Celeste's Graduation

On June 1st, we had the privilege of celebrating the graduation of our sweet daughter, Celeste.  This was our second home school graduation, which looked much differently than the first, but was just as special and lovely.  Our oldest daughter is a pianist, so we celebrated her graduation in conjunction with her senior recital.  Therefore, it was a bit more formal.

Celeste wanted something more simple and relaxed at home.  Since missions were her focus over the last two years, we incorporated a slide show into the program so that she could share her travels to Africa with friends and family.  It was a lovely day, and it was so special to honor Celeste and all her hard work.

(Most of the photos were taken before the graduation began, so we don't have many pics of all the fun.  We got sorta busy then.)

Celeste made a collage of her favorite childhood photos and quotes.  Our oldest daughter, Cheyenne, set up this lovely table for guests to peruse as they walked in.

We enjoyed fresh fruit with a delicious fruit dip, mini quiches, and Spicy Texas Hummus with Blue Corn Tortilla chips.

The Sweet and Savory Meatballs were delish!  Celeste made the cute food signs for an added fun, decorative touch .

You can't go wrong with a lovely relish tray full of fresh veggies.

My friend Lisa from The Pennington Point posted these cute Graduation Cap Pops on her blog some time ago.  We just knew we had to make them.  Ours didn't turn out quite as clean and tidy as hers, but they were still cute and the kids loved them!

Celeste saw this cake in a cake magazine, and had complete confidence in her mama that I could make one just like it.  : )  I always enjoy making my babies special cakes.  She loved this one!

The Fruit Water was both pretty and refreshing.  Everyone seemed to like it.

I ordered these super cute graduation water bottle labels, along with some other fun graduation decorations, from Oriental Trading.  Aren't they great?

A few of Celeste's sweet friends.

 

My wonderful, sappy husband just can't get through a presentation with his girls without getting weepy.  I love this man!

 

Our 2013 graduate!

We placed a photo and matting on the table so that guests could sign it for Celeste.  A sweet memento from this special day.

 

Our awesome friend, Geoff, provided us with a huge screen and projector for Celeste's slide show.  It was perfect.  She narrated each photo and shared stories about favorite moments from her missions trip. 

 

On a funny note, about an hour before guests were due to arrive, our beloved family table came crashing to the floor.  As we were moving the table, the legs buckled.  They just don't make things like they used to, huh?  Thankfully, nothing was on the table at the time, but we did have to rig it so that we could still use it.  Notice in the pic above that we have a long sheet draped to the floor.  This was to cover the broken legs underneath.  lol  We were SO grateful to find out that we could order new legs from the vendor.  Table is now good as new! 

 

 

It was a wonderful day, and we look forward to what God has planned for Celeste's future.  We are so blessed to be the parents of this incredible young lady, and know that with God's strength and grace, she will be a light wherever He leads her!

 

*Many thanks to our wonderful neighbor, Kari, for taking the photos.

A Letter From the Mission Field

Today was a long, hard day. There is much work to be done here among the natives. Each day brings a little progress, but then some days, it feels like we’re getting nowhere.

I’m tired. And I’m trying not to grow weary in doing good. But the long, laborious days remind me that I can do none of this in my own strength. Things are messy here, and messes require cleaning up. And the cleaning up seems never-ending.

Read the rest of the letter over at The Marathon Mom.


Photo Credit

A Heart for Africa

 

Written by my amazing 17 year old daughter, Celeste (pictured above)

 

Dear Family and Friends,

I am so excited to share with you that God has given me the amazing opportunity to go back to Africa!!! I will once again have the privilege of loving on and caring for the children. In March, I will be traveling to Uganda to show the love of God to orphans. I will travel specifically to Kampala to stay and work with Return Ministries, a home for over 300 children.  The team will then travel outside of Kampala to the surrounding Villages and minister to the impoverished families and children that are located there. On the last full day in Uganda, the team will go to My Father's House in Kampala to work with the children there. My Father’s House is a school that serves Kampala and has about 400 children from the surrounding community that attend there.

 

Why do I want to do this again? Last year, as you know, I went on an incredible, life-changing trip to Ethiopia and Uganda! God showed me many things about ministering to other cultures, and what it looks likes to "care for the orphans" on a very personal level, and I must go back! My heart is to serve the sweet children in Africa who have touched my heart deeply in so many ways.

