A Healthy Balance

In Guatemala, the mornings begin as the sky starts to lighten and the roosters calls echo throughout the village.  “Chicken” buses move into position near central park ready to transport students and workers to larger towns and cities.  Women slowly emerge from their homes where they sweep the streets clean of trash and animal waste from the day and night before.  Men start to move around the streets on their way to work in the fields.  Smoke wafts over the town as women light the fires which will warm up the meals for the day.

The morning streets begin to fill with young children on their way to school.  And sweatshops start making jeans, pants, and shirts which will be sold in the United States at stores like Old Navy, Hollister, and Abercrombie & Finch.  Shop owners open their doors for business and the day is fully underway in Santo Domingo Xenacoj.

Around one o’clock, there is a new buzz in the streets as people head home for lunch and a time of rest – a siesta.  Younger children are finished with school for the day, and older children head to school for their daily time of learning.  (The school year starts in January and goes until early October.)

At six o’clock, the bell at the top of the Catholic church in the center of town rings repeatedly marking the end of the school day (and work day for many).  And the streets buzz with action again as people return home or walk to the center of town.

“Buenos Dias” turns into “Buenos Tardes” which turns into “Buenos Noches.”  The morning coolness turns into afternoon heat which finally gives way to an evening chill.  The village quietly goes to sleep.

And it begins again the next day.  There’s a healthy rhythm of life in Guatemala.  There is not a lot of racing around.  There is not a lot of urgency.  I don’t expect life in America to fully go to this, but I think we could learn a lot from the balance which seems to exist in Xenacoj.

Coming back home is an adjustment and a challenge.  I desire the sense of community we felt in Xenacoj last week.  I long after a healthy balance.  What will I take from this?  How will I change?  How will my life be different as a result of last week in Guatemala?  I’m not sure.  It’s stretching me as I ponder these questions – and it’s a good stretch.

What does your typical day look like?  What changes do you need to make to rediscover a healthy balance?

Right Place, Right Time

We built two houses last week while we were in Guatemala.  The first house was for a widow named Betty, her five children (Marcos, Wendy, Fernando, Jose, and Rosita), and the widow’s father who we referred to as El Abuelo (which means Grandpa).

Betty was selected to receive one of our houses based on a search criteria which included need.  She was chosen out of a list of 50 or 60 widows.  Why Betty?  I’m not completely sure, but I get the sense that God knew what he was doing.

Betty’s oldest son, Marcos, is blind.  He lost his sight as a young child when a surgical procedure damaged his optic nerves.  In a town like Santo Domingo Xenacoj, there is little hope for a blind person.  They don’t have Seeing Eye dogs.  They have little opportunity for finishing school or for getting a job.  And there is not a government-funded welfare system to support blind people (or other disabled people).  It’s sad to think about what could or will happen to Marcos if something happens to his mom, his grandfather, or his aunt.

Marcos who is 14 does not go to school.  School’s in villages like Xenacoj are not set up to educate the visually impaired.  This means Marcos spends much of his time in the confines of his home – the small “yard” and the house.  Marcos listens to music and plays with a cheap plastic recorder most of the day.

As we were building his new house, we were blessed by the beautiful melodies coming from Marcos and his recorder.  Marcos clearly has a talent – a gift – for music unlike most others.  Our team commented to each other several times during construction that Marcos should record his music.

Our missionary partner, Dave, had the same thoughts after hearing Marcos’ music for the first time.  He started talking with Marcos, and he soon began dreaming about using Marcos’ music to support Marcos.  He began vision-casting a way to record, produce, and sell the music.

Shortly after this, we learned that this is actually the dream that Marcos has for his music.  It’s unlikely that Marcos could make this happen on his own, but Dave could probably find a way.  It’s amazing when life converges or even conspires to reveal something beyond our intentions.

We wanted to build a house for a widow and her family.  We knew this would provide protection from the elements, a concrete floor, and beds to sleep.  We believed this would lead to other tangible benefits.  But we didn’t know how else this home might change things for this family.  A recording opportunity for Marcos may just be the tip of the iceberg – the beginning of change for Betty’s family.

