Happy 2011

Do you have any old books you want to get rid of? We are looking for NON FICTION books for K-8th grade to help kids in Africa learn to read english and while they are practicing their English, they are increasing their knowledge. No dictionaries, textbooks, or encyclopedias please. At the end of last semester, I had the opportunity to spend a day with Steve Vinton, a missionary in Tanzania for the last 20 years. He and his wife started an organization called Village Schools Tanzania which is now also called Village Schools International. http://www.villageschools.org/ After spending the day discussing & listening, I have a much deeper understanding of what an organization can do in East Africa through the African people. I have a great amount of respect for this organization and admire how their administration works. The Vinton's have turned over all leadership to the Tanzanian people which means the entire organization is run and administered by the local people. Steve and his wife are now simple school teachers in the villages. He and his family in the villages with the people, as the people. 100% of the donations and funding given to them goes to the work in Africa, primarily building schools and buying land to build these schools. There are no paid positions in America. They currently have 19 schools they have opened and are praying for at least 10 more in 2011. In Tanzania, only the top 1 or 2 kids in each school have the opportunity to continue to high school. VSI opens schools and allows kids who aren't the top 1 or 2 to still have the opportunity to continue their high school education. There is so much more I could say about this wonderful organization, if you want to learn more check out their video (it's a little long, but very worth it). 

Anywho, if you have books you would like to donate, shoot me an email (cbean09@mac.com) and I will tell you where to send them in Houston, spread the word!

Christmas and New Years was so great as I spent a lot of time with my family. Our entire family: cousins, aunts, uncles, kids, and all spent Christmas day at our house. It was so great to catch up with everyone since I haven't seen most of them in about a year. It has also been so great to spend some quality time with my girlfriends from high school, I am sad everyone is going back to school so soon! I am so thankful I have such great friends that I can still rely on and love having our girls nights.

I have 26 days left in country and it is going to fly by! I leave Thursday for a trip with Cody's family and will be gone 7 days, then I come back and have about 10 days till I am gone! So much to do, so little time! It has been so awesome to see the Lord preparing my heart through specific things each day. We went to a benefit dinner last night for digging wells in Africa and a missionary family who lives in West Africa. And as I am finishing reading Romans, chapter 15 seems to be talking to me directly about my time there and the relationships I am going to be building and working through the differences I will have with the people I will be living with.  I am just so excited to spend 4 and a half months on this beautiful continent that has captured my heart so strongly.