26

So, here I am on my 26th birthday. The last couple of weeks have been such a journey as I didn't want any presents this year and instead raise money for a project in Uganda. Not all the money is in yet and so I have decided to give you another week to donate money. Just contact me for all the details.

So, here I am... 26 years old and not feeling it at all. I mean seriously.... how do you feel with that age...

As I am thinking back on this year I am in awe of what God has done, where He brought me, how He blessed me. I have an amazing family that I am so thankful for and I never take it for granted. I have the most awesome friends who I never want to do life without. These are covenant relationships. And I have a church that is a home, a place where I feel safe. I am so happy and content where I am yet eager to grow, to reach out for more. I have dreams for this coming year and am excited to see where God is going to take me.

Today my verse of the day (always have verse of the day) was out of Luke 6:38 "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." I was so excited to read this today.

As I look back 5 years from now I can see what all happened, how I grew and developed and became the person I am today and then I look 1 year to 5 years from now and I am excited because I know there is so much more out there.

Anyways, just wanted to write this blog to share a little from my heart, what I am feeling today and give you another chance to pray and think about if you should give something for my cause in Uganda.

xoxo

Ramona

Weekly Update 4: Restoring Dignity

I am sitting here and have been thinking about tortured women in Uganda the whole day, praying for them, praying for the fundraising I am doing that I will impact lives.

When I read Psalm 139 I read about how God thinks of us, that He created us before the beginning of the earth, He formed us in our mother's womb. His thoughts about us are good thoughts.
Yet mankind in search for power is destroying people from the inside and outside. This is the case in Uganda, where where little kids are abducted into the army, broken, destroyed and made dependent. We can honor those who managed to escape and applaud their bravery. What these kids go through is of no imagination for us. We cannot and will not ever be able to imagine or really deeply understand the pain they went through.
Many of the girls who are sheltered by Watoto Ministries suffer from facial disfigurement. Their ears, noses or lips have been cut off as a punishment for fleeing the army. Often times these tortures are performed by other kid soldiers.

But God still loves these girls even though their dignity has been destroyed.

I am so thankful for the life I have and where God placed me and blessed me with this amazing family, church, friends, there is nothing alike. Yet I do not want to keep it for myself. I want to give of my love, my community, my church, my blessing and my money and do anything possible to make something possible for people in the worst conditions.
I decided to take on a journey of fundraising in order to pay for a surgery for one of these disfigured girls. A surgery to change her life. I want to be part of restoring her dignity on the outside and inside again.
But I cannot do it on my own. I need you. I need us to join hands, to join hearts, to connect and reach out. I need your prayers and finances to make a surgery possible. I want to appeal to your heart and dearly ask you to consider giving for this very important cause. I am currently at 40% of funding and still have 9 days to go. I am convinced through faith that the whole amount of 2100 € will be donated and that I will be able to send a package to Uganda and restore dignity upon a beautiful girl. Beautiful because she was created by the Creator who saw her and who takes great delight in her with gladness. With His love he will calm all her fears. He will rejoice over her with joyful songs (Zeph. 3:17).

My heart reaches out to each and everyone reading this. If you feel compelled to give, please contact me so I can give you all the details.

Thank you very much.

I love you

xoxo

Ramona

Weekly Update 3: The Story of Watoto

Hello, good day,

this is already my third update concerning my fundraising for my birthday gift to Watoto Ministries.
I am super excited to announce today that 25% of funding has already come in. So, thank you to everybody who already gave.
If you're interested in giving or want to know more about my cause, please visit my posts:
Be Her Dignity
Weekly Update 1: Nancy's Story
Weekly Update 2: Facts about Uganda

For in depth information and ways of giving please leave a comment with your email adress and I will send you the things needed.

For this week I chose to share a video with you which shows Watoto's story, how they minister and gives you some really good background information.

Enjoy!

xoxo
Ramona

Be Her Dignity

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and in justice in the world, when He could do something about it... But I'm afraid He might ask me the same question." ~ Anonymous

On July 23 I am turning 26 years old. Every year I try to think of something special for my birthday.
This year I have planned something completely different, something that has been on my heart for over a year now.

I have decided to forgo all my presents this year and instead fundraise money for a cause in Ugauda. The before-mentioned quote touches me everytime I read it and this year on my birthday I want to do a small part contributing to a bigger whole.

The project I am raising money for is part of Watoto Ministries. They have a project called Living Hope .

Women in Africa are the most marginalised group. Many of them are HIV+; many are teenage mothers having to fear that their babies will soon join the ranks of the countless orphans of Africa as they cannot nurture them.

Within the last two years it has been discovered that many of these girls who had been able to escape the LRA and were abducted a second time have been disfigured terribly. Their noses, lips and ears have been cut off. Because of the disfigurements they are abandoned from society often living a life of loneliness feeling completely unworthy.
The good news is that there is hope for these girls and young women. Partnering with Hillsong’s COLOUR SISTERHOOD and international teams of surgeons Watoto has made it their goal to restore the faces of these girls by repairing their noses, lips and ears. One surgery costs 3,000 AUD, which are approximately 2,534 $, fairly little compared with what will be restored through one surgery.

You know, I think about my own life and how blessed I am. I actually do not lack anything. I am one of the few people on this earth being privileged to live like this. We forget about this too often. So often we are so consumed by our own problems and challenges we forget that there are a lot of bigger things to reach out for.
Isaiah 60:1 states

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the
LORD rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of
the earth, but the glory of the LORD rises and appears over you.“

I want God to say these words about me. I want him to say, “Ramona has stood up and she runs and shines and changes her world, she does her part”. I am convinced that if we all did our part this world would look completely different as each small part contributes to the bigger.

Therefore I have made it my goal to raise money for one surgery until my birthday. I am beyond excited about stepping out and making a difference.

If you are interested in giving or praying, please do not hestitate to contact me through the blog by leaving your email adress for example (I will send all the information to you then) or through facebook.

I will write weekly updates on how things are progressing or giving you more information about Uganda, projects, videos etc.

People. let's do this together. Let us change the world!

xoxo

Ramona