Did this happen by accident?

I don’t think so.  Being in the right place at the right time starts by following God’s callings in your life.  Our family felt the call to serve in Guatemala, and we responded by going.  We want to be in the right place at the right time.  How about you?

How have you heard God’s calling in your life?  How have you responded?  When have you experienced being in the right place at the right time?

The Start Of Hope And Change

We’re back from Guatemala.

It was the adventure of a lifetime.

Thank you to everyone who guest posted while I was away.  I haven’t had an opportunity to jump into the discussions yet, but I hope these conversations stretched you.  Thank you also for your prayers for our family.

As you can imagine, I have a lot to process as I reenter life here in the States.  It could take me a little while to get through it.  I hope you’ll be patient, and I hope my pondering will stretch you.

Here are some thoughts from my journal.  I wrote them on Friday afternoon after visiting the small mountain-top village of San Antonio:

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the wearyand increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:28-31

Today, we drove up the mountain to the small village of San Antonio.  We came here last year, so our family knew to expect an extreme level of poverty.  Kids at the school were hungry, and some were quite dirty.  Many children were coughing – fighting some type of respiratory illness.

It was sad to see children living in these conditions.  But I saw some glimmers of hope.  GO! Ministries has continued to serve food to the children five times a week.  This simple meal of rice, beans, and tortillas provides some nutrition which would otherwise be absent.  GO! Ministries built their first widow home here in March providing a much improved place of living for a widow and her children.  Another organization, Mission Firefly, has also been building better housing and a new cafeteria for the school in this small community.

“Hope and Change” is a phrase that has become so cliché.  Politicians run on promises of bringing hope and change.  So often, our hope is shallow.  “We hope you like this.”  “We hope we get a raise or a new job.”  “We hope to win the lottery or to strike it rich someday.”  And so often, the change we desire is misdirected toward the wrong targets.

I’m so thankful to see small changes in San Antonio.  It would be nice to see these changes taking place more quickly, but I’m learning (again) to operate on a different clock.  Guatemala Time is not the same as United States of America Time.  We live in a culture where we expect and demand promptness.  People are supposed to arrive on time or early.  But in Guatemala, it’s different.  If someone says 3 o’clock, it might mean 3 o’clock, but it probably means sometime after 3 – maybe closer to 4 or 5 o’clock.  Guatemala Time is slower, less hurried, and more relaxed.  It’s hard for Americans from the United States to understand time in Guatemala.

Similarly, I think we fail to understand God’s Time.  He operates differently than we want or expect.  If we pay attention and if we start taking notes, we’ll see that God always knows best.  He works upstream far in front of our short-sighted vision.  And he honors those who pursue and follow Him.

And so, it’s important to have hopes and dreams.  It’s important to work towards change and future vision realizations.   But it’s all for nothing if it doesn’t align with God.  So our number one pursuit should be to know God and to see His wisdom.  God’s wisdom will not fail – never!

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6:33

If you want to win – if you want to succeed – if you want to see hopes for change realized, you must seek God with all you have.

What are you waiting for?  What is stopping you from seeking God with everything you have?

On The Eve Of Something Life-Changing

There is an electricity in the air.

The excitement is building, and there is this feeling that something life-changing is about to happen.

In just over an hour, our family will be heading towards Newark, NJ to catch a flight tomorrow morning to Guatemala.

We have thoughts, ideas, dreams, hopes, and even some fears about what we are about to experience.

We want to change lives – lives of widows, lives of orphans, lives of those who don’t know Jesus.  This will probably happen, but it won’t be the only change that happens.  With little doubt, we will be impacted.  Each of our lives will be transformed by our time away in a foreign land.

What stories we will have to share upon our return.  I can only imagine.

And so as we stand on the brink of amazing expectation and opportunity, we patiently wait with anticipation of what is to come.

