Friday, January 28, 2011

Food Costs

I have learned that the average monthly food costs for the Zim orphanages is approximately $2020.00.  This also includes their hygeine products.  Several of you have asked and so wanted to post all the info here.  Thanks!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Handling Emergencies

There is an immediate, urgent need.  It is right now, today.  It involves food.  Without food comes hunger.  I have never known what that is like.  I have never lived a moment that I didn't know where my next meal was coming from.  I have had food as an option, every day of my life.  If you had zero food right now and zero dollars with which to buy any....what would you do?  I want you to consider this as you read further.

The short story is.....  I learned yesterday that the food supply in Zim is down again while the costs are up again.  Fatima has $2.45 in the bank.  Due to the economy, she does not have the donors that she once had.  She has NO ONE right this moment that can send her money for food.  Not even me as an individual, and not "us" as an organization.  She not only feeds the 60+ children, but she also feeds the orphanage staff, the teachers in the small school (for the teenagers), the pastor, and the security guards.  She needs money for food immediately.

Once this organization has matured and has regular donations coming in, I do not believe we will face "food emergencies", because we will be steadily providing.  In fact, I believe we will get to a point where providing school fees and food is just so regular, that they will never have to worry where their next bite is coming from, nor worry that the government will shut down the orphanage because they are not in school.

QUESTIONS I WOULD ASK:
1.  How will I know my money is being used for food?
     a.  BFGO will send a wire transfer to the designated account for the Rose of Sharon Welfare  
          Organization in Harare, Zimbabwe (Kingdom Bank).  The orphanage director will buy food and  
          will email me a receipt.  I will post copies of both transmissions here on the blog for you to see.
2.  Is my donation tax exempt?
     a.  We believe it is.  We have applied for our tax exempt status with the IRS (Form 1023).  They 
          should grant our 501c3 status within 6-12 months, at which point all donations we receive this 
          year (even today) will be tax deductible.  Our charter and bylaws indicate our purpose is an
          exempt one.  Today our status is "pending".
3.   Melissa, are you going to just beg for money all the time and always call it an "emergency"?
      a.  Good question, I'm glad you asked.  I will always be seeking partners and donors for this 
           organization, for the purpose of helping orphans.  I hope that I will not always have to beg.  I see 
           giving as an opportunity - especially if you know and love Christ and understand His command  
           to spread the gospel and love others.  I believe that we will graduate to the point of being able to 
           provide the basic needs without having to beg (and lose sleep and get sick to my stomach).  But 
           until this machine is well-oiled, that cannot happen.  Today this IS an EMERGENCY.  It truly is.


Fatima, the orphanage director for the Rose of Sharon homes in Zim did not ask this of me.  In fact, I spoke with her on the phone 2 days ago and she did not even mention it.  She is so worried about school fees.  Some of the children are not in school today at all.  She didn't mention food on the phone.  Following our conversation, I sent her an email letting her know that this organization does not want to overrun her organization, and that I pray she always has multiple donors.  (She is very transparent and accountable with her financial books and asks that I review them when I am with her).  In my email I wanted her to feel safe, love and uncontrolled.  It was then and only then that she wrote to me and told me she has no donors, $2.45 in the bank, and no food when their current supply runs out.  So - she is not begging.  And we will not.  She IS praying.  We WILL pray.  That is all we can do.

You can click on the donate button above to make a donation.  This goes through paypal.  You can use a credit card and it is not necessary for you to have a paypal account.  The sooner you can make a donation the better.  They are going to be out of food in a week or two.  
Or you can mail a check to BFGO 6840 Bridgewater Drive Nashville, TN 37221
Receipts will be provided.


If you are willing to be a monthly donor (at any amount) would you please email me at beautifulfeego (at) gmail (dot) com


**Reminder - this is our blog.  Our official website will be live soon and I will update here.  **


please consider sharing this with friends, family, co-workers, bible study groups, life groups, your church, etc.  there are so many people out there who want to give and love to give... can you help share this opportunity with them.  REPOST ON TWITTER - REPOST ON FACEBOOK by using the simple buttons below.  If you do not see the buttons - please go to the top of this post and click directly onto the title, and then scroll down and you should see the buttons.  I humbly thank you all.  May we all be presented as pure before our King for doing as He did.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Buttons and Love

Hi dear friends.  I believe that I am just moments away (looking for a quiet one ) from making an airline reservation to return to Zim.  Out of ridiculous levels of joy pouring out my eyeballs I called Fatima today to confirm the best dates.  It was an amazing gift to hear her voice.  She and I are equally grateful for the God ordained friendship that we have.  I can tell you that He has given her much love for me and me much love for her.  I could not be more privileged and honored to know her.  I will plan to take as much video as I can while I am there this next time so that you can get to know her too.

