Abe got to test the coolest new toy today.  It is a DynaVok speech aid. They put a small dot on his forehead that controlled the mouse on the device!  The rep said that he had NEVER had a child so young figure out the mouse so quickly!! That's my boy.  The world awaits you buddy.  :)

Hope for Dube Bute Campaign Fundraising Event, Hosted by the Festes and the Baileys from A Glimmer of Hope on Vimeo.


Our time in San Antonio was another reminder to us just how much He loves the people of Dube Bute.  Just how much the story resonates in the hearts of others and motivates them to act, to DO, to help bring hope to those living without basic needs today.  Not for long.

Phase 1 is DONE!  And while it was really amazing to see 100% total campaign goal on the main page, it was clear that we needed to begin Phase 2.  So we have.  The total has gone up and we rest that the funds will come in as the Lord continues to reveal to us that this is His.  We are humbled to play a role and more humbled to witness those that step up and are bringing HOPE.

Watch the incredible recap video from the event in San Antonio. Thank you Eric.  Kelley and Joey, Anne Marie and Jeff, Moody and I are so grateful that you jumped in with both feet, were willing to ask your friends to come along on this adventure!  I simply can't wait to be standing in Dube Bute with you, watching these beautiful people experience the gift of clean water for the first time!!!

P.S-- Just how incredible is Grace and how cute is my hubby???

ethiopiasmile: By Our Love from Kurt Neale on Vimeo.

Above is a video of Grace singing "Mighty to Save" at the fundraising event we held a few weeks ago.  It was a very powerful moment for us in the midst of an unbelievable night.  We prayed that others would hear the story and respond, well.........respond they did.

The initial project was 18 water points, 2 classroom buildings (8 total classrooms), a health clinic, and vet clinic. There are latrines at the schools and two clinics, as well as equipment and furnishing for everything.

We ended the night and had 1 well, 1 classroom, and a vet clinic left.  That's it. Hope is definitely coming.

We currently lack about $17,000 to complete Phase 1(once all the committments come in)!!!!! Can you even believe it?  God is so, so good.  My way out there, walking in faith goal was that all the funds would be raised by the end of the year.  It seemed like such a LARGE sum of money (and it is) but not to Him.  He simple funds what He favors.  His very heart is with the least of these, those living without health care and clean water.  He cares for their very needs, and He is using a LARGE community of people to meet those very needs.

My sister, my brother in law and their very dear friends, Jeff and Anne Marie are graciously hosting a similar event in San Antonio next week.  Never in our wildest dreams did we think they would have so little inventory at their event.

We knew that Phase 1 didn't meet all of their needs in Dube Bute, but it certainly was an excellent start.  We knew we would commit to a second phase, but clearly thought that would be MUCH farther down the road.  Apparently the Lord had other plans!  The people of Dube Bute will now have 9 more wells, 4 more classrooms and a library!! How amazing is that????

That is 27 TOTAL water points, both spring protection and hand dug wells.  They will have a complete Primary school.  Grades 1-8 in 12 classrooms.  A library full of books and reference materials.  A health clinic.  A vet clinic.  HOPE!

We need to quickly finish up with Phase 1 so the funds can go to Ethiopia and they can begin construction.  We will also attempt to raise the new funds needed to fully transform the lives of those living in Dube Bute!  The total for the Phase 2 will be $155,000.

I am excited to see how these funds are raised and have total faith that they will come in as the first.  I will be sharing with you some new inovative ideas of others to help raise these funds.  I have been reminded over and over again that He is raising up the group to bring Hope to Dube Bute.  We have received the most humbling donations from fellow adoptive families, some currently fundraising themselves.  From a couple with a miracle pregnancy that felt led to donate the funds set aside for fertility treatments, from a single mother that struggles to make ends meet, from some we simply don't know personally but are forever connected via Dube Bute.  We have had some that we assumed would join the cause that haven't felt led, and then been blown away by others we never considered.  Just continually reminding me that we are NOT in control, that HE is and He will provide for every need of those living in Dube Bute.

Soli Deo Gloria

I know that I said this post would be a recap of the fundraiser that we held, but apparently 24 hours just aren't enough time on occasion here at Team Alexander!! :)

I do want to invite anyone local to please join us tonight as we give glory to the ONE that so graciously provided for each and every one of our needs on this trip!  We are blessed to have the Connect worship band, amazing photos from Bobbie Jo, videos from Kurt and testimonials from the team.  It should be a great night.

It is for anyone that prayed, followed along or simply want to see a piece of His handiwork.  We look forward to seeing you there tonight!

Please email me for more information if you need it!

Hope For Dube Bute from Kurt Neale on Vimeo.


Please take the few minutes to watch the incredible video that Kurt made of our time in Dube Bute.  He is so talented and he shot the entire thing on his iPhone!  We are so thankful for the way that he captured the story and emotions of our time spent there.  Makes my heart just long to be back there with them.

The Lord has rained down blessing far beyond our wildest expectations for the people of Dube Bute!! We are SO close to being done with the first phase of the project and are getting ready to roll out MORE for them.  More classrooms, more clean water and a library!!!  All because so many of you have already brought them HOPE.

Many more are just beginning sub-campaigns as well as various ways to contribute to these people and we are very grateful.  They are so deserving and your efforts are greatly needed.  It has been very humbling to watch the BODY step up, use gifts and talents to help people halfway across the globe.

We still need these projects to continue to bring HOPE.  I can't wait to share a few with you soon.

I will recap a truly powerful evening we had to bring HOPE to those in Dube Bute tomorrow.  I am still so in awe of the way that He used the musical talent of Grace London and Eyasu's story to move in the hearts of others.  I will break down where we are financially and what the new needs will be- I have NO DOUBT that it will come as well and the village of Dube Bute will experience total transformation!  Praise God.