I’m not certain about my ability to connect while we are in Guatemala.  I’ll try to check in from time to time if time and accessibility permits.  In the meantime, I have a great line up of guest bloggers who will keep you stretching while I am away.  Read their posts.  Leave comments and enter the discussion.  Jump over to their blogs.  (And while you are at it say a prayer for us, for our partners, and for the people of Guatemala – specifically of Santo Domingo Xenacoj.)

Until next week, keep stretching and look for something life-changing.

 My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.  Philippians 1:20 HCSB

Ten Things To Pack On Your International Short-Term Missions Trip

It’s time for me to start packing for our trip to Guatemala.  We can take up to 50 pounds in our suitcases.  We must plan appropriately to make sure we are bringing the necessary items.  Here is a list of things you should consider if you are traveling internationally for a short-term missions trip:

10 Things To Pack On Your International Short-Term Missions Trip

1. Long pants or long dresses.  Short shorts are not the norm in most of the world.  In fact, uncovered upper legs are quite offensive in most cultures.  We will be wearing pants and long shorts, and the girls will also be wearing long dresses and capris.  If you are traveling overseas, make sure you dress appropriately.
2. Clothes to leave behind.  The past two years, I have come home with less than half of the clothing I brought.  I can always get more t-shirts and shoes at home in America.  My shirts and shoes are treasured possessions for our friends in Guatemala.  If you are planning to go to a third world country, plan to come home with lighter or fewer suitcases.
3. Camera.  You don’t have to or want to bring an expensive camera, but you want to bring something to capture the faces and places you will be visiting. Our pictures from last summer of some of my most prize “possessions.”  I treasure the beautiful people and memories represented through these pictures.  (Plan to leave many of the other devices at home.  For one, you probably won’t have access to internet.  Secondly, our devices could cause us to stick out like a sore thumb to a pick-pocket or thief.)
4. Snacks.  You will want to try some of the food in the foreign land you are visiting, but there are times when you need a little snack or just a taste of home.  Pack granola bars, nuts, gum, or trail mix just in case.  These will come in handy when you are in the middle of a busy day far away from safe food and water.
5. Water bottle.  We drank a lot of bottled water during our trip last year.  This water was safe to drink, and it kept us hydrated during our travels.  Make sure your water source is safe before you drink it.  Once you find a safe water source, be sure to fill your water bottle as often as possible.
6. Rain gear and light weight jackets.  It is the rainy season in Guatemala while we are there, and it also gets cool at night.  Rain gear will help you stay dry during the random rain showers, and a jacket or sweatshirt will keep you warm in the cool evenings.  People often think we will be really hot in Guatemala, but we will actually be hanging out at 7,500 feet above sea level.  It’s much cooler at this elevation.  Find out what the weather is like where you are traveling, so you can plan and dress appropriately.
7. Hand sanitizer.  I can’t guarantee there will be soap and water around when you get dirty.  Make sure you have some type of hand cleaner on hand just in case.  You’ll need it.
8. Bible and journal.  I would probably recommend a small travel Bible to safe space.  You will want this while you are in the mission field.  God will speak to you in amazing ways, and His Word should be an important part of your listening.  You will also want to have a journal so you can capture your thoughts along the way.
9. Spending money.  Don’t go overboard here.  You don’t need a lot of money.  You can exchange it at the airport or at a local bank.  You need just enough for snacks, a few souvenirs, and a small gift for your hosts.  We brought $100 per person which seemed to be the right about for a week-long trip.  I would guess that we spend most of this on souvenirs for those at home and for a gift to our host family.  Carrying around lots of money is a recipe for trouble.
10. Cipro. Cipro is short for a longer pharmaceutical name.  This medicine is crucial for traveling overseas to third world countries.  Despite your best efforts, you will most likely be exposed to bacteria and germs your body is not used to having around.  Travel diarrhea is not fun.  In fact, it can be pretty hard on your body.  Make sure you have Cipro around just in case.  (Malaria is not a problem where we are going, but this is something you should be aware of depending on what part of the world you are visiting.  Depending on where you are heading in Guatemala, you may or may not need to take medicine for malaria.  Malaria medication typically must be taken before, during, and after your trip, so plan ahead.)

