I have always had a passion for helping others. I consider it a gift from God to be able to see the need that other people express, and to have enough compassion to want to help every single one of them. And that is just it: Every time I become aware of a crisis in the world, a problem affecting the helpless, my desire to offer a helping hand grows immensely. However, as much as I would like to help people on a global level, I must face the fact that any work I would try to do single-handedly would barely put a dent in the issue at hand. That fact, in combination with a few other factors, led me to the vision for PROJECT 2009.
I have found that the most effective resources I can offer are my time and/or a monetary donation. Well, as a busy, poor college student, I realize that is difficult to offer my time and/or money to every organization that I would like to. That is when I started brainstorming things that I could do to raise awareness, and in turn raise money, for problematic issues in our world. It’s common for people to donate money if they are getting some sort of satisfaction in return, so I started thinking of things I could make and sell to raise money, or any special skills I have that people would be interested in hearing, seeing, or supporting. Well, if God has given me any traditional talents, He hasn’t revealed them quite yet. However, He has blessed me with a different kind of gift: the outward desire to know people on a personal level, and genuinely care about them. Along with this gift I have been given a very outgoing personality, and in turn have been blessed with unique relationships with many people, all of which I value sincerely. Through this realization, God placed the vision in my heart for Project 2009.
The plan for the project is simple, and is as follows:
I would like to ask every person I know to donate $1 to this fund throughout the year 2009. When they donate $1 I will also take down their name and e-mail address. In return I will give them the name of THIS WEBSITE where I will be updating the progress of Project 2009. This will ensure people’s trust in the project, and keep everyone up to date.
As the year goes on, I will post different opportunities on here of where the money raised can be donated. I will ask for people’s feedback, and in December, 2009 I will pick 1-3 places to donate the money to, as influenced by your feedback. Whether we raise $100 or $1000—every single dollar will be donated to a good cause at the end of the year.
In short, the idea of this project is simple: if everyone gave just a little bit of their time and/or money to a good cause, the world could be a much better place. I have been blessed with numerous valuable friendships and relationships, and if every person I knew donated just $1, I just know that together we could make an amazing impact on many people’s lives on a global level of need. Please realize that this is NOT just a “new year’s resolution,” but rather a cause that I am committing my time, effort, and entire heart in to for the entire year of 2009. I have faith that we will do great things through this project.
Thank you endlessly for considering being a part of Project 2009. I believe that God has placed this vision on my heart for a reason, and I am tremendously excited to see what we can do together.
Feel free to contact me with questions and or concerns by leaving me a comment or sending me an e-mail at kchristoffers07@winona.edu
May God bless you.
Kayla <3 Love
Thursday
January update!
January has come and gone—can anyone believe it? Well, it has been a fabulous month in the realm of the project. I’m not announcing how much money has been donated yet because to be honest I haven’t counted it yet. My plan is to count on the 1st of every month, and I will fill you guys in every once in a while, just in case you’re curious. I have been praying for success with the project almost every day, and God has provided just that! I have gotten to talk with a lot of old friends, new friends, teachers, parents, and other people that I love through Project 2009, and that is a HUGE blessing! Many people have been asking if a place for donation has been chosen yet, and the answer is no. I will be keeping my eyes and ears open in these next few weeks and months, and I will post options at a later time. I found out that I can even post polls on here, so I can put up information about potential places to donate, and you can all vote on what you like. I am definitely open to suggestions, but keep in mind a few things such as:
1. The fund will be given to/distributed to an organization(s) that are doing great things, but aren’t as well known by the general population. This is because I know that there are small organizations that are trying to do so many great things for the world, but don’t have the funds to do so. Let’s be the ones who provide for them!
2. I would like to be able to involve myself in some way with the organization. This is because I would like to be able to thoroughly describe to all of you what the organization is, and maybe even share personal experiences so you can get a good idea to where the fund is going to.
The last thing I would like to say in this post is this: ask God to show you your strengths and INSPIRE YOU! This is exactly how Project 2009 was born. I was home for Christmas break, and I prayed and prayed for God to show me ways that I could serve him that are unique to me as an individual. After all, God created all of us as His unique children which means my strengths are unique to me and yours are unique to you! He showed me that I have a passion for people and a gift for wanting to connect to everyone I meet. If each of you fabulous people commit to the project, I think it will grow bigger than you or I could ever imagine. For that right there, may I remind you, is the simple idea of this project: if EVERYONE gave just a little bit, so many things in the world could be changed and helped for the greater good.
May God bless you
Kayla <3 Love
1. The fund will be given to/distributed to an organization(s) that are doing great things, but aren’t as well known by the general population. This is because I know that there are small organizations that are trying to do so many great things for the world, but don’t have the funds to do so. Let’s be the ones who provide for them!
2. I would like to be able to involve myself in some way with the organization. This is because I would like to be able to thoroughly describe to all of you what the organization is, and maybe even share personal experiences so you can get a good idea to where the fund is going to.
The last thing I would like to say in this post is this: ask God to show you your strengths and INSPIRE YOU! This is exactly how Project 2009 was born. I was home for Christmas break, and I prayed and prayed for God to show me ways that I could serve him that are unique to me as an individual. After all, God created all of us as His unique children which means my strengths are unique to me and yours are unique to you! He showed me that I have a passion for people and a gift for wanting to connect to everyone I meet. If each of you fabulous people commit to the project, I think it will grow bigger than you or I could ever imagine. For that right there, may I remind you, is the simple idea of this project: if EVERYONE gave just a little bit, so many things in the world could be changed and helped for the greater good.