In the meantime- head over to my girls at 147 Million Orphans to purchase a new tumbler and provide HOPE to Dube Bute.  They are amazing!!  Great Christmas gifts for sure. :)

Love this girl.  Rainey has created a one stop shopping experience for Hope for Dube Bute on her embroidery business website.  She is very talented and has made numerous items that my kiddos use- awesome blankets, etc.  Head over to Bow in the Clouds to see.

Thank you Rainey, your friendship is invaluable to me.

Check this out!! I continue to be amazed at the incredible people coming alongside us to bring hope to Dube Bute.  Please head over here and do some shopping.  All proceeds go to bring HOPE to those living there.

Thank you Deena!!

One year ago today!  Happy Eyasu day.  We love you buddy and can't imagine our lives without you.

What a difference a few years can make!  Two years ago I wrote this post.  To say that our lives were turned upside down that day would be an understatement.  To say that we are far better today than we ever dared to dream or imagine, would be too.

We got Abe's results from the MRI of his spine today and they were "normal".  Normal.  Not my favorite word after entering into the world of parenting a child with special needs.  I prefer "typical", but will take normal in this case! :)

While this doesn't change the make-up of his brain, it does mean that we don't have anything new to deal with either.

We were so proud of him.  He was so strong and brave.  We felt anything but as they wheeled him away to be put under for over 2 hours.

It was amazing to see him wake up and smile at us.  Love this kid something fierce.

Thanks for the prayers.  We felt them all day.

This cute guy has another MRI scheduled for tomorrow am.  Bright and early actually.  Cooks just called to let us know we need to be there by 6 AM.  Really?? He will also have botox injected into his shoulders and arms to try to help with his spasticity.  His sweet neurologist didn't think it all that humorous when I said that I would be happy to step in at the last minute as I'm sure that their will be some left over.  I thought it was clever, apparently not so much. :)

Would you pray that the sedation goes well, the procedure gives them the information they need and Abe recovers well?  Thank you for continuing to walk the road with us.

Rainey has generously created a sub-campaign for Dube Bute!  Visit her page here.  She will be adding items, so check back frequently!  I have the cutest military hat ever with the Hope logo on the front and then for Dube Bute on the back.  Darling.  Could have sold many just as I wear it around town.  It is a great conversation starter as well.  So visit her site, buy some gear and help the people of Dube Bute!

Here is Abey sporting the hat.  See, I told you--- d.a.r.l.i.n.g.


I got a great email yesterday from an adoptive mama with a great idea to help the campaign.  I am literally humbled by those coming alongside and helping make this happen.  Excited to share that one with you too.

Hope for Dube Bute from A Glimmer of Hope on Vimeo.

I have been a big fan of Tracy at Junk Posse for years.  I literally wear my Africa necklace daily!  Love her heart and the way she uses her God-given gift to advocate for the orphan and those living in extreme poverty.  She has graciously partnered with us (thank you Rainey!!) and is donating 30% of this awesome necklace (the love one as well) to the campaign!  Thank you Tracy. :)

Great Christmas gifts!!!!  Go here to shop!

Giveaway ends 10/28 at midnight!!

"A report published recently in the medical journal The Lancet concluded that poor water sanitation and a lack of safe drinking water take a greater human toll than war, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction combined.
According to an assessment commissioned by the United Nations, 4,000 children die each day as a result of diseases caused by ingestion of filthy water. The report says four out of every 10 people in the world, particularly those in Africa and Asia, do not have clean water to drink."VOAnews.com
Imagine that you are a mother living in Dube Bute, Ethiopia.  Water is vital to survival. We all know that right?  So you have two choices. You drop your bucket in the well that sits in the kebele center or you attempt to retrieve water from the muddy spot below.  Both contain potential water borne illnesses, you are constantly aware of that, but you gather the water to prepare meals, wash clothes and bodies anyway. You have no other choice.

As I was standing over both of these places not long ago, it occurred to me that we would most likely shoo our dogs away from either of these places to drink.  These people deserve better. They deserve clean water.  Water that runs clear.  Water free from all waterborne desease.

You can help make that a reality.  Every bit helps.  We will provide the community with 15 new water points.  10 spring protection (most of what I saw in Dali) and 5 hand dug wells.

I realized that I haven't properly thanked you for praying EthiopiaSmile 2010 there and back!  I know that many of you prayed, had others pray and I can promise you those prayers were felt each and every step of the way.

Only God could take a group of 67 people, many meeting for the very first time in country, and knit our hearts as one.  Unity was incredible.  Transportation was so smooth--- HUGE thank you to Gladney, Genet and the AMAZING drivers that worked so hard that week.  Food was fine great, no major illness, dental days were productive, the hotel perfect for our needs..........just can't adequately put into words the countless ways that He went before us and prepared the way!
I do hope to get others from the team to share their experiences with you- some unbelievable moments for sure.........like the dentist that just couldn't see the tooth on a child that needed extracting.  She had her headlamp on, but it didn't provide enough light.  She said out loud, "Lord, I can't see this tooth" and seriously (several witnessses to confirm) a ray of light came through the crack in the Korah shelter they were treating and shown DIRECTLY on the very tooth that needed to come out!

We had those moments all the time.  So full of His Presence.

We would appreciate your continued prayers as our team processes all we saw and experienced.  It is hard to know what to do with all of it sometimes.  We would also covet your prayers for the new fundraising effort.  It simply won't happen on our own and I know that He will lead us all each step of the way.  We feel a peace to put one foot in front of the other.........
We can't believe it, but planning for the next trip will begin soon!  Think we need to get over the jet lag first, but we are praying for wisdom and clarity.  We learned so much on this first one and we look forward to going back.  Always ready to go back!! :)