All In The Family

To say that I'm analytical is a gross understatement.  Before I jump into anything I generally want to hear the whole story, get all the stats, see all the pics, and analyze all the angles. I prefer full disclosure myself, and I assume you do too.  That's why I generally pass all that information along to you.  So this post is a bit more difficult for me to write because I can't give you those details.  For legal reasons, I don't even have any pretty pictures to post.   There is normally an immense amount of competition for donors and dollars in the non profit world, but I believe that as the body of Christ we should all work together as a family;  after all, our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. So I'm writing to you today, not on behalf of Loving InDeed, but on behalf of another organization here in Guatemala called Mujer de Proposito (Women of Purpose). The woman who founded this organization, Haydee de Perez, is a dear friend of mine.  In fact, she's one of the few here that I consider to be family.  Years ago, God put a dream in her heart to found a safe place where abused women could not only find physical refuge, but be fed, clothed, educated, cared for medically, given the gospel, and loved in the name of Jesus.  Together with her daughter and a very dedicated team of other women, she did just that and the battered womens' shelter has been up and running for 5+ years now. Over the course of that time, the shelter has morphed into a place for women of all ages to find refuge, although more often than not it ends up being teenage girls who would otherwise have no where to go. Today, the shelter has 31 women, teens, and small children who are there because they have been beaten, raped, abused, or abandoned. And they need our help.  We are looking for donors who are willing to give up their right to details: the right to have a pretty refrigerator magnet with your sponsored girl's name, age, and picture--the right to know some of the details of her life and history--the right to even be able to pray specifically.  We need people who are just willing to help. I know that's asking a lot.  Haydee shared with me this morning that to support one person in the shelter for one month costs about $50.  That includes their food, housing, medical care, clothing, education, and transportation costs for those who can study outside the shelter.  A monthly sponsorship or a one-time gift would be equally appreciated. Either one would be not only a huge financial blessing, but also a tremendous encouragement to Haydee and her team who have struggled against all odds to keep this place open.  There is NO OTHER SHELTER for women in our entire department.

I know you all trust me to handle your money with integrity, and I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me.  Please know that even though I can't tell you specifically who you are supporting, any money you send to me for Mujer de Proposito will go directly to them in its entirety.  And if you ever come visit me, I'd be thrilled to bring you by the shelter to meet Haydee and visit the girls. To give, visit www.cten.org/lynnannmurphy and click on the donate button.  It's tax-deductible, and you can choose to send a one-time gift or set up a monthly automatic draft.  PLEASE send me a note letting me know that your donation is for the shelter, or the money is likely to end up in the Loving InDeed fund!  :)  Thank you for your endless support.  I wish I could hug all of you in person and then drag you down here to show you the tremendous work your generosity has enabled.  I hope Jesus lets me see your faces when we all get to Heaven and you receive your rewards for things you aren't even aware that you did.