Sometimes the Gift that is Needed Most is the Hardest Gift to Give

Thank you for walking through the Give Back Giveaway with me.

It has brought me much joy to highlight these ministries for your support, to see the hope and healing being brought into lives around the world, and to give away lovely and delicious gifts to you from these ministries. I do hope you will seriously consider supporting them as you give this Christmas.

But I will confess that reading and writing about the brokenness and need in the many precious lives served through these programs has grieved me. The hiddenness and magnitude of the problems threaten to overwhelm this tender heart.

Can we be honest?

There is never enough that we can do. Because the hurt is so huge.

But we must do something. Our love for Jesus, because of His love for us, simply must overflow and embrace those who hurt.

In the end, we truly are never enough. But He is enough. He is enough for us, He is enough for all who suffer. He is the only hope we have.

We can be His hands and feet, His eyes and ears, pouring ourselves out in love and service right here and right now.

This may sound funny, given that I have spent a month sharing various ministries with you, but I believe this firmly...

If you have a choice to send money somewhere, or to reach out and touch a hurting person right near you, turn to that hurting person.

Yes, money matters, it does make a difference and people and ministries REALLY need it. So many are struggling financially.

But you have neighbors who don't have a group ministering to them. So you be the ministry, you minister to their needs. You are equipped for this in Him!

I look around me now, here in the middle of a burned out forest, and I see an incredible amount of real and present need. When 1600+ homes and businesses are completely destroyed in a rural community, the list of needs is overwhelming.

Sometimes the way to meet a need does require money. But creative lovers of Christ can serve, no matter the circumstance.

The balm for all wounds, ultimately, is love, and love doesn't require money.

If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that love may be the more costly of the two, as it requires giving of our very selves.

This is what is required of us, I believe. And I fail abysmally most of the time. But I long to live love and pour out my life as an offering.

Will you try with me?

Open your heart to the need right next door, and give yourself away this Christmas.



photo by JoyLove7

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Women at Risk International AND Christian Freedom International

Okey doke, dear ones, time for the final Give Back Giveaway!

First off, allow me to introduce you to Women at Risk International. These folks work in countries around the world serving women in danger and crisis.  They do quite a bit of outreach in the United States as well.

A bulk of the focus is on human trafficking. It is hard to wrap my mind around the reality that in New York City alone there are 3500+ children being trafficked. WAR, Int'l has multiple approaches... prevention, education, raids, job training, safe houses, and more. From their website:

Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) is a nonprofit organization established to place circles of protection around women at risk. The purpose and passion of this organization is to wrap arms of love around women and children, whispering the message that they were created for purpose and dignity. Creating safe places for women and children rescued from many abuses including human trafficking/sexual slavery, WAR, Int’l desires to give voice to their silenced cries.

Take some time to read their website. It's a very rich site with lots of hidden treasures, much like the women they serve.

They sell items to raise funds for the various projects.  90% of the proceeds from the item sold goes back to the project from which it originated.  As I perused their offerings my attention was caught by this:

It is an alabaster candle holder. I knew what it was made of right away because earlier this year I wrote about the woman with the alabaster jar, and I searched high and low for a picture of one. Alabaster was valuable in Jesus' days, and the contents of that alabaster jar was the woman's most prized possession.

Well, of course I knew that that was what I just had to give away here. What a lovely reminder of the treasure that we have in Christ, that all we have is His, that really we are His greatest treasure!

And a candle holder needs candles, yes?

Enter Christian Freedom International!

CFI ministers to the needs of the persecuted church around the world.  From their website:

CFI has relationships with indigenous believers and churches including underground house church networks and Christian cell groups in countries where they are persecuted for their faith.

These courageous Christians share our passion for assisting the part of the Body that is suffering. They work with us to provide medicine, safe-houses, aid, Bibles, education, microenterprise, documentation, and advocacy to Christians and their families who are on the front lines of persecution.

And in their fundraising shop? Candles!

Don't you think these bamboo candles will go nicely with the alabaster candle holder?

In this giveaway:

• one alabaster candle holder from Egypt, via WAR, Int'l
• three bamboo candles from Thailand, via CFI

There are four ways to enter this giveaway from Women at Risk International and Christian Freedom International (please leave a separate comment for each... one comment = one chance to win).

