We Won!

Our supporters are amazing, and we want to thank you as we celebrate you today! Just before Christmas I received an email from DonorSee, the crowdfunding platform we use to fund a good percentage of our entire feeding program and school in Malawi. They said they were hosting a contest, in which they would award prizes, including a $5,000 grand prize, to the most active campaign over the holiday break. It’s no secret that people take off from work during the last couple of weeks of December, so they were cleverly incentivizing the hundred plus ministries who use DonorSee by encouraging them to keep at it while enjoying family time over peppermint lattes. It worked, and I joined the contest.

We spent the holiday in Colorado where we were preparing not only for Christmas but also for the wedding of our middle son. Saying it was a busy time is an understatement. I baked and wrapped and planned every day all day—and I jumped online to send messages to everyone in my phone book about the contest. Rather than spending time to send personal messages, I took the less palatable approach of the dreaded mass mail out. I copied a pretty general request to so many people on Facebook that Messenger blocked me for three days—twice! I hoped that enough people who know me would get the heart behind what I was trying to do and help me win that money for those kids. Many of you did get it, and you blew up our DonorSee account with donations, messages, likes, and follows. It was awesome to watch the notifications roll in!

Then we celebrated Christmas, the most beautiful wedding I have experienced to date, and the new year. Also, our our oldest son came home from the Army. We were together with our entire family for a few days and it felt like a warm hug from above. That’s why it was okay when I didn’t hear anything about the results of the contest and assumed we had been outdone by some of the larger, heavy hitting ministries on DonorSee. Besides, the extra effort and energy over the holidays had only helped our cause, as we raised the equivalent of the second prize of $3,000 in that push. I was proud of you guys and planned to tell you in this blog article that even though we didn’t win, we were better for it. But we did win, not third or even second, but first. That’s right. We won the grand prize of $5,000!

Last night when we got the email, I ran through the house screaming with joy. We celebrated as if we had won the lottery. In fact, I’m pretty sure I felt happier than if I had won the lottery. John and I have been praying and praying that God would continue to show favor to this developing ministry and call more people in to partner with us so we can grow and serve more kids, and He really showed up. He showed up through your overwhelming responses and generous donations, and He’s showing up in the feeling of finding more joy in raising funds to feed hungry children than in spending money on ourselves. You’re in this too. Can you feel that? It’s absolutely wonderful, and we’re so happy to bask in the good vibes with you. We cannot thank you enough for your part in this very worthy ministry. God bless you for your support and, congratulations, we won!