One more thing:  Don’t forget your passport!  You might need this to get into and out of a country.

What am I missing?  What questions to you have about packing for an international short-term missions trip?  What else would you want to bring on your trip?

Short-Term Missions – Amazing, Diverse, Life-Changing

Short-term missions trips are amazing experiences, but they are all a little different.

I can remember going on week-long missions trips with my high school youth group.  Without fail, every year was not the same.  There were some elements that seemed to follow us from year to year.  For example, if memory serves me correctly, 4 out of 5 years which I went on this trip there was some type of blow-up on Thursday night.  This is probably not that unusual when you take 20-30 teenagers for a week away from home.  They get sleep deprived and homesick, and something is bound to snap.  Besides this though, these trips were all different.  We served different people in different locations.  There were different themes that emerged from each trip, and we came home with different stories from our experiences.

In less than one week, our family will be returning to Santo Domingo Xenacoj for the third summer in a row.  We have ideas about what we will experience and about what our serving opportunities will look like based on our previous experiences.  But here’s the reality:  this trip will be different from the previous trips.

Different can be a little scary, but it can also be very exciting.

If you haven’t been on a short-term missions trip, I would encourage you to go.  The experience will change your life.

Here are 3 simple ways to find out more about taking your first short-term missions trip:

1. Find out if your local church has any plans to take a short-term missions trip in the near future.  Ask your pastor.  Ask other church goers.  If they are, attend an informational meeting about the trip.  Going to an informational meeting doesn’t mean you are going, but it’s a great way to get information about short-term missions.
2. Attend a missions night at your church.  After I returned from short-term missions trips with my high school youth group, our group had the opportunity to share about our experiences with the congregation.  I think this was a healthy discipline for our youth group and for our church.  These missions nights gave teenagers an opportunity to keep processing their experience.  It also gave the church an opportunity to learn more, to be encouraged to keep sending teenagers to serve others, and to be inspired to go serve themselves.  This is a great reminder for us as we embark on our trip to Guatemala.  When we return, we should have some type of missions night either at our church or at our home.  People at home need to hear our story.
3. Talk to a friend who has gone on short-term missions trips before.  A great way to learn more about missions trips is to ask someone who has gone before.  People’s experiences will all be very different, so talk to multiple people.  You will get a different flavor and different information depending on who you speak with.  (Here’s the deal though:  they won’t fully be able to relay their experience to you.  At some point, you will have to go and experience it for yourself.)  If you have any questions about going on your first short-term missions trip, you can reach out to me.  I’d be glad to help you learn more.

If you have been on a short-term missions trip, I would encourage you to go on another trip.  The experience of going again will change your perspective on many things including short-term missions.

To give you a taste of our past trips to Guatemala, here are two videos recapping each trip.  You’ll see that our experience was very different each time we went.

Have you ever gone on a short-term missions trip?  Tell me about your experience.

Have you been on more than one missions trip?  How were the trips different for you?

Ten Days And Counting – Guatemala Here We Come!

T-Minus Ten Days And Counting!

In ten days, our family will be taking off from Newark International Airport on our way to Guatemala where we will be serving widows and orphans in the village of Santo Domingo Xenacoj (pronounced Shen-a-coe).  Our goal this year is to build two houses for two widows and their families.  I feel fairly convinced that we will accomplish this; however, there will be many other things that happen on this short-term missions trip which will go beyond any of our planning.  If I’ve learned one thing going to Guatemala the past two summers, it’s that flexibility is required.  God shows up and does far more than we could ever imagine on trips like this.  I’m sure we will have a chance to impact people’s lives, and I’ve also quite certain that our lives will be impacted in new ways as we make this journey.