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

1. Are you a candle lover? Dinner? Bathtime? When do you like to light candles? Leave a comment.
2. Browse the WAR Chest Boutique and share one item you might want to give as a gift.
3. Browse the CFI Store and share one item you might want to give as a gift. 
4. Share the WAR/CFI Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Bamboo candle and alabaster candle holder giveaway at Joyful Mama.... http://goo.gl/Wqc0n #GiveBackGiveaway"

The alabaster candle holder and bamboo candle giveaway will end on Saturday Dec. 3, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations His Jules!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Women At Risk International or Christian Freedom International. The giveaway items will be purchased for the purpose of this giveaway, with all funds going to WAR Int'l and CFI.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Heavenly Treasures/HT Handicrafts

Today I'd like to introduce you to Heavenly Treasures.  Their mission is to "equip and assist people in developing countries to break the cycle of poverty through their handiwork and creativity."

The Heavenly Treasures Network consist of over 50 micro-enterprise livelihood projects in 13 countries around the world. At the Heavenly Treasures shop, HT Handicrafts, you can purchase a wonderful variety of arts and handicrafts, and know that 100% of the proceeds will go to the livelihood project selling the items.

From their website:

Since 1998, heavenly treasures has assisted refugees, single mothers, widows, the physically disabled, women & children rescued from human trafficking, orphans, the disenfranchised, and many others. Lives around the world are affected each day through the sale of handicrafts. Each product made reflects the heart and soul of one or more of our artisans around the world.  Assistance is provided to artisans in the areas of Business Development, International Marketing, Leadership Training, Product Development and Spiritual Guidance. We desire to see people fed physically, spiritually & emotionally.

Investing in people who have the desire to see their lives change is exciting “business”.  We are mission focused; Heavenly Treasures are people not products.  We network with those who can consistently build relationships with the participants of the livelihood projects and have their own network to build the kingdom of God.

Heavenly Treasures was founded based on Biblical scripture... Matthew 6: 19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”

Look at these lovely paper creations from Thailand...

Yes, these you'll get some of ALL of these in this giveaway! The giveaway consists of

• 6 small decorative paper boxes
• 1 pressed flower and paper bookmark
• 1 handcrafted pressed flower and paper journal with a wooden pencil  

 They are all sooo pretty, and I think they would make lovely gifts, don't you?

There are three ways to enter the HT Handicrafts paper gifts giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... one comment = one chance to win):

1. I just love journals and have filled many. What about you? Are you a writer? Would you use the journal for yourself or gift it?
2. Browse HT Handicrafts and share one item you might want to give as a gift.
3. Share the HT Handicrafts Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Heavenly Treasures Handicraft giveaway at Joyful Mama! http://goo.gl/6U3rK #GiveBackGiveaway"

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Heavenly Treasures/HT Handicrafts giveaway will end on Monday Nov. 28, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/29/11: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Darrell!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Heavenly Treasures or HT Handicrafts. The giveaway items were purchased for the purpose of this giveaway, with all funds going to Heavenly Treasures.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Create Good Foundation

The Create Good Foundation was started by the founders of Pura Vida coffee to serve needy people in coffee growing regions around the world. Their focus is on providing access to safe water sources and establishing economic infrastructure projects.

Did you know...

• One in eight people lacks access to clean water
• Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water borne disease
• Lack of sanitation is the world's biggest cause of infection
• Over 200 million hours is consumed every day by women collecting water

In Nicaragua, projects sponsored by Create Good have built gravity fed water systems,  dug and rehabilitated wells, and improved sanitation by building latrines.

Water projects in Guatemala have included assisting families in getting individual water filters to clean their unsafe water sources, and building a gravity fed water system to bring water closer to residences and eliminate the need for physical hauling.

Create Good has also invested in projects that bring economic stability to poor areas, including grants for schools and loans for small businesses.

Create Good and Pura Vida sell coffee, tea, wine and chocolate to help raise money for these projects.

And oh am I excited about this giveaway.... chocolate!

The ingredients in Create Good's single origin chocolate are from Guatemala, and the chocolate is made in Guatemala.  This is really Guatemalan chocolate! The proceeds from sales of their chocolate go to their clean water projects.

How about this for yummy?

• one bar of dark chocolate
• one bar of dark chocolate with sea salt
• one bar of milk chocolate
• one bar of milk chocolate with almonds. 

That's right, four bars of chocolate for you or a friend!

There are three ways to enter the Create Good chocolate giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... each comment = one chance to win):

1. Tell us... what is your favorite kind of chocolate?
2. Are you a tea or coffee drinker?
3. Share the Create Good Chocolate Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Create Good chocolate giveaway! http://goo.gl/gqe79 #GiveBackGiveaway"

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Create Good chocolate giveaway will end on Friday Nov. 25, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/26/11: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Jennifer!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Create Good or Pura Vida. The chocolate is purchased for the purpose of this giveaway, with all funds going to Create Good.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Haitian Creations

Last year as I was searching for gifts that give back, I came across Haitian Creations, an arm of Heartline Ministries.

