Upcoming Mission Journeys
Orhei/Ivancea, Moldova
March 7-15, 2009
Cost Approx: $2600
Informational Meeting
Tuesday, January 6th
Brentwood Baptist
Applications and $500 non-refundable deposit due January
19th.
Join us as we return to Orhei to complete our mission of providing beds for the handicapped boys in Orhei's "Casa de Copii" (home for children).Our
trip to Orhei last March was amazing. To watch a video about this trip and these boys who desperately need new beds, click here.
We'll also be providing 100 new beds for the children living in Ivancea's special needs
orphanage. These children have problems with their hands, feet and joints, arthritis, and cardiovascular/cicrulatory problems. These boys and girls
are so sweet and can't wait to get their new beds!
Cupcini, Moldova
May 22-31, 2009 Cost Approx: $2600
Spend your Memorial Day with the orphaned children of Cupcini, Moldova. This
orphanage in northern Moldova is home to 100 children ages 6-16 whose beds are some of the worst we've seen in this country.
Valeriu, the director of this orphanage for the past 17 years, says: "We are
in great need of new beds. A man spends 25 years of his life in a bed and these children need good beds to spend these years." He also described how
carefully the chilren get into their beds each night so they don't break their rickety, old beds.
On this mission journey we'll build new beds for these children, possibly
teach in the classrooms,and lead the children in worship and Bible study this last week of the Moldovan school year.
Africa
July 15-26, 2009 Cost Approx: $3500
Trailblaze with us: join Sweet Sleep's first trip to Africa! Sweet Sleep is
currently evaluating the needs of orphanages in Uganda, Kenya, Central African Republic, Ethiopia and Sudan and will announce information about our
project, slated for next July, soon.
Mark your calendars!
From the Heart
Hello!
My name is Dorin. You came to our school and brought new beds in September
and I am one of the students at this school - the school for children with special needs in Ialoveni. I hope that God will give you health and
happiness all of your life. Thank you for this
beautiful gift!
Dorin Untila
Our Mission
Sweet Sleep exists to share God's love by providing beds to the world's orphaned and
abandoned children.
Sweet Sleep is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
|
|
|
From Jen's Pen
I can't believe it's already October! The summer just flew by - I think I
still have American flags in my planters from the 4th of July! There's been so much going on - God is doing some amazing things here at Sweet
Sleep!
Our
team recently returned from Ialoveni, Moldova. We had a great time
ministering to the handicapped boys and girls in that orphanage. I
asked one of our team members, Gloria Jones, to share her experiences
with you in
this newsletter - so read on for her story. During our mission journey,
we were able to provide beds for all of the children in Ialoveni and
even had
some extra materials left over! We were able to take those materials to
Orhei to continue providing beds for the severely handicapped boys
there.
We're planning another trip to Orhei this March to complete the Orhei
Project. We'd love for you to join us!
Thank you, as always, for your support of Sweet Sleep and our ministry to
orphaned and abandoned children!
Sweetly,
jen
|
Jen meets children from a Ugandan orphanage who
recently formed a choir to share with the world the needs of the more than 2.3 million orphans in Uganda.
With
the help of friends and donors like you, Sweet Sleep has provided more
than 1500 beds for orphaned and abandoned children since 2003. 545 of
those were built this year alone! Our goal for this next year is 1000
beds! We
have some really exciting projects planned for 2009, including our
first trip to Africa, but we can't do it without you! Please read on
and pray about
how God might call you to impact the lives of orphaned and abandoned
children. Maybe you could provide a bed for a child... or a room full
of
children... or an entire orphanage! Maybe this is the year God will
call you to go on a mission journey. Whatever God calls you to, we hope
that you
will continue to partner with us in our goal of providing "a bed for
every head."
|
A worthy investment: A boy in Orhei receives his
new Sweet Sleep bed. The joy of a child who finally experiences love from team members, the hope of Jesus Christ, a beautiful new bed and a Bible in
their language is priceless.
|
Charitable Giving in Tough Times
With the current economic crisis and the struggling world financial
system, it will be easy for all of us to want to hold onto, hoard and
desperately try to protect the resources God provides to us.
