I Promise This is Not an Infomercial

The last few days have been a whirlwind!  After returning home from Virginia we came smack up to Thanksgiving, Black Friday (KANZI) and now December!  I want to fill everyone in on what we have been up to, but I know many of my recent posts have been more informative, promotional stuff.

So bear with me for a minute.  I am going to cram a good bit of info into this one post so I can get back to things as usual, or at least my usual.

Ornaments4Orphans has been going strong.  I spend a lot of my time these days filling boxes with assorted ornaments to ship out to our coordinators.  We are still shipping them out, by the way, so if you want to put up a tree let us know!  In fact, you don't even have to put up a tree to be a coordinator.  We have folks selling ornaments door to door, from their car or in a basket in their office.  Every ornament sold is a blessing to our children in Uganda!

We have also been getting a lot of online orders through the web store!  So keep 'em comin'!  There are lots of brand new ornaments and nativities online this year, including some special prices on sets.  These angels are my personal favorite.

And speaking of nativities...maybe some of you saw the email from KANZI yesterday.  (To start receiving KANZI emails click HERE.) KANZI is our fair trade initiative that sells crafts and jewelry from East Africa.  Yesterday KANZI profiled one of our artisan partners, Buwembo Yekosafati, or "Yeko."  This man is a business partner, but also a personal friend.  

Yeko and his family live outside of Kampala.  He is disabled, unable to use his legs, but this has never stopped him.  Yeko designs and creates beautiful products.  He also founded an NGO, Uganda Artists with Disabilities.  You can read more about Yeko by clicking HERE.  

His nativity scene is my favorite.  It is VERY Ugandan.  Last year we were unable to offer his nativities online  due to demand and limited quantity.  But this year they finally available for purchase on the KANZI web store for $30!  You can also purchase them online at www.ornaments4orphans.org.

But wait, there's more!  (Do I sound like an infomercial yet?) 

Each December we do a very special fundraiser called The 12 Days of Christmas.  The purpose of 12 Days is to stock the pantry of Ranch on Jesus.  The 12 featured gifts in the 12 Days Catalog are food items typically eaten in Uganda.  Some are staples, like rice and beans.  Others are treats, like goats and pigs.  Prices range from $10 to $500.  If you would like to donate a gift in honor of a loved one, there are printable gift cards available online.

This is the third year that we have done 12 Days and the catalog is looking better than ever.  It also even easier to give online this year!  Look for the special 12 Days menu on the Pearl Ministries donation page.  The drop down menu is also available on the sidebar of this blog.  See?  Easy!  And you may also print off the order form and mail your donation to PO Box 610537, Birmingham, AL 35261.

So maybe now you can see why I haven't had much time to write lately.  And my reading schedule has greatly slowed.

But if you think I am busy it is nothing compared to my dear husband.  It requires so much dedication and time to keep all of these special plates spinning during this time of the year.  Scott oversees KANZI and Pearl Ministries and is currently working tirelessly to ensure things go well through the rest of the year.  I honestly don't know how he does it.  Last week he had to leave for work at 3:30 in the morning...twice.  (And between you and me, he definitely isn't doing it for the money.  The man works for KANZI as a volunteer.)

So if you should happen to bump into him, make sure to give him a hug.  He needs all the encouragement he can get.  I am so thankful for a husband who is willing to give up so much for himself so that others are blessed. 

This is the end of my little update. And see, this wasn't a real infomercial.  My husband is clearly not for sale.

I'll be back tomorrow with a "real" post!