Sudan Footrace

This has been a CRAZY Spring!  Back to back Seed Effect events have kept us ridiculously busy.  But, I can't complain... I can think of little I would rather be doing with my time than raising money and awareness to empower our brothers and sisters in South Sudan!  

If you live in the DFW area, are a runner, walker, or are just looking for something fun to do on a Saturday, join us at the Sudan Footrace 5K, Walk, and Goat Dash!   Hope to see you there!

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2012 Sudan Footrace and Goat Dash

April 28th at Reverchon Park on the Katy Trail
Registration opens at 7:15/ 5K and Walk begins at 8:30am/ Goat Dash will be directly after the 5K

Seed Effect has teamed up with our partners at e3 Sudan to host the Sudan Footrace.  It's a 5K, Walk, and GOAT DASH on the Katy Trail on April 28th.  All proceeds from the race will go to empower the South Sudanese, but specifically to: 
  • Provide microloans, education, and spiritual discipleship to struggling entrepreneurs through Seed Effect's loan program. 
  • Support our Seed Effect Vocational School that is transforming the lives of young women who would otherwise receive no formal education and struggle to make ends meet.  
  • Fund e3 Sudan's Bible College and leadership training centers. 
  • Educate thousands of children in 7 schools throughout South Sudan. 
  • Bring hope to communities previously devastated by war and oppression. 
  • Bring the Gospel to the newest country on earth that is one of the most underdeveloped and under-reached.   

What's a Goat Dash?  Well, the top 10 teams that raise the most money to will race with a goat on a leash and a mad dash to the finish line.  It's sure to be total chaos and something you won't want to miss!  

For more info and to register, you can check out our website, at http://sudanfootrace.com. And follow the Goat Dash standings on our Facebook page!

Letters to Sophia: 9 months

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Dear Sophia,

Well, we finally had some family photos made.  Your Aunt Emily had suggested a friend of hers, Kerri O'Neal, who turned out to be fabulous!  She snapped some great shots AND we even got to keep over 40 digitals all for a great price!  (Trust me, after perusing the web for months trying to land a photog, this type of package is rare. :)

As I look through this album, I can't believe that just 9 months ago I was 10 days past due and desperately wishing that you would arrive, but at the same time finding myself so fearful of what your arrival might bring. What if being a mom didn't come naturally to me?  What if I was too selfish to make the sacrifices necessary to care for another's life?  Could I love you well and point you to Christ even in my sin and brokenness?  

But on July 6th it all changed when I realized that none of my fears mattered.  Sure, they were valid, even true... I am broken, sinful, selfish, all of those things.  But Christ is so much bigger.  You're not just mine, but His.  And that means that there's hope.  

That day, I experienced for the first time a mere glimpse of what our Father's love was like for His Son... and for us.  Even after holding you for one minute, I could not imagine sacrifing your life for the whole of wretched humanity.  The whole lot of us who scoff at Him, turn away from Him, abuse Him, betray Him, and nailed Him to a tree.  

But God did.  He imagined it, and allowed it, and ordained the death of His only Son all for us.  All for a crazy, unconditional, unending, ultimate love.    

This Easter we are remembering the sacrifice of His death and celebrating His resurrection that leads to life.  Mine and yours and theirs.  Life eternal and life abudant.  Because He's alive, none of the rest of it matters.  

Even in our brokenness and sin, we can love you and love you well because He first loves us...  

Happy Easter and happy 9 months baby girl.  

Love, love, 

Your mom (and dad) 

She would walk 8000 miles

The thing is, I have one of the most amazing best friends in the entire world.  This statement is completely true.  She’s been through the wilderness.  She’s trusted God when honestly she couldn’t see His face or hear His voice.  She’s been faithful to continue to walk in the path that He has laid out.  And now she has done what much of the world would consider crazy all for love.  All for a little baby boy.  There’s just so much that I want to write about her, but it’s not my story to tell.  Yet.  

In the meantime, while she and that precious baby boy are 8000 miles away, Sophia and I are here.  We have clean running water, electricity all the time, a baby superstore mere miles away at our complete disposal, and all the luxury we can dream up.  Yes, luxury that the rest of the world does not even dream about… for how do you dream about something that you don’t know even exists?   

I can’t help but wonder how different she will be when she returns.  To raise your baby (even if just for a few months) all alone in a foreign land, without modern conveniences, surrounded by hopeless poverty, when you have the ability to provide what millions around you cannot.  It has to change you.  

Honestly, I desperately hope that even from here it changes me too…

Here is Sophia “meeting” Baby Z for the first time.  I have a feeling that she’s going to love him.  So so much. 

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