Friday, January 18, 2013

THANK YOU TO CAMEROON SUPPORTERS!

Just arrived at the Cincinnati/Kentucky airport, of course as soon as I finished the following post earlier before my first flight,  I went to click "post", screen went black, computer died, couldn't find an outlet and they made me get on the plane!  So here it is : ) , next flight leaves for Paris France in 45 minutes!


AT THE AIRPORT!!!!
Flight boards in 20 minutes!!!! Drinking this cool lime refresher from Starbucks and praising God for all the support I raised! Every person who donated or prayed or supported me in any way is such an angel and a vessel for the Lord.

still fundraising, here is the link! http://www.gofundme.com/1toctc



THANK YOU,
Robby Florence- You were my first supporter this trip and you have always supported me since we met!  I think we should plan a Mexico trip in the Fall, I miss doing missions with you!

Elizabeth Hardin-I'm so glad I met you, I haven't seen you in ages yet you continue to bless me from afar and I appreciate you and your compassionate words SO MUCH.

Mr. Creighton-The way you supported my artwork and my cause brought tears!  You are such a beautiful soul and have been a major blessing to my life in ways you do not even know!

Sharron Goodin and family- Your support has been so crucial to this journey, I hope you enjoy my artwork and I really appreciate you being willing to so readily support me when we have NEVER EVEN MET!  I am so happy to know someone who is so on fire for Christ and I am thrilled that you chose to so generously be a part of this adventure with me and Jake!

NANA!Hallie White- beautiful lady, thank you for helping me out, I crave your company and your laughter and I cannot wait to see you when we get back, your kindness and support has been SUCH A BLESSING LOVE YOU!!

Alex and Katie Wolpert- you guys have inspired me since I first met you in Bolivia and it has truly been a blessing partnering with you on trips!  I am so glad to have met you and am thrilled to have your support  yet again! Love you guys and I appreciate your love, donations, and prayers!

Mr. Jefferey Hanks-You have been such a blessing and SO GENEROUS! Thank you for thinking of me and for your beautiful compassionate heart!  I love that you are so willing to help us and we have to get you on one of these trips with your awesome skills!

Mom and Dad- I LOVE YOU!!!!! You guys are the best most amazing supportive admirable loving parents in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE!!!!!!! I cant wait to see you when we get back, thank you for loving us, supporting us, donating, feeding us, taking care of us, giving us crucial reminders, and for taking us to the airport!! Thank you for babysitting Nugget I cant wait to see you when we get back!!!!

Lamar and Kaye Thomas-Thank you for your endless gifts and love and generosity!  You guys are true servants and we have learned so much from you, you are always a joyful presence in our lives! THANK YOU!

Stephanie Snyder and Matt Dobler- aka #2 and Dobler- Thank you for supporting me!  You guys are an inspirational duo for me and I need to have more of you in my life!  I love you guys and am so SO very appreciative of you supporting my trip! LOVE YOU and see you when I get back!!! Hope Luke is doing good!!

Mercedes!-Thank you for your love and compassion, you will be missed on this trip (my african roomie!) but there will be other trips and opportunities to reunite!  Thanks for the nice wishes and thoughts, hope to see you soon!

Kristen Herndon-Thank you for offering to help out and for thinking of us, we love you and hope you have a great 3weeks!

Dana Frady- your kind words and support and willingness to promote me and spread the word were crucial to this fundraising and trip, thank you for always being an inspiration and support!

Kaitlyn Tokay-THANK YOU for always encouraging me to follow my dreams, dealing with my shenanigans, inspiring me with your positive attitude and motivation, and for being my friend.  Thanks for promoting my cause!  You are sweet and I am happy to return the favor if need be.  See you for a diving date when I get back!

Anonymous-Thank you for your one hundred dollar donation.  I love that you are so willing to support this cause and I thank God for your generosity and selflessness!

David and Libba Hicks- Thank you for supporting me!!!! you are so selfless and generous and kind and I appreciate your support so greatly!

****I haven't received/been notified of all donations sent to the organization, so if I haven't thanked you or mentioned your gifts, please forgive me!!!  I appreciate those gifts I do not know of yet and THANK YOUUU!!

AND BIGGEST THANKS TO THE MOST HIGH FOR INSPIRING ME AND FORCING ME TO PERSEVERE ON THIS OH SO WORTH IT ADVENTURE! YOU HAVE BLESSED ME IN SO MANY WAYS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE MORE GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE WAYS YOU WOO AND ROMANCE ME, TAKE ME ON ADVENTURES, AND HOLD ME, EVERY SINGLE DAY WITHOUT LETTING GO. : ) I LOVE YOU. <3

Thursday, January 10, 2013

CameroonTrip GOFUNDME page!

http://www.gofundme.com/1toctc


Freedom, Gift Wrapping, Art, Cameroon!!

