Dear people…

You may all be very happy to know I only have a few minutes and will therefore keep my words to a minimum. My family heads off on a cool journey today, one that has consumed me lately – but I wanted to send you pictures before leaving. Since I wrote last we had a half-marathon to raise money for the Babies of Juarez and in my next update you’ll get to see pictures of $4,050 worth of supplies heading south! We’ve also been blessed with another dear woman who’s had a baby shower – and in lieu of gifts for her own baby has instead asked that friends shower the babies of Juarez. It’s overwhelming to see how God just continues to work in hearts to help this cause. And in really wonderful and sacrificial ways. We’ve heard the needs in Juarez are growing. Having been down there, I honestly wasn’t sure that was possible – but apparently the economy problems have trickled down to the poorest of the poor in their community. So when we return from Africa, look out! I’ll find my words again and can’t wait to tell you what God has up his sleeve to help these people who so desperately need it.

The picture serves as wonderful evidence of God’s provision through you. Thank you for your continued support.

shipment #12

shipment #13

This update is terribly overdue. Since I sent the last official update two loads of diapers and formula have made their way down to Juarez, Mexico. Shipment number twelve left our house on Friday, March 20. Shipment number thirteen was picked up Saturday, May 2 and driven down on Monday, May 4. Take a look at the “baby shower gift” picture (below) to see the beginnings of shipment number fourteen that my kids and I got to pick up the afternoon of May 4. (Coincidental timing? I think not.) I haven’t had the words to say thank you – it’s truly been a case of being grateful beyond words. It’s not that I’m finding this project any less inspiring or encouraging, believe me. In fact it’s very much the opposite. Since February I’ve had little time to promote these efforts, so one would think the supplies would be dwindling. Not so much. God has knocked me over continually with my own lack of understanding. These last few months have served as the greatest reminder to me that I’m nothing but a storage facility for the work he is doing. And thank goodness this project is in his capable hands and not my own human ones.
 
Voila Tans in Highlands Ranch held another drive. My friend was given a baby shower to welcome the newest member of her family – and in lieu of gifts for her little girl she asked people to instead bless the babies of Juarez with diapers and formula.

We received a monster check out of the blue from a couple in our Sunday school class. We received a monster check from my son’s friend’s family, also out of the blue. (Gotta wonder what the people at the UPS Store think of me crying over mail.) A close friend of a close friend held a drive at her church and totally overwhelmed me with supplies. People drop off unneeded formula samples and half-opened packages of diapers. Our school parents continue to donate to the cause. Friends. Neighbors. They’ve given again and again. I am humbled when some unexpected supplies show up on our porch and I have no clue who donated them. But God knows. The only reason I feel comfortable even stating some of the ways we’ve accumulated supplies, risking leaving out important ones, is because God knows it all. Every sacrifice that’s been made on behalf of those babies. Every extra effort to drop something off instead of throwing it away. Every prompting heeded instead of ignored. The list above is nowhere near complete – it’s just meant to encourage us all! To be used by God is no small matter. Many would say there’s nothing greater.  
 
Today I sat down to have a quick lunch and the thoughts for this update finally came to me. “Give us this day our daily bread.” My mind goes back to some Bible study lessons this past year when God provides manna and quail in the desert for the Israelites. Daily. I can’t understand that incredible depth of reliance for my daily bread, because God has seen fit to stock my pantry in embarrassing ways. The Israelites learned this daily dependence on God to provide for their physical needs. Many people, many babies in Juarez are literally in this very same situation. Manna isn’t falling to the ground with the dew. But manna is showing up on my front porch. God’s unlikely avenue to feed the babies of Juarez, who are relying on him for their daily bread. May God grant me this same dependence and understanding, whether I’m hungry or full. May I be a person who walks daily in the knowledge that everything good comes from God. May God continue to use our plenty to help those in such need.
 
From the very depths of my being, thank you for allowing God to use you in his plan of provision for the hungry babies of Juarez.
 