 

I want to tell them about God and how much He loves them. I want them to know that they are loved, even by people in the far reaches of the world. I also want to tangibly meet basic and physical needs. There's nothing more rewarding, and heartbreaking, than feeding a hungry child. Or providing a refrigerator to a woman caring for 14 orphans who didn't previously have one. Or giving a thirsty child a clean drink of water.  In addition, I look forward to visiting the schools, to play with and love on the children, and of course, snuggle babies!

Here's the challenging part (again! lol). Because the team leaves at the end of March, I must have $2000 raised by the 60 day mark. Well, the 60 day mark is Jan 15th. Yes, less than a week to raise $2000 (I have almost reached $1000 so far). That sounds really unlikely, but I know that all things are possible with God. And you all showed that abundantly the last time! So stepping out in faith, and with my parents blessing, I registered for this trip. I'm excited to also be traveling with my same team leader, Faith Sims, who quickly became both my second mom and friend. I look forward to this trip with more confidence and less nervousness because I will be with her.

Here's how you can help. Will you consider sponsoring me? Once I reach $2000, and my airline tickets are purchased, I will work very hard to raise the additional money through fundraisers. The total cost of the trip is from $3400-$3600. I am prepared to work diligently to raise the money. But because time is very short, I must raise $2000 quickly. Even small donations add up and help.

To Donate:

Go to the Visiting Orphans Donate page.  In the "Fund Category", scroll down and click on my trip, called "Sims team March/April Uganda”. Then enter the amount you wish to donate. Next, you will be asked if you'd like to donate toward a specific team member. Click the bubble that says "Team Member or Ministry Name" and enter my name, Celeste Sabo. And then simply enter your billing info. This would be the quickest way to make my initial goal of $2000 by the 15th.  

I also ask you to pray. This will be my second big trip away, and there will be a lot more to learn. But I am ready. Please pray for the team, for travel safety, and especially for the people we meet, that they would feel loved and needs would be met. Please pray that I would be able to raise the money needed to go.

If you have any questions for me, you can reach me via my moms Contact Tab above.

Thank you so much!

With Love,

Celeste 

A Girl Got on a Plane...

Photo Credit

Two Weeks in Africa.....

Tomorrow, my 16 year old daughter, Celeste, will embark on a journey of a lifetime.  She will travel half way around the world to serve and visit orphans in two incredible countries....Ethiopia and Uganda. 

She is traveling with an organization called Visiting Orphans.  They travel to thirteen different countries to fulfill the biblical mandate given in James 1:27 of "visiting orphans" in their distress. 

On this particular trip, Celeste will have the blessing of visiting several orphanages in both countries.  She can't wait to go and love on these children, knowing full well that she will be the one blessed by them!  She will also visit the Fistula Hospital in Addis.  This is pretty exciting because before we even knew about this trip, our family had watched A Walk to Beautiful, a documentary about women who suffer from the medical condition, Fistula.  This hospital was built specifically to treat the condition.  It's a beautiful story, one I highly recommend watching. 

Sisters (Celeste on left)

Celeste and the team will also go to Amazima, the ministry Katie Davis began at the age of 18.  Amazima feeds over 1,600 orphaned and vulnerable children of the Masese community a lunch meal Monday through Friday, and also operate a school for the local children to attend for free.  This is another exciting aspect of the trip.  Again, before we knew about this trip, a friend had recommended a book to us called Kisses from Katie.  We watched this YouTube video and were amazed by this young woman with so much love and compassion.  It was through our visit to the Amazima website that we learned of Visiting Orphans, which led to finding this trip, which included visiting some of the very places we had already been studying as a family.  God had clearly gone before us, and opened this door for Celeste!

The team will be very busy, serving in a different location nearly every day.  I will try to give regular updates on my Facebook page if you would like to keep up with her travels.

I found this video on YouTube of another team that went to Uganda.  I don't know if they were with Visiting Orphans or another organization, but Celeste will visit several of the places in this video.



If you wouldn't mind, please keep our daughter, the team, and the people they will encounter in your prayers.  For Celeste, this will be her first trip away from home by herself.  She's nervous, but even more excited about all they will do and see! 

If you would like to know more about any of these organizations, please visit their sites.  There, you also have the opportunity to sponsor a child and change a life.

