Babies of Juarez is having a wonderful year! Since our last update, we had the joy of taking loads of diapers and formula down to Mexico in both June and October. And as I type, supplies in Colorado have been loaded into a trailer and are heading across the border tonight. There are so many great things happening…!

Here’s one of the many cool things about the shipment that’s going across now. This sweet group of girls from a church in Parker collected these supplies and delivered them just in time to make the load. (Adds extra joy, doesn’t it?!)

And this is load 38 in its entirety. Heading down and across today. Yay!

Of the other fun happenings, one that tops the list is our expansion into Oklahoma. Here’s our newest flyer with the added drop-off area. What an incredible way to increase the number of babies we get to serve. We couldn’t be more excited about this addition to the BOJ team.

In the last few months, two sweet girls collected diapers and formula during their birthday celebrations.

Babies of Juarez watched a fun donation come to Arizona via an old Michigan connection. That friend worked extra hard to get us his family’s gift to the babies. His baby couldn’t use the formula they had purchased, so he and his wife donated it to the babies in Mexico. From a baby here to a baby there! An especially fun exchange.

Initially a friend of a friend from Colorado but now my dear friend in Arizona continues to collect supplies for the babies. (And how cool is this? Her family will join us for the second time at a parking-lot build here in Gilbert. They’re busy sending diapers, formula, and homes to our neighbors in Mexico.)

We had a friend from school get involved with a sizeable donation through his generous, community-focused company, Bell State Bank. That gift fed many hungry children. The project called Pay It Forward: Community Connect is making a difference through its employees.

A friend of the project put together a drive in Mesa and collected this for the babies!

While this picture reveals our annual trip to the Nike employee store, it also shows a sample of what was relocated from Washington to Oregon to Arizona to Juarez, Mexico. When God wants to take care of his babies, he finds a way! Every one of six suitcases held a stash of diapers and formula. TSA maybe thought we were nuts.

And there it is…the hauled-down, stacked-in-Mexico (to show you all), ready-for-distribution photos. Loads number 36 and 37. Our distribution methods have evolved over time. For most of our operating years the diapers and formula have been distributed through the pastors of five local churches. They have a pulse on the greatest needs in the community and this way the supplies are rightly viewed as God’s provision. Just recently we’ve had one local pastor take on the role and distributes during set dates and times, sits down with the families and leads them in a Bible study, and then distributes the supplies. We’re very grateful for Pastor Martin and his approach toward helping people physically and spiritually.

We press on to finish this year strong—helping babies not only survive but thrive—and look forward to a great 2014. We will make our last trip of the year over Thanksgiving and would be grateful for all supplies and monetary gifts. (We shop clearance and often find bargains on Craig’s List!) (And…100% of all donations go to buy supplies. All operating costs are funded separately, so every dollar given can be used to care for babies in need.)

Thank you for your incredible support over the years. You’ve given a brighter future to a whole lot of babies. From the bottom of my overflowing heart, thank you.

Here we are at the end of a whirlwind summer, yet you found ways to keep giving to the Babies of Juarez. Words cannot fully express our gratitude.

As usual, I’m eager to share pictures from the last two loads, but I can’t not tell you this one remarkable story first. On our June trip, I was approached by a pastor’s wife following the church service we attended. She’s been actively involved in distributing the supplies you give to the babies. She shared three stories with me along with the hope I would visit the families with her someday (as if my heart would survive that). The first two stories I’d heard before—families coming into the area, with children close to starving, being given diapers and formula from our project. The third story was about a young family, a couple recently married and trying to build a good life in pretty tough conditions. The young man was attending the university with plans to become an engineer. Families in the colonias outside Juarez sacrifice deeply to be educated, so the fact he had gotten that far was a true testimony to his family’s commitment and his personal drive. But then the couple became pregnant earlier than expected in their marriage, and they had a choice to make—formula for the baby or school tuition. He was about to drop out of school when he ran into someone from Missions Ministries, the group that oversees distribution of the diapers and formula. This person encouraged the couple to stay on course at school because we could help them with supplies for the baby. This story really struck a chord in me. The pastor’s wife told me the young man will be graduating soon, thanks, in part, to many of you. Not only did you feed a baby, you enabled a young family to change the course of their lives forever, and they now have choices for the future.