Heartline has had a presence in Haiti for over a decade. During the devastating earthquake in January of 2010, Heartline set up an emergency clinic that saved many lives. They run a women's clinic now, as well as a ministry teaching women to do handwork to support themselves.

From their website:

Our dream was to create a place where women could learn valuable life-skills and eventually support their families out of the cycle of poverty. This dream is coming into reality every day as women learn to read and write, learn to sew, learn to make jewelry, learn to cook, and learn to run their own businesses. It is our ultimate desire to see women discover their God-given talents and abilities and to know they are treasured themselves!

We offer four different education classes: literacy, beading, sewing, and new this semester, cooking. Women who graduate from the six-month sewing class or the four-week beading class have the opportunity to work part-time for Heartline at the center. We provide materials, a machine, and a safe place to work. Their beautiful hand-crafted goods are available online at HaitianCreations.com and through hosted Purse Parties around the US and Canada!

The Haitian Creations website sells purses and jewelry hand made by the women in the Heartline program. As of this writing, only the purses are up for sale, as the website is being revamped, but by the end of November you should be able to purchase jewelry from their website as well.

For this giveaway I'm delighted to be giving away a bag from Haitian Creations!

The bag is handmade and signed by its maker, Suzette. Think purse. Think knitting bag. Think library books. It's nice and roomy, with two pockets on the front and two inside. This would make a lovely Christmas gift!

There are three ways to enter the Haitian Creations purse giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... each comment = one chance to win):

1. Visit Haitian Creations' purse page. What style do you like?
2. Spend some time reading one of the volunteers' blogs... John and Beth, The Hendrick Family, The Livesay Family
3. Share the Haitian Creations Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Haitian Creations handmade bag giveaway! http://goo.gl/vEI45 #GiveBackGiveaway "

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Haitian Creations purse giveaway will end on Sunday Nov. 20, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/21/11: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations Melissa!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Haitian Creations or Heartline Ministries. The bag was purchased for the purpose of this giveaway and all funds went to Heartline Ministries.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee

photo courtesy of Do Good Initiative

Four years ago I headed up the after-church coffee team at our then-church-home. We decided that we wanted to make our dollars count, so I began to hunt around for coffee that gave back, coffee that did good.

I stumbled upon Land of a Thousand Hills.

One spring morning I spent a sunny hour talking on the phone with Robert at Land of a Thousand Hills. He told me about the work they were doing in Rwanda. The wells and the cooperative coffee washing stations. The micro-loans to widows, and the intriguing theory behind loans instead of charity.

From their website...

In April 1994, Rwanda (an African country half the size of the state of Maryland) experienced one of history’s most atrocious genocides. In just 100 days, close to one million ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutu sympathizers lost their lives to the hands of extremist Hutu militia.

The 1994 genocide that left so many innocent people either dead, orphaned, or widowed has now become a focal point of the global community. In the wake of civil war, Rwanda made a commitment to national restoration. The government called upon the church to lead the country in reconciliation and asked the outside world to support them as it looked to heal and eradicate poverty, disease, and illiteracy.

In 2001, Jonathan Golden, founder of Land of a Thousand Hills, recognized a simple and tangible opportunity to make a difference in the reconciliation of the Rwandan people. This realization led Golden to start a coffee company that pays a fair wage to the farmers of Rwanda, helps them with their basic needs, and brings a quality product to coffee lovers.

The introduction of specialty coffee to the healing fields of Rwanda proved to be an uncommon opportunity for once warring countrymen to not only rebuild their homesteads, but to work together toward lasting peace. A commitment to excellence in coffee has brought dignity and hope to a nation that history suggested would never recover.

Robert was passionate about the work being done in Rwanda. And equally passionate about the coffee itself. He gave me detailed instructions on storage and preparation, and how to assess the quality of coffee. He explained that the beans are freshly roasted in the U.S. just before selling to keep them at their peak flavor.

So I ordered several varieties, and oh. my. Freshly roasted coffee? Nothing like it.

Now Land of a Thousand Hills also works in Haiti, and has started the Do Good Initiative.

Do you know someone who loves coffee? I sure do... what a great Christmas gift!

Now how about a coffee giveaway?  The winner of this giveaway will receive a 12 oz bag of Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.  Yummmm....