So..  below is essentially a life update and a support letter, that I sent out in all my Christmas cards and wanted to post on the web as well.  December flew by, the Wilderness Camp Life faded quickly, and I was rushed into a whirlwind of volunteering for 02A!  I gift-wrapped with a fury almost every day in December, sometimes I was the ONLY VOLUNTEER!  It was hectic but I got a weird rush off of speed wrapping interesting shaped packages (tennis raquet, spatula, basketball, football, bbgun, giant helicopters, frying pan) with a 30minute wait, presents everywhere, and the line getting longer.  I work well under pressure, that is precisely why I enjoyed serving for like 7years in restaurants, I was overworked and underpaid but the constant speed multitasking gave me a rush and sense of accomplishment!  Anyway, I wrapped so many presents, Orphans to Ambassadors fundraised some good money for projects this year, I got to work with my soul mate every day, and daydreamed about Cameroon constantly.  All the while starting my business, preparing for Africa, moving, preparing gifts, Christmas cards and support letters!  Oh yeah, and there was that one week in December where Jacob and I went to Seattle to do the Orphans To Ambassadors GALA Fundraiser.  That was fun! 




Had a wonderful Christmas and New Years with loved ones and am PUMPED about 2013!! 

The fundraising is going slow, that's part of why I'm posting this, I still need a lot of help on that!  However, I've managed to get my art business going on Etsy, and have fundraised a good bit through that, and will be posting more about that soon!  

Leaving for CAMEROON in EIGHT DAYS!!!!!!!


HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
I WISH YOU PEACE AND COMFORT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

     Hi!  I wanted to write you and update you on what God is calling me to do in my life!  After several months of prayer, I left my job at the wilderness treatment center to pursue more ministry.  I am planning to return to Africa on another Orphans To Ambassadors trip, January 18th through February 8th, to Fundong, Cameroon.  We will be implementing 3sustainable solutions to the Harvest Children’s Home, an orphanage of 56 boys and girls.

     Our team consists of Jacob Hanks, my soul mate, Orphans to Ambassadors project leader and first part-time employee, Michael Lowe, Engineers without borders rocket stove expert, and myself.  All three of us did identical projects in Rwanda in May so although with different variables I think we will make an excellent team and the projects will go smoothly and efficiently!

    My last trip with Orphans to Ambassadors was supremely rewarding in so many ways!  We did the same three projects in Rwanda as we will be doing in Cameroon: chicken coops, rainwater harvesting systems and rocket stoves, at a boarding school of over 400 girls.  We got to teach the girls about sustainability and our projects, show them how to do construction work, dance, play, and talk with them, and worship with them at their church service!  I really bonded with the girls as well as the staff, and some masonry workers in the local community that helped out.  I felt God’s presence every day there and I felt that the work we were doing was meaningful to the girls and community! 




     For now I am volunteering, gift-wrapping at the mall every day fundraising for Orphans to Ambassadors 2013 project budget, and in my tiny bit of spare time I will be working on starting my online shop at: beautiful pursuit.etsy.com where I will be selling different types of art God has inspired me to create! I am thrilled to be going back to Africa with such a wonderful organization, and I am excited to see what other ministry opportunities will arise for me this upcoming year!
    
     I strongly believe that there are two kinds of missionaries, those that go and those that send them, the trip wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of others. Even small gifts multiplied by many will get me there to fulfill the calling. I took a risk in leaving a job with a steady income to follow Jesus, and now I am responsible for raising $1700 to cover the cost of the flight and visa.  I am more than confident he will provide!

     I ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with me in this ministry opportunity.  First, I ask for your prayer support. Second, I ask that you consider giving a financial gift of any size. If you decide to give financially (your gift is tax-deductible), checks can be written out to:  Orphans to Ambassadors International; 126 SW 148th Street     Suite C100-26     Seattle, WA   98166. (Please write Stephanie Braun in the memo line.) Or go to www.Orphanstoambassadors.org to make an on-line donation with a credit or debit card through PayPal.


     I trust that God will work through this team, and that we will greatly impact as well as be impacted by, the individuals we serve.  I appreciate your support!
There are no orphans of God! Blessings and Peace!

Stephanie Mauvlyn Braun
828-291-6467

ps-How cool is this guy right here? We were working on the high efficiency rocket stoves using clay and he took a lump of clay smushed onto a broom stick and I turned around and he had a clay flute.  Cool guy.