Have you or any of your children gone on a mission trip?  Where?  Please share your experience.

Friends Back From Rwanda

You may remember when I posted this Thankful Thursday post about our friends going to Africa on a mission trip.  They're back, and hopefully adjusting to US time.
I'm looking forward to hearing from them all of what God is doing there.  Here is a short, but moving video of their trip.  David is a doctor and Hollie is dental hygienist (she's a home schooling, SAHM, but keeps her license current).  What a joy to see how God used their knowledge and talents to minister to the people of Rwanda.  And their little girls are just glowing with love in this video!



You may not be able to make this kind of trip, but perhaps you would consider sponsoring a child! 

Blessings~

Praise God!

We are beside ourselves with gratitude over the generosity of friends and family!  We are speechless over the amount raised for Celeste's trip.

As of this morning, the total is $3,500!!!!  In just three days!!!!  Not only does that cover the airfare, but that covers nearly the whole trip. 

I'm in awe of God's goodness!  And I'm in awe of God's people!  Thank you, friends, for your giving hearts, your love for our daughter, and your heart to minister to the orphans of Africa!  We are humbled beyond measure and will be forever thankful!

I'd like to mention our business sponsors.  Thank you to:

La Fonda at Oak Hills Restaurant

KCA Engineers

Slide Fire Solutions

Team National


If you own a business and donated, please let me know.  I'd love send friends your way!

Thank you again to all who gave.  Wow!  So, so blessed by you all!

Soli Deo Gloria!


Photo Credit

My Daughter is Going to Africa

It has been a whirlwind the last several days in our home.  An exciting opportunity has come up for our 16 year old daughter, Celeste, and we have been in super-sonic action mode since. 

Celeste will be traveling to Africa in the coming months to visit and minister to the orphans.  We've been filling out paperwork, raising support funds, reading material, and working out passport details.  I'll let you read all about it in a portion of Celeste's letter below.  If you feel so inclined to offer support, contact me via the contact tab for details.  We would be grateful if you would keep Celeste, the team, and the children in prayer as they prepare for the trip.  Thank you!


Dear Family and Friends,

I am so excited to share with you an opportunity God has given me to love and care for the children of Africa.  Soon, I will be traveling to Ethiopia and Uganda to show the love of God to orphans. There, I will get to help feed the children in several orphanages and minister to them in many ways. I will also get to visit the Fistula hospital, and reach out to children who live and work at the city dump in Korah.

Why do I want to do this? Over the past year or so, we've been connected to Africa through several of our friends. Friends who adopted from Ethiopia, and friends who have gone on mission trips in other parts of Africa. God has used these friends to give me a heart to pray for the orphans. Recently, my mom had us all watch several documentaries about various countries in Africa. Some were about the Genocide, some were about spreading awareness of the orphan crisis, and some were about medical conditions such as Fistula. I also viewed a trailer to a book called 'Kisses From Katie" that shares the story of the young woman who started Amazima Ministries. 

Over the past couple of weeks, my parents have discussed the possibility of me going to Africa "some day" as part of a mission trip. I said I would love to go! While we were learning more about the Amazima ministry recently, we came across Visiting Orphans, a ministry that sends teams out to 13 different countries to visit orphans. As we looked at their upcoming trips, we saw that there was a team going to two of the places that I had seen in the documentaries. Amazima (in Uganda) and the Fistula hospital (in Ethiopia). I could not believe it. The team will also be visiting 2-3 orphanages in Addis where our friends adopted their daughter. It's likely that I will get to go to that same orphanage. Isn't that amazing? God has placed the perfect trip in front of me and there's nothing I want more than to go and love on these kids.

I ask you to pray. As excited as I am, I am also a little scared. This will be my first big trip away, and there will be a lot to learn. But I am ready. Please pray for the team, travel safety, and especially for the people we meet, that they would feel loved and needs would be met. Please pray that I would be able to raise the money needed to go.

Thank you so much!

Celeste

Thankful Thursday: Missions in Africa

Today, our good friends, the Carnahan's, are traveling to Africa to share the love of the Gospel, a message of hope, to the people of Rwanda.  David, Hollie, McKenzie, and Taylor have been sponsoring four children there and will actually get to meet these kids and love on them, among other things. 