As we prepare to embark on this journey, here are ten ways for you to pray:

1. Pray for safety as we travel.  It’s a five-hour flight to and from Guatemala City.  And it’s a 90 minute drive from the airport to and from Xenacoj.  I don’t anticipate any problems, but your prayers for safety would be appreciated.
2. Pray for the ministry of GO! Ministries and for missionary David Sgro.  We will be playing a small part in their overall ministry to this area.  Pray GO! Ministries would be effective in ministering.  Pray David would be encouraged.  Pray for wisdom as GO! Ministries discerns its next steps for expanding its ministry.
3. Pray for German and his family.  German is a local man who has become part of GO! Ministries.  He and his family are the hands and feet of GO! Ministries throughout the year.  They provide on the ground support for short-term missionaries like us, and they also provide year round support to the widows and orphans in the community.  German was recently baptized, and he is studying to become a pastor.  He has the heart of a true servant, and I’m certain he would appreciate prayers for encouragement.
4. Pray for our health.  Anytime you travel to a foreign country there is risk of sickness.  We will be living in a place where the water has different bacteria than our bodies our accustomed to.  This means we have to be extra careful with what we eat and drink if we want to avoid illness.  Last year, we each dealt with fairly mild sickness.  It would be nice to avoid this on our trip this summer.
5. Pray for good weather while we are working.  We are heading to Guatemala during the rainy season.  We’ve been able to avoid poor weather the past two years, and we are asking for weather mercies again this year.  Good weather will help our construction efforts to go more smoothly.
6. Pray for the family of house number one.  We don’t know all the particulars yet, but we know that this home will house a widow and two of her family members.  We pray this new home will be a springboard of hope for this small family.
7. Pray for the family of house number two.  Again we don’t know the particulars, but we know that his home will house a widow and five of her family members.  We pray this new home will be a launchpad for this family.  We pray our efforts will point this family towards Christ and His love.
8. Pray for the neighbors of both of these women.  They will see strange people (white and tall) helping their neighbors.  We will have an opportunity to be a lighthouse to those who live near the widows.
9. Pray for our fellow team members.  There is a small team of two heading down to Guatemala a few days ahead of us.  They will get started on the first house.  Pray for unity and harmony as we work together and as we meet these new friends.
10. Pray for Xenacoj.  Xenacoj is a beautiful village.  And there are many positive things happening in the village, but there is still more work to do.  Pray for the widows of the village.  There are roughly 75 widows in the village.  These are women who have lost their husbands for one reason or another.  Culturally, they are at the bottom of the barrel.  They get little help and little respect.  Thanks to GO! Ministries this is beginning to change.  Pray for the orphans of the village.  There are many kids who have been left fatherless.  Without a father, they lack guidance and provision.  They need physical and spiritual nourishment.  And pray for the leaders of the community.  They have a major influence in the village.  Pray for wisdom as they lead.  And pray that they would have open hearts to the gospel.

As we head to Guatemala, we would greatly appreciate your prayers.  With ten days to go, pick one of these things each day, and pray.  In this way, you will go with us as we serve in Xenacoj.

Will you pray?  How can we pray for you?

What A Difference A Bed Makes!

Where do you sleep?  What kind of bed do you have?

If you are like most Americans, you have a pretty comfortable bed.  You probably have a bed frame with a box spring.  You probably have a pretty decent mattress with pillows, sheets, and a bed spread.

I sleep on a king size bed in a house protected from the elements.  These past few days, we’ve had the air conditioner on which makes sleeping conditions pretty nice during the hot summer nights.

When I was in Guatemala two summers ago, I slept on a collapsed folding table on top of a roof protected by a plastic roof.  It wasn’t ideal, but I still managed to get some sleep after hard days of working in the village of Xenacoj.  Last summer, I upgraded to a small bunk bed.  The bed was probably two feet too short for me (I’m six feet six inches tall), but it was still better than sleeping on the ground (or on the roof).  I’m not sure what our sleeping conditions will be like this year, but I’m not too worried.

This is the bed we saw last summer where a widow sleeps with her three children. The picture is dark and so is the room itself.  It was made up of a sheet of plywood on top of a few overturned five gallon buckets.  Pieces of fabric serve as a “mattress” and sheets/blankets for this family.

