Blessings,
Lauren
Hopefully, this will be my last blog before flying out to Johannesburg this Tuesday, the 15th!!
That means there is only one week left for preparation! In light of this, I need to ask you for major prayer!!
Prayer Need #1: Just over a week ago my sweet significant other Josh Best proposed! This means I will be away from my fiance for 9 months while we try and sort out a wedding. STRESSFUL! But, still committed to being a house mother at Tsholofelo Baby Sanctuary.
Prayer Need #2: After getting paperwork back from New Zealand months behind schedule, I was just able to send the rest of my application for a South African visa yesterday (10/7) with a fly-out date of 10/15. The embassy in Los Angeles will need to send out an approved visa to me in time, Lord willing, this Saturday. YIKES.
Prayer Need #3: Before leaving the country or soon after, I need to sell my New Beetle. It's a financial stress that needs to be removed.
Thank you so much for reading this and caring about recent happenings! Can't wait to experience life in a Baby Nursery and see God do amazing things!
Blessings,
Lauren
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Exciting news!!
This morning I booked my tickets round-trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. As part of my visa application, I have to include a copy of my purchased tickets along with a copy of my bank account (to prove I can live in Africa without an income for my time of volunteering) and immunizations, etc. Not only did the flight prices drastically drop, but they were half as much as they were just a few months ago since our Summer season is ending!! Meaning, the round-trip ticket was a mere $1,300 and therefore, my funding for the trip is PAID for!! Monthly support has been reached and flight tickets are purchased!! Thank you, Lord!!
And thank you friends and family for supporting me! I feel so honored and blessed by you. Blessed to be a blessing.
The journey officially begins October 15th, when I fly out of Seattle and land in Johannesburg the 16th and finished July 16th.
Now that funds are raised, my car needs to be sold so that I will have some money for emergency funds and something to survive off of when returning and an approved visa application.
Whew!
So thankful.
This morning I booked my tickets round-trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. As part of my visa application, I have to include a copy of my purchased tickets along with a copy of my bank account (to prove I can live in Africa without an income for my time of volunteering) and immunizations, etc. Not only did the flight prices drastically drop, but they were half as much as they were just a few months ago since our Summer season is ending!! Meaning, the round-trip ticket was a mere $1,300 and therefore, my funding for the trip is PAID for!! Monthly support has been reached and flight tickets are purchased!! Thank you, Lord!!
And thank you friends and family for supporting me! I feel so honored and blessed by you. Blessed to be a blessing.
The journey officially begins October 15th, when I fly out of Seattle and land in Johannesburg the 16th and finished July 16th.
Now that funds are raised, my car needs to be sold so that I will have some money for emergency funds and something to survive off of when returning and an approved visa application.
Whew!
So thankful.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Hello there! After much delay since last blogging, I have a new total for funds raised!! Drum-roll, please..............................
The new total is: $3,413.76!!
Thanks to friends and family for donating to the fund, things are moving along nicely :D This is the first time I've ever fund-raised, but it's a worthy cause.
(The goal is $5,000 total but I have my car listed on Craigslist and a few weeks left of work to save money)
If you can join me in prayer as far as all of the funding to be raised, a car to sell and a visa application to go smoothly and cheap flights, that would be such a blessing.
Thank you for standing with me in this, I'm overwhelmed by so much love, well wishes and support :D
God is good, even in finances!
Blessings,
Lauren Piper
The new total is: $3,413.76!!
Thanks to friends and family for donating to the fund, things are moving along nicely :D This is the first time I've ever fund-raised, but it's a worthy cause.
(The goal is $5,000 total but I have my car listed on Craigslist and a few weeks left of work to save money)
If you can join me in prayer as far as all of the funding to be raised, a car to sell and a visa application to go smoothly and cheap flights, that would be such a blessing.
Thank you for standing with me in this, I'm overwhelmed by so much love, well wishes and support :D
God is good, even in finances!
Blessings,
Lauren Piper
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Intro to Orphan Love!
Welcome to Orphan Love! Over the next posts, I will be sharing about a new grand adventure I'm embarking on to Johannesburg, South Africa to work as a house mother in an orphanage! I invite you to join me in this journey, to love orphans and to encourage those that nurture them.
Preparations start now, and there's only a little over two months until my departure date. If you or anyone you know has some words of encouragement, ideas for fund-raising, or spreading the word, I'd love to hear what you have to say.
As of today, I have to raise at least $5,000 for one year of service. This includes a round-trip flight and money for monthly expenses.
Total for June 20th: $750.
Preparations start now, and there's only a little over two months until my departure date. If you or anyone you know has some words of encouragement, ideas for fund-raising, or spreading the word, I'd love to hear what you have to say.
As of today, I have to raise at least $5,000 for one year of service. This includes a round-trip flight and money for monthly expenses.
Total for June 20th: $750.
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