2011-Prayer Requests and Needs

I love when they dance!  The widows in George compound.

Happy New Year from Extending Hands!  We hope that you all are looking forward to what 2011 is going to be!  As I have been contemplating this new year and thinking about how we move forward, lots of challenges present themselves.  My new favorite verse right now is Isaiah 58:10-11-..."and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.  The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."  So.....I believe that if we are doing what we are called to, God WILL guide, WILL satisfy, and WILL give us the strength we need.  I am looking forward to how God is going to continue to provide for Extending Hands as we jump feet first into 2011.

I am going to use our blog to lay out some of our needs as we do not have our website up and running yet.  Though it is being worked on as we redo our logo and then the website immediately on the heels of that.  Hopefully soon you can donate on line on our new website!  That being said, here are some prayer requests and needs as we hit 2011.
1.  $850.00 to finally file our 501c(3).  There was a misunderstanding and payments made already to close our old corporation and re-incorporate did not include the filing fee for the application, which we thought it did...that was discouraging!  This is Filed!  Whoo Hoo!!!  Praise God!
2. Before knowing that, we signed on with a non-profit design group who is redoing our logo and doing a 3 page splash page website.  That is $750.00 that has to be paid by February. Which is a steal because they are doing it for no profit to themselves!  They are great people but still need to be paid:)-This is paid for!!  Thank you God!
3. Ben and I need to get to Zambia asap to deal with some business specifics and spend time with the widows and get samples for Trade Shows we are hoping to attend this year.  I am hoping to find out if frequent flyer miles can be donated to us as this trip would cost between $6-7,000.00.  God allowed for one plane ticket!  I, Kristin, went back in July!  God provided everything I needed within a month of buying the ticket and leaving! 
4.  Prayer for our partners in Zambia and the widows we are working with.  That God would allow us the continued connections and support there as we move forward.  God is working in the women's lives and He continues to connect us with amazing people! 
5.  Prayer for "the next thing".  I think God is calling us to be a physical "place" in Zambia.  We don't know what that means yet, but is on our list of things to research and pray about when we are there.  The research on this is definitively moving us in the direction of a shelter/safe house.  The need is undeniable.  Pray as this is a HUGE goal!   
6.  Prayer for Ben and I as we refocus and want desperately to listen to what God is telling and asking us to do.  And for our 2 wonderful board members as they pray and thoughtfully give their advice and opinions.  We love them!  So blessed by our board members!  Keep praying for them!
7.  Well, I know there is much more to pray about but this is a good start!  Hoping to be able to update you all as God divinely provides for these needs and so much more!    Ephesians 3:20-"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us...".

Thank you  and we hope that God is going to be so real to everyone of you in this year of jumping feet first into God's will for our/your lives. To donate you can make checks payable to Extending Hands, Inc. and send to P.O. Box 181 Woodstock, Il 60098.  Let's start the new year off with a bang!