The pictures might be good at showing what you gave, but they can’t convey the many stories behind the families receiving the supplies. I hope the one I shared will help you see these supplies a little differently this time.

Load 29

Load 30

Load 30a—A young girl in Highlands Ranch asked that in lieu of birthday gifts people buy diapers and formula for the Babies of Juarez. (Thank you, sweet birthday girl Haley!)

Some fun connections to these loads:

· The MOPS group at Mountainview Community Christian Church did a generous, loving BOJ collection that went down with load 29.

· A former neighbor in Colorado surprised me by sending a huge gift for the babies.

· Part of these shipments involve a dear woman in Colorado Springs who collected from her doctor. She took the stash to my friend’s mom’s home in Colorado Springs, who in turn drove it up to Highlands Ranch to store at my friend’s house until I was able to pick it up on a recent visit. (These details may seem silly to some, but I love the journey some supplies take in making their way down to the colonias of Mexico. One day I might have to map them!)

· Some of the supplies in these loads started at a crisis pregnancy center in Washington and were driven to my parents’ house in Oregon. Some were then transported by my mom, others by my brother and his girlfriend who were on leave, visiting from Iraq and traveling between the two places. We got to load up the supplies in Arizona and drive them to Mexico. (Can you see how fun this is?)

· The sweet stack of blankets pictured in load 30 were made by Gilbert Christian middle school students and lovingly presented to babies at the clinic in June.

· A second sweet birthday girl asked people for diapers and formula in lieu of gifts.

· Some of the formula in load 30 was purchased with love during a visit by my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and sweet new baby niece. The generosity of one young family blessing another.

I could go on! But the next load with more stories is just around the corner so I’ll stop there. Your willing heart and generosity go a long way in God’s economy. Thank you for the impact you’ve made in my life—and the lives of so many others.

Quinn
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. ~Helen Keller

Seriously.

Without a doubt, number 25 was the largest load yet. The pictures don’t come close to doing it justice. Three trailers went across the border with the October team—full of supplies. What a blessing to the families down in Mexico! Hungry babies being fed and staying free of infection.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I have a quick, unexpected “oh happy day” announcement! Last week a group from Colorado took the growing collection of diapers and formula down to the colonias, and I just had to share this picture. YAY! In a few weeks we’ll have another load—from Arizona—that will carry an incredible God story with it. I can’t (but I will ☺) wait to share it!

A few noteworthy items while I’m sending an update.

—> A Babies of Juarez supporter and friend is hosting a Pampered Chef party as a fundraiser for the cause. 20% of the show will be given to Babies of Juarez and our house-building projects. (http://eightythreehundred.org) If you’re interested in doing some PC shopping and having the proceeds help down in Juarez, please go to www.pamperedchef.biz/jgorman and, under the shop online tab, search for host Bethany Maxwell. You can place an order and have it shipped directly to you. Isn’t it great how we have all these creative avenues to help people? I love it… (Some of you already have a Pampered Chef connection, and I’m not suggesting you switch.)

—> Babies of Juarez was recently featured on a local Phoenix radio show. If you’ve ever wanted more information about the ministry down in Juarez, I invite you to listen to the podcast at http://www.kpxq1360.com/ContentPages/1948/. Scroll down to “Local Shows” and then go to Walk the Talk with Robyn Bloomquist. It’s the show from 9/24. There’s a prize for the person who correctly counts the number of times I said “um.” Ha!

—> I want to invite the Colorado families to the New to You Children’s Consignment Sale coming up this weekend. Please see the attached document for more information. We’re so grateful for their continued support of the Babies of Juarez project.

There you have it—short and sweet! Thank you for your tremendous support of this ministry.

Until the next one…
Quinn