But
let me urge you to consider pulling that money out of your mattress or
the
unstable markets, and putting it into a sound investment - the lives of
orphaned and abandoned children. God is truly transforming these
children as
we share the hope and love of Jesus with them and provide each child a
new bed and a Bible in their language. What better return on your
investment
than a child that was "lost" being "found" - a child sleeping on a
filthy, unhealthy bed finally sleeping sweetly on a cozy, new Sweet
Sleep bed.As
God continues to provide for you and your family, I hope that you will
not discontinue your charitable giving and crucial support of Sweet
Sleep and
these children.
I
believe God will truly bless each of us who step out on faith to help
his
precious children who are hurting around the world. Thank you for your
faithfulness -- I look forward to seeing what amazing things God does
in our
lives, the lives of the children we serve, and the world in the next
few months!
|
TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT SWEET
SLEEP
You can help spread the word about Sweet Sleep through your social networking sites!
Check out Sweet Sleep's pages on these social networking sites.
(click on each to be re-directed)
Facebook
MySpace
YouTube
Twitter
Squidoo
GodTube
|
|
A group of kids anxiouisly
await their new Sweet Sleep beds!
|
By Gloria Jones
What a wonderful experience our week in Ialoveni was! Our work at the orphanage
began on Sunday afternoon after church services in the morning. We were so excited to meet the children! We were told that the children at
Ialoveni are mildly disabled and when we met them, we weren't sure what to expect, but they shyly waved to us and we were instantly drawn to them.
All the old beds in the dormitory had to be disassembled and carried down 6 flights of
narrow stairs before the newly built beds could be carried UP those 6 flights! Some of us tired quickly, but the Lord gave us all
strength
to persevere as we looked into the faces of the children and imagined them sleeping in brand new cozy beds. We knew we were doing His will, and
there is such joy in that, that it strengthened our steps and gave us an enthusiasm that only He can provide.
|
MEET OUR VOLUNTEERS
If you meet Kelsey Drennan, she's probably going to tell you about Sweet
Sleep. This amazing young woman has already been on 2 Sweet Sleep Mission Journeys, hosted a jewelry fundraiser with her mom for beds for children in
Drochia, recruited over 90 friends to join our Sweet Sleep Cause on Facebook and at her recent birthday party, this 17 year old young woman decided
to
do what few other teens have done: she asked that in lieu of gifts, donations be made to Sweet Sleep and raised nearly $1000. I think it's
safe to say, Kelsey is Sweet Sleep's #1 fan and making a huge impact on the lives of orphaned and abandoned children in
Moldova.
Kelsey is quite the giver. This past summer she gave nearly a month of her time to serve in Moldova, Chicago, and Guatemala. "Leon and I are so proud
of our little girl," said Kelsey's mom, Debbie. "When we returned from Drochia, two days later we were in the US Virgin Islands for family
vacation. While on the beach in St. John, Kelsey said, 'If I could leave the beach right now and go back to Moldova, I would.' And, she
meant every word of it."
Kelsey's dad, Leon, loves to talk about his daughter as much as she loves to talk about Moldova. "I love how Kelsey's face lights up when Moldova is
mentioned. She has always had a tender heart toward anyone having a difficult time, and this is definitely true for the orphans in Moldova."
"It's been such a joy watching God work in Kelsey and watching Him stir in her a passion to help orphans find sweet sleep," Sweet Sleep's President
and Founder Jen Gash said. "It is a passion that is contagious and countless children's lives have been bettered and changed because of knowing
Kelsey
and because of the work she does with Sweet Sleep."
"I have not had the chance to go to Moldova but to listen to Kelsey, and see the love Christ has grown within her for this place and their children,
I know that it is a special people and He has placed a calling on her to remind people through her experiences that these people are His workmanship
created to do good works according to His purposes. The Moldovan children are special to me because Kelsey has awakened me to their story. Thanks
Kelsey for giving your life away to spread His love to those in Moldova."
Amy-Jo Girardier/ Girls minister/Student Missions Coordinator at Brentwood Baptist Church
|
Kelsey and her new friend Maria in Drochia in May.
|
|