While we were serving in Guatemala last summer, we visited the home of widow in the small village of San Antonio.  She lived in a very small house with her three kids.  The house had a dirt floor and corn-stalk walls.  The roof was made of sheets of metal.  The inside of the roof was covered in black soot caused by the open fire used for cooking.  Inside the walls of the house, there were four overturned five gallon buckets on which rested a sheet of plywood which was covered with scraps of fabric.  This is where the widow slept with all three of her children.  This was their bed.

Earlier this year, a team from the United States went down to Guatemala to help widows and orphans.  During their trip, they build a new house for this family.  They now live in a house with a concrete floor, wooden walls, a solid metal roof, and electricity.  The team was also able to provide bunk beds for this family, so each person has a bed with a mattress, sheets, pillows, and blankets.  Can you imagine the difference this made for this family?

In just over two weeks, our family will be heading down to Guatemala where we will build two houses.  One house will be the home for a widow and two family members, and the other house will become the home for a widow and five of her family members.  Thanks to generous donors, we will be able to build both of these houses.  This alone will change the life of these families.

But what if we could do more?  What if we could find a way to provide beds as well?

Yesterday, our missionary friend, David Sgro, posted the following on his Facebook timeline:

I’ll be visiting Guatemala later this month and we’ll be working with the Jon Stolpe family to build two houses for two widows and their families. The cost for each house is approx $2,000. That money has been raised. The widows and their children also need bedding and a bed and mattress cost $100. We need a total of 9 beds. If you’d like to donate towards buying a widow or an orphan a bed please visit www.goministries.info, scroll down and click on “Paypal Option 1” to donate. You can add a note saying “Widow/Orphan Bedding” and those funds will be used to buy the beds! Thanks a lot. If you buy a bed I’ll send you a picture so you can see the family enjoying their bed.

This was not a cost we were aware of when we set up our trip and fundraising budget.  I suppose it’s not essential, but it would be a great way to put a bow on the gift we are providing to these families.  I know it’s a big ask, but would you consider helping out?  Maybe you can get together with your family or a group of friends and pay for one bed.  If we get nine people to do this, we would be set.  (Or if we get eighteen people to pay for half of a bed, we would be set.  You get the idea.  Any amount would be appreciated.)

How do you think a new bed might change the life of one these families?

What is the nicest bed you’ve ever slept on?  What is the worst sleeping condition you’ve ever endured?

The second half of the video below shows the home of the widow mentioned above before her house was rebuilt.

And this video highlights the construction of her new home.  This will give you a small glimpse into what we will be experiencing in a couple of weeks while we are in Guatemala.  (Go to the 9 minute mark to fast forward to the house construction and completion.)

Guatemala Update – 47 Days To Go!

In 47 days, our family will be flying to Guatemala for a week of serving orphans and widows in the village of Xenacoj.  Here’s an update on our upcoming trip:

• We’ve raised enough money to build two houses and to do some extra things for the widows and orphans in the village.  There is a possibility that we will be able to get the widows started with a jewelry business.  This would be pretty cool, because Hannah used her jewelry making skills to raise funds for the past two trips.  It would also be exciting to help give the widows another skill to help them provide for themselves and their families.
• We booked our plane tickets.  We will be flying out of Newark, NJ into Guatemala City.  This is the most expensive part of the trip, so it’s a blessing to have this step behind us.
• We purchased travel insurance.  After having to cancel our trip to Kenya four years ago due to health issues, we learned about the importance of having travel insurance.  Travel insurance covers replacement of travel costs in the event of a trip cancellation for any reason.  It also provides some protection for loss of luggage, and it covers some medical expenses in the event of a health emergency during the trip.
• Next, we will be finalizing payment for costs while we are on the ground in Guatemala.  This includes food, lodging, transportation, and translators.  It also covers the cost of the houses we will be building.  These houses cost $1,500 each which provides a significant upgrade in living conditions for the recipients.  One of my goals is to build 100 houses in Guatemala.  This will make it number three.  If we raise additional funds, we may use it towards more houses.
• Isaac is getting close to earning his Eagle Rank in the Boy Scouts of America.  He needs to earn three merit badges and complete his Eagle project.  He has decided to incorporate Guatemala into his project.  He is finalizing the details now.  It’s exciting to see our children hungry to serve and help others.