Quinn 

As my younger daughter and I hauled the collection up from its storage place this time around, I was stunned by its significance. In our entryway I organized the most beautiful mound of diapers and formula for a suitable picture, fully amazed at what can be accomplished when people find a cause so worthy. I struggle to find words to express my gratitude in grand enough terms. Please look at – study – the pictures. Your involvement in this project, whether big or small, has literally saved lives in Juarez, Mexico. Standing among the stacks of supplies, I felt so grateful for all that was collected in such a short amount of time—and more humbled than ever before.
 
Every donation comes with a story. I received a handwritten note last week from a woman I’ve never met who learned of the project recently and was waiting for her next social security check so she could contribute. She had enclosed a check and apologized for the small amount, wishing it was more. I promptly bawled. I want to be more like her, to exhibit such incredible generosity in spirit and in action. Friends and strangers make occasional contributions to the load, both big and small. Valor Christian High School’s basketball program gave diapers and formula for the second year in a row. A friend’s friend’s small group gave diapers and formula in lieu of doing a traditional Christmas exchange. My folks’ church participated in Advent Conspiracy last month and they gave money to buy diapers and formula in lieu of traditional store-bought gifts in the names of friends and family. Our neighbor from up the street has recently dropped off huge amounts of supplies twice, attempting to do it anonymously. A friend of mine from Bible study just mentioned she and her husband have all they possibly need for their soon-to-arrive baby, and she wants her upcoming shower to instead shower the babies of Juarez.
 
Some days I wonder if I can hold any more gratitude, you have overwhelmed and blessed me so!
 
This is the first time all three of my kids have been on hand to help load the missionary’s truck with supplies. They have all owned this project for themselves and pray faithfully for people to continue giving. To watch them so full of joy, with giant smiles on their faces, carry load after load of diapers and formula to the truck, all three of them knowing firsthand the people who would receive help that very next day—I wonder, is there a better day for a mother like me? A few times they even shouted out, “This is so much fun!”
 
My kids stand in the pantry to choose an after-school snack from an embarrassing amount of options. Children in Juarez are lucky to get one meal a day. Many babies in Juarez go unnamed for months because there’s such a high likelihood they won’t live to see a first birthday. I need to be grateful at every turn for not only all that I’ve been given in this life, but for every chance I’m given to help a person who needs it.
 
A little over a year ago God asked me to start this project, and I have to tell you it’s already been the journey of a lifetime. I am living proof that obedience to God is the key to joy and purpose. I’m humbled by what saying yes has unfolded. It’s my great privilege to stand back and watch him work through you.
 
It is a gift to serve with you. Thank you so very much…
Quinn
 
PS: I want you all to know load number 12 began just hours after load 11 left our home. My friend Julie has exceptional timing!

Dear friends, load number ten is safely in Juarez.
 
After an entire year of seeing diapers and formula suddenly appear on our front porch, one would think we’d be used to it. This is SO not the case. As Dusty walked by the front door this morning and let out a huge whoop we all knew what had happened. The kids went running to the door to confirm their suspicions only to find a VERY generous drop-off of diapers and formula. Quite frankly, some days I wonder if my heart can handle any more joy.
 
I may have completely run out of creative ways to say thank you, but thank you I will. In just a few short weeks, this shipment was assembled.

Little by little (and occasionally a lot by a lot) your contributions became an incredible gift to the babies of Juarez. Keeping starving babies fed and clear of infected diaper rash is no small matter. Thank you so much for your part in this project.
 
This shipment was meaningful to our family in a different way. With this load we got to contribute our own gift! Our extended family does a big stocking gift exchange each year. Since we won’t all be together at Christmas we decided to forego the tradition this December. So our family of five got to spend those stocking funds on diapers and formula! I include a picture of that because I love it so much.

 
A few short hours after Chris came by to load his truck with shipment number ten, a very lovely person named Jenny (from an area group of moms) dropped off the perfect beginning of shipment eleven. Well I totally lost it emotionally – that was just too much. Only two hours later and the collection was beginning. But oh boy – at the exact same time I was melting over the timing of this beginning, mentally my resolve grew ten-fold. You people inspire me! I cannot wait to see what God has planned to keep these babies alive this winter. What a privilege to be part of this effort.
 