May God bless you
Kayla <3 Love
Monday
March (and February) Update!
First things first: I feel like I owe the project, and ultimately God an apology. When I accepted the task of completing Project 2009 for God, I promised Him that I would fully commit myself to nurturing it, and making it grow for His glory. Well, I am sad to say that for the last few weeks, I haven’t been talking about it or visiting/updating the site. I got very busy with preparing for and enjoying a mission trip through my Winona church, that Project 2009 kind of got swept to the side. That does not mean, however, that I have given up in any way. If anything, this realization just makes me hunger more for satisfying this goal for God! For those of you who check the site often, and have been waiting for an update, I’m sorry that I’ve been distant, but here are the details:
Like I said, I have been a little distant from the Project, but it is still going very well. In fact, today I just had 3 people donate to the project, which has made me very excited.
There still isn’t a definite place/organization that the money is going towards, but I have a feeling that over the summer I will gain a great perspective of organizations that could put the fund to good use. The reason for this is because I won’t be in school. Unfortunately, college is slightly restricting in such a way that I don’t spend much time on things other than school work. However, this summer, I plan to investigate and research possible candidates for receivers of the fund. I will put links up to their websites, and include information on here, because after all, WE ARE DECIDING TOGETHER where the money in the fund will end up.
Right now I would actually like to direct you to the site of the place that I did mission work over spring break. A group of 17 of us from Pleasant Valley Church traveled to Fresnillo, Mexico to serve by completing painting projects, helping plan a kid’s club in the city, and loving on the families down there. Overall, the city of Fresnillo is very dark in the sense that domestic abuse, drug use, and violence among groups of people who live there is far too common. However, the missionaries who work down there have done a great job of setting up a strong church in the community, and its population is constantly growing. To learn more about what they do, visit: http://christforchildren.com/index.htm
Endless love and thanks to all of you who chose to be a part of this Project,
Kayla <3 Love
Sunday
May (and April) Update!
I was hoping to never have to write an “I’m sorry because I haven’t updated ya’ll on the project lately” letter, but that is exactly what the last update and this update are. In these last two (ah, two whole months!) there has been so much happening in my life, all of which were time-demanding, but blessings. Although I’ve been busy, Project 2009 has always been on my mind. I do have to admit that over this last month, I have lost a bit of steam as far as making the Project known to each new or existing relationship, however great opportunities keep presenting themselves that fire me right back up!
1) I have had quite a few friends come up to me out of the blue and say, “I have a gift for Pache! (the piggy bank that dollars are collected in.)” To hear their excitement, and to know that they want to be a part of Project 2009 touches my heart—THANK ALL OF YOU! Also, I’ve had a friend suggest to me that our goal for the year should be to raise $2,009. That idea excites me tremendously—and although it is much higher than my original goal, I say LET’S DO IT!
2) There have been three donators now that have asked if they could donate all of their excess change to the Project, which of course is ok! The highest donation the Project has received so far from a single person so far has been $30--$25 of which was in change alone! Thank you Dustin Denzer, and all others who have donated unwanted change—you make a huge difference in the success of the project!
3) There has been some talk about creating a real homepage/website for Project 2009, which will evolve into more than just a blog. This would most likely be next year, and the project would, of course, adopt a new name.
4) Many ideas have been suggested to me as to where to donate the fund in December 2009. Here are some options to keep in the front of your mind—feel free to email me others! (kchristoffers07@winona.edu)
a. I have a friend, Rachel Stein, who volunteered at a wonderful organization in Uganda called Empower a Child. (http://www.empower-a-child.org) Through this organization, you are able to sponsor a child for just $30/month, and they receive the opportunity to go to school, be fed, and learn more about God. The founder and director, Wilson Kabeera, was here in Winona just last week, and I got the chance to talk to him all about Empower a Child, and how it works. I am 100% confident that the children who are sponsored receive everything they need to succeed and grow closer to God. Also, Rachel is going back to Uganda next week and is living and working with EAC for an entire year! Just think, if the project earns just $360 over a year’s time, WE could sponsor a child for a year, and Rachel would get the chance to work with them first hand every day. I would love to hear your feedback on this option!
b. Christ for Children International (http://christforchildren.com/index.htm) is an option I listed on the last update. Great things are continuing to happen in Fresnillo, Mexico including a growing church body, options for music lessons for worship leaders, and the youth program/feeding. Please read more about CFCI by clicking on the link above! Also, I would be glad to answer any questions you may have Remember I experienced the work they do each day when I was there in March, and I assure you that they are doing wonderful things in the name of Jesus Christ.
c. There are many great opportunities here in MN that we could all get involved with, and/or put our money towards. The two organizations that have been on my heart lately are The Ronald McDonald house (http://www.rmhmn.org/) , and Feed my Starving Children (http://www.fmsc.org). Both of these organizations provide food to those who are enduring rough circumstances such as battling cancer (McDonald house) or living in impoverished communities (FMSC.) I encourage you to volunteer at either of these places, as they provide a great way to bond with those you love as you serve together, and God’s children will be graced by your humble acts of kindness!
Please remember that I am willing to talk to anyone at anytime about ideas for Project 2009. I would love to hear your input on the options listed above or anything new that is on your heart.
Once again, thank you endlessly for being a part of this project! I promise to continue working to develop this project for God’s Glory!
Be Blessed,
Kayla <3 Love>
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