Going on a short-term missions trip is a big undertaking.  Some would argue that it’s not worth it.  Why would someone pay so much money to go overseas for one week when they could use the same money to serve more people close to home for a longer period of time?  I’ve heard the question before in regards to my past trips to Guatemala.  After making a return visit to Guatemala last year, I was able to see the impact of our first trip.  I’ve also seen how a short-term missions can change a community, and I’ve seen how it can change the short-term missionary.

This week Relevant Magazine published an article about short-term missions trips.  I would encourage you to check out the article (Things No One Tells You About Going on Short-Term Mission Trips) and jump in on the conversation.

What do you think you’ll be doing in 47 days?  What questions do you have about short-term missions?

Finding Fun In Fundraising – 5 Ways To Find Fun In Fundraising

I’m not a big fan of fundraising.

I remember when I was young, and my parents would watch the Peter, Paul, and Mary special during the PBS Fund Drive.  My brothers and I would cringe when they broke from the program to take a break for fundraising.  Hosts would offer viewers the Peter, Paul, and Mary Special Box Set free for a generous donation of $500 or more to keep quality publicly funded television on the air for the next year.  The whole experience was pure torture.

When you hear the word fundraising what comes to mind?

Fun is not typically the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word.

Honestly, fundraising makes me feel a bit awkward.  It takes a lot of humility to ask others to help raise funds to send us to Guatemala.  But I’ve also learned over the past three years of fundraising for trips to Guatemala that fundraising is important.  Obviously, it’s important for raising the financial resources necessary for a trip.  Just as important, fundraising provides an opportunity to get others involved with ministry to a foreign land.  Many of the donors have commented that they are thrilled that they get to help do something life changing for people in Guatemala.  They can’t imagine going there themselves, but they are happy to make a difference through their financial support.

Yesterday, our family capped off fundraising for our missions trip to Guatemala this summer where we will be building two homes and sharing the gospel with widows and orphans in the village of Xenacoj.  Yesterday’s Guatemala Jewelery and Cupcake Fundraiser was a huge success and will make this year’s trip possible.

The afternoon was actually pretty fun.  We spent time with Amy and Mark Sullens at their cake shop, Cake Art by Amy.  They were such gracious hosts for this event.  And we had the honor of hanging out with visitors for three hours as patrons came in to purchase cupcakes and handmade jewelry.

So how can you put the fun in fundraising?

This is a great question.  Here are some suggestions to get you thinking:

5 Ways to Find Fun In Fundraising

1. Be creative.  Hoagie sales and car washes are okay, but what if you could do something different?  This year our family raised funds for our trip by hosting a benefit recital in March and the jewelry and cupcake event yesterday.  These are not your typical fundraising events.  They were a bit different which was a good thing.
2. Involve the whole family (or team).  Our kids were key members of the fundraising for our family.  Isaac utilized his musical talents at the recital, and Hannah made all the jewelry.  It was work, but it was also fun.  Isaac loves to perform, and the recital was just the right venue for him to contribute.  And Hannah has amazing talent when it comes to making jewelry.  She enjoys makes something beautiful out of beads and pieces of metal.
3. Have a positive attitude.  Trust me this helps.  I love to share about our past trips and our upcoming trip.  Telling people about the fundraisers gives me a great opportunity to talk about the trips.
4. Celebrate when you meet your goals.  There is something satisfying about reaching your goals.  High five.  Cheer.  And tell people when your fundraising goals are met.  Thanks to the generosity of others we will build two homes for people in need, and we will get to do some amazing things for people in the village of Xenacoj.  This is a reason to celebrate!
5. Keep it all in perspective.  Fundraising has tremendous power to transform the lives of who you are helping, and it has amazing power to change the lives of the donors.  Even though fundraising may be a difficult task, it is worth it.  Remember this.  I’m excited to see lives changed in Xenacoj, and I’m excited to share stories with supporters here at home.

Maybe there is some fun to be found in fundraising.

What is your experience with fundraising?  How have you found fun in your fundraising experiences?