Our primary, immediate, urgent goal is to come up with the fees to pay for all of the children to go to school this year.  They are desperate for a financial partner and I believe from the pool in the depth of my soul that we are to be that for the children she is taking care of.  All 65 of them.

This is what I see.  I see BFGO partnering with this cluster of 4 orphanages to help with school fees, food, medications, clothing and shelter for the long-term.  I believe that for as long as our relationship is in good standing and for as long as the accountability is free to obtain and verify, we will be a support to them in God's great and Holy name.  We will also attempt to AIM BIG and provide the training centers that I have mentioned before.  These are 2 programs.  Program 1 - provide basic needs.  Program 2 - establish training centers.  Once program 2 is off the ground, as an organization we will shift to other areas (of the world) to meet other needs.  Unless of course God just keeps us in Zim.  We are structured in such a way that we can be flexible as to where we go and to which orphans we serve - but we are totally begging and trust that God will only lead us right to where He has intended us to be since before creation.  (Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.")


We now have a "DONATE" button on this blog.  Top left - see?  Pretty huh?  That donate button goes directly to the organization bank account that we set up specifically for receiving donations through Pay-Pal.  It is secure and easy.  You do not have to have a pay-pal account.  Try it out and see.  But here is my disclaimer:  Our incredible web designer is still working on our official website.  (This one is just our simple blog).  Eventually, you will be able to track with us either here or there.  AND I believe we will have a slightly more sophisticated donate process when the official website is done.  But for now, this one works great.

So - if you are here please do me a favor.  Please click on the Facebook box near the top left and "like" us on Facebook.  Help us spread the word.  No salaries are paid to myself or anyone in the organization. 100% of the donations (-less very minor expenses) goes directly to affect the life of an orphan.  The impact is HUGE.

ALSO - please click onto the "subscribe" feature so that you can receive these blog updates directly into your email.

Stay tuned - in a day or two or three I will be revealing the details of our LOVE campaign.  It is critical and meaningful.  You are gonna LOVE it!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Donate?

Our official website will launch very soon, and currenty working on "donate" buttons for both the official website and this blog.  Thanks for visiting.  Come back soon.

This is Why

The Deceptions of What We See

In these first 3 photos, you probably notice that the children are not very clean.  If you pay fine attention detail, you may notice frayed, dirty clothing.  You may notice an absence of under garments.  Cinder block walls.  Dirt floor.  You see that these children need help.  And they do.  If I could hand select these specific children to be beneficiaries of the work that Beautiful Feet Global Outreach desires to do, it would be simple.  It would be these.  They need everything.  They need food, clothing, medications, and education.  The various times I have visited with these children, all things above were not part of their lives.  They are living in tragic circumstances.  But we can't help them.  Why?  Because the person overseeing their care is not interested.  It is that simple.  He is motivated by greed.  And these children will die because of it.






What you will see in these next 3 photos is a much nicer image.  But it is deceptive in many ways.  You see beautiful young women and men in these photos.  They are clean and they have on cute clothing.  (I brought them much of what you are seeing (cute shirts for the girls!).  You see that they are happy and closely bonded.  What you do not see is that they do get to go to school - most of the time.  Their fees are costly and they are required to wear certain uniforms, but God continues to provide for them.  You do not get to see that some of these precious ones are infected by HIV, but they are receiving their medications.  It does seem that life is good.  That is where you are deceived by the images.  Life will cease to be this way for them when they complete their O levels (aka high school).  When that happens the government forces them out of the orphanage they live in.  Sure, they have some cute shirts to take with them.  And they will have a piece of paper that shows they completed school and that they have good grades.  And that's all.  Nowhere to go.  





The big difference in the first orphanage and the second one is the care of the leadership.  You can clearly see in this second scenario that the orphanage director loves these children.  You can see it in the photos, but I have seen it in person since 2008.  She gave up her very good job to create an orphan ministry, consisting of 4 orphanages (spread out geographically) and a school for the teenagers.  These are the kids who actually might have hope for changing lives in Africa.  They are so incredibly smart, full of joy and hope, and they are desiring to live for Christ.  These children want to be pastors, or go to college, own businesses, play football and be artists.  But they can't if someone doesn't help them.  Because their pieces of paper showing their good grades and their 2 sets of clean clothing will not keep them alive in a system where there is no system.  13 of these kids are already out facing this as a harsh reality.

You may see the first group as needing the most help.  That is not as easy as it may seem.  The efforts have been there for years and still no acceptance from the "leader".  The second group needs love, hope and help too - but with the great possibility that it will make an incredible impact and a huge difference, not only in their lives, but for the eternal Kingdom.

This is why we want to develop training centers for these kids to learn a trade and increase their chances for earning a wage.

Monday, January 17, 2011

From Day 1

Thank you for visiting our blog.  There will be much going on around here so stay tuned!