There are three ways to enter this giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... each comment = one chance to win):

1. Check out the Land of a Thousand Hills coffee beans. Which kind would you choose? Leave a comment here.
2. You're sitting on my front porch in a rocking chair sipping a cup of freshly ground, freshly brewed Land of a Thousand Hills coffee. I'm in the kitchen taking muffins out of the oven. Who is drinking coffee in the rocking chair next to you?
3. Share the Land of a Thousand Hills Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Land of a Thousand Hills coffee giveaway! #GiveBackGiveaway http://goo.gl/m0xkU"

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Land of a Thousand Hills coffee giveaway will end on Thursday Nov. 18, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/18/11: The Land of a Thousand Hills Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Eclairre!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Land of a Thousand Hills or the Do Good Initiative. The coffee is being purchased for the purpose of this giveaway and all funds will go to Land of a Thousand Hills.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Eden Ministry

Today I'd like to introduce you to a remarkable ministry that goes into the streets of China to pray for and help women, men, and even children who are entangled in human trafficking.

The women missionaries of Eden Ministry literally walk the streets by day and night, praying for and meeting with the countless souls who are consumed by this darkness.

You must go and read Lisa's blog, Eden Street Outreach. It is devastating to read of the sheer magnitude of the problem. But at the same time I am overwhelmed with hope by the work God is doing through them.

Not only does Eden Ministry seek to bring the hope of Jesus to the streets, they also help women find a safe and legal means to support themselves. From their website:

To enable women to have a sustainable income during their journey of restoration, we created Eden Jewelry, an international jewelry company. Jewelry making has been one of the most effective alternative career options available through our program. All the proceeds from the jewelry sales go to salaries for the girls and food and shelter expenses, as well as providing new training opportunities.

I am so happy to support this fruitful ministry. This Give Back Giveaway is a bracelet of your choice from Eden Ministry.

These are just a few of your choices... aren't they pretty?

 

I encourage you to go look at the beautiful jewelry and bookmarks of Eden Ministry, and consider purchasing some of your Christmas gifts from them.

There are three ways to enter this giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Visit the Eden Ministry bracelet pages and leave a comment below with the bracelet you would choose if you win.
2. Tell us someone who you think might enjoy an Eden Ministry bracelet for Christmas
3. Share the Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here).

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Eden Ministry bracelet giveaway will end on Sunday Nov. 13, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Desiree, the winner of a bracelet of her choice from Eden Ministry!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Eden Ministry. The bracelet will be purchased for the purpose of this giveaway. All funds will go to Eden Ministry.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Hands of Hope

Today's Give Back Giveaway comes from Hands of Hope, a sewing ministry to at-risk women in Cambodia.

From their website:

Hands of Hope is a sewing business that aims to provide former commercial sex workers and other at-risk individuals in Cambodia further opportunities to build new futures for themselves and their families. Hands of Hope began as an extension of House of Hope, a Christian rehabilitation center located in Kompong Cham Province. Hands of Hope is a part of the ministry of InnerCHANGE, a Christian order serving among the poor.

Hands of Hope has created sewing and handicraft jobs for graduates from the House of Hope program. The anticipated goal is that each seamstress will remain an independent contractor and will successfully run her own small business sewing and creating Hands of Hope products. Through this, each woman will achieve an improved quality of life for herself and her family.

And the giveaway? A hand made bible cover!

This bible cover is 9 1/2" x 7" x 2", made of royal blue traditional Cambodian fabric, and embroidered with gold and pink thread.

Please take some time to look at the other items that the ladies at Hands of Hope make, and consider purchasing some of your Christmas gifts from them.

There are three ways to enter this giveaway:

1. Leave a comment on this post sharing someone in your life who might enjoy this bible cover
2. Check out the Hands of Hope product page and leave another comment here about which items you like the most
3. Share the Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here).

The Hands of Hope bible cover giveaway will end on Thursday Nov. 10, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST.

UPDATE: congratulations to Angie Wattie for winning the bible cover!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Hands of Hope or innerCHANGE. This bible cover was purchased for the purpose of this giveaway. All funds went to Hands of Hope. 

The Give Back Giveaway

I am so happy to finally be introducing you to a handful of small ministries that I learned about last year!

As part of the Joy Sprinkling challenge last fall, I had a brainstorm. Could I do a giveaway on my blog as a sprinkle? Could that giveaway somehow "sprinkle" not only the recipient but also a good cause?

I thought of the many small ministries out there that do not get much publicity, and how their need is just as real as bigger, better known ministries. Then I got to thinking about Christmas, and how crazy-much money people spend on Christmas gifts.

The storm in my brain exploded and the idea to hold a series of giveaways from charities was born! I have been sitting on this idea for lo these many months, and now with Christmas soon upon us, it is time to share these ministries with you.

So, for the next few weeks, each Tuesday and Friday, I will be sharing a different ministry and giving away one of the items that they sell to raise support. Think Christmas gifts, folks!

I hope that you will take the time to visit each of the ministries' websites, and prayerfully consider supporting them, either with a financial donation or by making some of your gift purchases from them.

And of course, stop back tomorrow to enter the first giveaway!