vitamins

when our group went to africa in march, each of us was given something to collect and bring to donate.
my suitcases were full of birthday cake mixes and the pillowcase dresses.
all together we had 11 big suitcases full of donations: books, first aid, sports equipment, gardening tools
one suitcase was FULL of vitamins.
we filled a room in the Ale' Ale' House.  
it was awesome.

after the Good News Club on saturdays in Kroo Bay the children are given an egg.
we were told that for many of them it would be the only protein they would have all week.


we were told that since our visit they have been able to give each child a vitamin with their egg.


it's not anything we would get excited about here in the US...right?  an egg and a vitamin?
but for that to be all they get each week?
it breaks my heart.



we received an email that they have run out of vitamins and wondered if we would be able to collect more.

we said YES!
it's an honor to help.
we are sending all of our vitamins to a central location...jody's house in colorado
and the next person going to freetown will take our vitamins with them.


i took my kids and let them pick them out.

can YOU help?

1. buy children's vitamins.

2. email me for the address for where to send them.   ( cdduerksen@yahoo.com )

3. send them.  (if you are local you can give them to me anytime)

4. smile. 

5. pray for all the children who will receive them.

COME ON LADIES.
we can do this soooooo easily.

jody and cassie and pam and kari each blogged this today too...said it so beautifully.

i loved what jody added at the end of her post....and i am going to paste it here:
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I’m quoting in full here Jaime, a missionary in Costa Rica.
She describes this incident where she delivers food to some desperate kids:

“I’m gonna go fight poverty for two and a half hours.

2.5 hours on a Tuesday morning to solve the biggest problem in the world. What a joke.

We will show up with a bag full of bread and an armload of bananas, and the children will clamber around us like ducks at a pond. A bunch of little ducklings, falling all over each other for a bit of bread and a soft pat on the head.

And for 2 and a half hours we will laugh and play and eat, and we will talk about Jesus. And when we leave, they will be just as poor as when we arrived. Poverty taunts us as we drive away.

It’s overwhelming.

The problem is so big, and we are so small. It feels ridiculous… showing up to war wielding a loaf of bread.

Of course that’s how David showed up. Just a shepherd boy with some bread for his brothers, a kid who was quick with a sling shot. He chose for battle against a giant, not a sword, or the kings armor, but five smooth stones. And he won.

He said to the giant:”You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” ~1 Samuel 17

I kind of love that.

I’m going to feed the ducks, now.

And then, with all my might, I will hurl a tiny pebble at their giant enemy. And I hope it hurts like hell.“

(Jaime)

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And I love that.
So pick up your pebbles, people. Here we go…Thanks for joining us.

Comments

[bobbie]

I'll so be doing. look for my email soon.

[pam]

Wow...never bought vitamins before...so colorful, so fun....so humbled. I'm in...email already on it's way.

[Lisa]

great idea meg, am sending an email now.

[Lynda]

I can only help with 4 and 5 :(....I'm sorry! I would love to send some vitamins! Beautiful pictures of even more beautiful children, thanks for reminding me.......

[Lisa Cash]

Already sent the email - I'm in! Thanks for giving us all the opportunity to help out!

[Julie]

My mother hosted a Good News Club in our home. It was during one of those club meetings, I was saved. Very near and dear to my heart. The pebbles do seem so tiny, but hurling anyway. Thanks for the opportunity to help.

[Tracy]

Yes, I'll be happy to help out and help those babies over in Africa. That's such a sad story but one I'm so glad you were able to experience and share with the rest of us here. Thanks for the opportunity to help out in some small way. I will send you an email later today to request the address of where to send the vitamins to. P.S. I have also added this link on my blog to help spread the word! Big hugs, Meg! :o)

[Molly Pearce]

Oh yes I can help! I love this! I love what Jaimie said, very humbling, very sad, but very true about God's love for us and He fights for us everyday! I will send you an email now chicky!!
~Molly P

[shannon]

Yes ma'am we will help! I will do a post on my blog later this morning also!

[Nicole]

Absolutely!!! Going out today! And just so happen to be heading to the post office too! Hopefully I can get your address in time!

[Carmine]

Just a note too, if you can't physically send the vitamins, Jody is collecting donations via paypal and she'll go buy the vitamins. Her paypal is jodylanders @ gmail . com (remove the spaces in paypal)

[Emily]

Thanks for reaching out to us! Can't wait to help out.

[Tara]

crying and overwhelmed.
gonna email you and get the address...

[AshleyAnn]

Will be adding this to my post tomorrow...it fits in so perfectly. You make me happy Megan.

[Shauna]

thank you for blogging this. i needed this this morning. i am in. i will blog this later and email you for the address. also, while i was reading your post, i was listening to pandora's elizabeth mitchell station and a man was singing "i can change the world with my own two hands". not sure who it was singing, but I am gonna just take that double whammy encouragment as God's voice to me :) off to get my vitamins and obey Him...thanks for being you, Meg.

[misty]

i just cried my eyes out reading this. I am sending this link to our pastor & hope our church can help. also i will be sending vitamins. i'm emailing you for the address now- thank you for this post

[amber]

Yes! Another great way to teach my little girl about how the world around her is so imperfect. And how blessed we are to be able to serve. Thanks. I'm going to stick this on my blog too.

[Lisa]

Email sent - let us know when the person is leaving so we get them there on time! :-)

[Dana Banana]

I will buy several bottles this week and bring them to your house on Sunday. This will be a great service project for our family. Thanks for giving us the opportunity.

[Christi Hoffman]

LOVE,LOVE,LOVE this! I shared this on my FB! Thanks..