The Carnahan's worked very hard selling bread and homemade meals to raise money for this trip.  We are excited for them, inspired by them, and are praying for them.  Please join us in praying for this family, for the people whose lives they will touch, and for the message of the Gospel to be disseminated clearly.

You can follow the progress of their trip over at The Carnahan Chronicles, as David plans to write while there...so check back!

Our hearts have been drawn to Africa more and more as we've been touched by friends who have actively ministered to various countries there in some way.

I think of my sweet friends, the Blair's, who adopted their precious daughter, Elle, from Addis, Ethiopia last year. 

You can watch an incredible video of their journey to get their daughter here. 

Another family that I've been following, though I do not know them personally, is the Freeman Family.  I came to read about them through my sweet bloggy friend, Brandi, over at The Marathon Mom, and have been praying for the Freeman's since.

The Freeman's are missionaries in Swaziland.  It's been so neat to learn how God is using them there, and to read of what every day life is like for this homeschooling mom of four.  You can read of their adventures here and here.

These families have prompted us to learn more about Africa.  Praying for the people, watching documentaries (ranging from medical conditions there, to hunger, to the genocide), and simply knowing where these places are on the map.

Please pray for our friends, for the people of Africa.  I am so thankful for those willing to go there to meet needs, and share the good news of the Gospel.  I am also thankful for missionaries all over the world, including in the United States.  We are all missionaries if we listen to when God is calling us to act, whether it's to the neighbor next door....or the far reaches of the world. 

What are you thankful for?  Are you praying for any missionaries specifically that you would like to share?


This post is linked up with The Marathon Mom. 

Church Mission Trip

Church Mission Trip (pics)

Rio Grande Bible Institute-Radio Esperanza

The trip was fantastic and much was accomplished in the short time we were there. As I write, families are still there working hard and will return later in the week. The Rio Grande Bible Institute's mission is to train missionaries and pastors to go into Mexico to spread the Gospel and minister to the people. Our purpose in being there was to help with various projects ranging from demolition work to picking up nails from recent roofing work. There was much to do and there was certainly a job for everyone! One of the neatest aspects of the trip was watching whole families work together and be productive. Even the small children were given jobs and were diligent to complete them. So often mission trips are reserved for youths and adults, assuming young children are too little to do much! Well, may I encourage your churches to plan family mission trips and watch the love, learning, and hard work that takes place! These kids were so sweet and very eager to do ANY job, even out in the heat of the day!

I took many pictures and tried to post just a fraction of them, although there are still many. I'm posting these mainly for the benefit of my family and church family that could not come. But if you don't fit into these categories, I hope you will enjoy them anyway!

We all stayed in the student dorms, specifically, the men's dorms. We were quite comfortable.

The Warren boys settling in.............

Our family settling in ...........

The rest of our family settling in...........

Our brood............

It's time for bed.........

Julie, CJ, Blair and Melody up early preparing breakfast............

With full bellies, it's time to get to work........

Josh and David on plumbing repair duty.........

Greg on mudding and tapping duty.......

And under Daddy's tutelage, Seth learned mudding and taping.......

Curtis had to repair a tractor tire...........

Dirk (our pastor) had fun knocking down a wall in a bathroom........

And Brandon joined the fun.............

Bethany contributed by building a log cabin..........Great Job!

Bethany also helped look after our little ones and much, much more.........


There were even jobs for mommies and babies..........I was the "Magnet Lady"

Malachi helped pick up nails and metal with this handy magnet.........

This is why we had to do this.......the boys cracked me up by how excited they'd get over their new found "treasure"................

Seth lifting the magnet to release the nails into the box.........

Sophia tried her hand at magnet pulling, but it was harder than it looked........

We celebrated Ethan's second birthday while on the trip. Our thoughtful pastor made a trip to the store and bought this cake. It was a sweet birthday..........

Here's Ethan getting ready to dig in............

Ethan's new best friend, CJ............

There's always time for music..........

Amy and Chey singing Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee in English and Spanish.........

And to end my photo journal, here are some of our families before Sunday morning worship. I was unable to get all the families photographed........I apologize for missing some.........

It was an amazing trip and we look forward to doing it again soon! Thank you to the Rio Grand Bible Institute for allowing us the privilege to come with our families to work with you!

Again I say.........Soli Deo Gloria!!!