Life is precious. As a very appropriate reminder, one of the Juarez missionaries sent these pictures on Tuesday.

Meet un-named baby boy who was born on Thanksgiving Day. He is un-named because of the severely high infant mortality rate where he lives. Parents find it even more difficult to bury a child with a name, so most wait until they know the baby will survive past the critical first six months. In the second picture of him he’s surrounded by supplies from load nine and blankets our October team had collected. It just doesn’t get more real than this. These supplies are saving the lives of babies who have no other options and simply wouldn’t live without them.
 
Stay tuned, folks. I’m already excited to show you pictures of load number eleven…
 
With great appreciation and anticipation,
Quinn  

Load Nine in our basement

Load Nine in the bus

Load Nine at the team center

Load number nine. I honestly don’t even know where to begin.
 
Last Saturday night our family returned from spending three days in Juarez with an incredible group of people. Our team built two homes, staffed the medical clinic, and held a big food outreach in those few short days. My head is still spinning with everything we were privileged to do and see – and words alone will never adequately tell the story.
 
The attached pictures show the stack of diapers and formula we took with us. The first two with everything stacked in our basement, the second two with just a portion of the supplies stacked on the bus and then at the team center in Juarez. Thank you so much for what you’ve done to bless these people. The pictures don’t do this load justice – it was absolutely overwhelming to see the huge amount of diapers and formula we collected this last go-round. The support you’ve given this project has been incredible.
 
The missionaries were so dear to me and invited me to be part of handing out the diapers and formula from load number nine to the pastors in the area. They were in such need that three of the five pastors drove to the team center late the night we arrived with the supplies, hoping for something to distribute to the hungry babies in their neighborhoods. For those new to this project, we send the supplies to the Missions Ministries staff and they get the diapers and formula into the hands of the pastors who then distribute everything to the needy families in their communities. The missionaries also distribute them to the local women’s shelter. In the last year we have sent a huge amount of diapers and formula, and it’s making a real difference to the people in Juarez. I met a woman who told me the supplies we sent literally saved her grandbaby’s life. I got to meet a baby who was the recipient of one of the very first cans of formula we sent. He was sick and in terrible shape, but the formula helped sustain him. Now he’s a healthy one-year-old. (And a happy one at that! What a gift to be able to love on baby Saul last week while he just grinned at me.)
 
We learned from the missionaries that supplies were so desperately needed (they go through the supplies as quickly as we can send them!) that one pastor’s wife took the only can of formula available and divided it up into packets of 2 tablespoons each and distributed them to the families, hoping to keep the babies alive. I will not forget that story as long as I live. Families unbelievably grateful for two tablespoons of formula! If you think I was passionate about this cause before, gracious, you should see me now! I’ll go door-to-door if that’s what it takes to get supplies to these families.
 
It’s just so hard to explain their situation. These are very hard-working people, but on average they make less than $1.50 a day and live in terrible poverty. You can imagine how difficult it is to buy diapers and formula making that type of money. Many are single moms who must find work and take care of the kids at the same time with no support to be found. And they are grateful people. You wouldn’t believe the outpouring of emotion when the families for whom we built homes received beds. Many don’t have beds at all, and to receive a new mattress was an incredible gift. Food is so scarce that many live day to day not knowing how they’ll feed their families. The government isn’t designed to help them and they desperately need help. The missionaries reminded us we can’t possibly solve every problem or help every person, but we can do what God puts right in front of us. And I promise you what I’m staring at day after day are the babies of Juarez.
 
In four weeks we’ll be sending load number ten down to Juarez. Will you consider contributing to this collection or spreading the word to make this the largest shipment yet? I just laid eyes on these babies and the mothers who so dearly love them. My heart breaks when I witness the horrible situation they’re in and feel so desperate to help them.
 
My head is still spinning, but my heart is filled with gratitude.
 
Until the next one,
Quinn