[Esther]

Wao....thanks Meg for this, will email in a sec for address. Tears running down, I'm a Cuban refugee and I totally been there so come on girls let's do this for these children. Hugs~

[SeaminglySarah]

Okay, maybe it's the pregnancy hormones talking, but the quote from Jamie made me cry.

Plus I love the mention of a "Good News Club." When my mother in law was hit with cancer a 2nd time she came up with the "Good News Report." She only focused on good news, god's news. The positive attitude and optimism she carries is inspiring. I always thought her "Good News Report" was cute, but now I can tell her it's catching around the world! =)

[Karen Gerstenberger]

This is awesome and beautiful. The Bible quote brought tears to my eyes, because that is how I feel about cancer research. I will do what I can to move this forward, so that one day, no more children and families will suffer what Katie (and we) suffered. NO MORE.

If you have a moment, PLEASE go to my blog and watch the video of the new cancer researcher in Seattle, Dr. Mike Jensen. He is a bit like David, with the tiny T-Cells and the big mission. I believe that he is going to move this forward, and the video will inspire you with HOPE.

[Melissa Lynch]

I sent the e-mail from my office for the address. I am computer ignorant. Can I share your post on my facebook so I can mail a HuGe box of vitamins?

[Lisa utu]

Love this! And love the quote at the end. Powerful!

[Megan]

Sent money to Jody thru Paypal. Thanks for the opportunity to give!

[Christy]

Thanks for posting this! Ordering some vitamins via Amazon & sending directly to the address. Easy peasy! Seriously, this is less than a meal out with my family & goes for a lot of good.

[jennifer]

Absolutely!!! Please send me the address where to send them.

[Lisa]

I sent my vitamin order directly to Jody via Amazon.com. I'm glad I could help a little! :)

[karen]

I am sending mine to Jody directly also thru Amazon
free shipping over $25

[laura]

I'm visiting Jessica McClenahan until Sunday and then will head back to Colorado. Not sure if you would prefer to wait awhile and just send a bunch at one time to Jody but if you would like me to take what you have already collected I'd be happy to. I'm just a few minutes from her. Anyway, thought I would throw that out there just in case. Call Jess if you would like me to. Otherwise, no worries and happy vitamin collecting! :)

[Rachel]

Please send the address - I'll have them shipped straight over from Amazon.

Thanks so much! God Bless

[Dana D@BoysMyJoys]

Megan-
Just wondering if there is anything else they need? When shopping for vitamins today at Target, they had all of their school supplies 75% off. In looking at some of the other pictures, I saw piles of glue and such. I'd be happy to pick up those suppies, too, especially while you can get so much for great prices- and mail them with the vitamins. Are things like glue and children's scissors needed?

[Margo]

Thanks for allowing us all to join in on this! I will be buying vitamins and getting them to you!

[Suzanne]

These children capture my heart with each picture. Simply beautiful!

[Rebecca]

will definitely send some vitamins out. i love the idea of taking the kids shopping - getting them involved and teaching them the value and joy of being a blessing to others!

posted this on my blog as well. thank you for your heart to serve others!

-Rebecca H.

[Christina]

Chills. What a great post from Jaime, too.

[Liz@Loving Mom]

What a wonderful and easy way to help out! I just sent you an email asking for more info. I am going to share this on Twitter and Facebook as well.

[Tina]

Thanks for posting this! We'll be sending lots of vitamins.

[Lynda]

Hi Megg,

Yesterday I read your post and commented on it.....as I live in the Netherlands I can't help you as I want to......I think...but I thought about it last night, and I want to ask you....CAN we help from here? ANy idea?

[Chantel]

I will definitely be doing this! I even reposted it on my FB and Tumblr. You will receive an e-mail from me shortly for the address!

[Sheryl]

Amen Sisters! I've got my pebbles ready! Although mine are aiming at the poverty giant in the Philippines. It's everywhere ladies, pick a place a hurl those pebbles!!

[jennibell]

GREAT idea!!! Would love to know how many suitcases this post generates!!! I blogged about it today (http://jennisseasons.blogspot.com/2010/09/company-girl-coffee-917.html) and am sending you an e-mail so I can send vitamins to you this weekend. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to give.

[Account Deleted]

I emailed you for an address.

[Melanie Neumann]

I emailed you for an address! This is awesome.

[Transparent Mama]

I love how the blogging world can come together to give vitamins to needy children in Africa. Very cool.

[Meg B.]

hmmm, I'm local and my school gives kids vitamins each day for free. Maybe we could get a bulk rate. I'll check into it.
Meg

[Laura]

you rock

[Selina]

I'd love to help, but sending vitamins from Australia is so not worth the money. Can I have an address so I can mail them from Amazon too? Thanks!!

[Kristin S]

What a great way to tangibly help!
Just posted on Facebook too...

[Traci]

Hi there,

Would you be interested in doing a giveaway/review on my blog, Ordinary Inspirations? Also, I'd love to have you Sponsor Ordinary Inspirations by running a fabulous ad in my sidebar!

http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com

Traci

PS: I'll send you more details and stats if you are interested.

[ThinkTHEBOXing]

Why just bring one suitcase load at a time? Is there a way we can ship vitamins directly to these kids?

[Beth Schobert]

Meg, we are doing this for our family Christmas instead of gifts. Will that be too late? Can we send them later? Please let us know if there are other things we could collect and send.
Beth

[Brenda]

I would love to donate and I will send you an email soon.

[Lori]

Sweet Meg- I would like to do this with my American Girl class. We are going to be doing a service project while studying Molly. Could you please tell me where to send the vitamins? Thanks so much! Lori toosillysisters@cox.net

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