Joplin day 2! Wat a blessing today has been! Part 1

The church was destroyed but the cross is there!

Blocks after blocks... of destroyed houses...

My girlfriend Maya and I went to Walmart today and spend at least $650.... THANK you to your generousity!!! we bought 3 sets of clothes like this for age 3, 4 and 5... So total of 15 sets... 

Boys and girls....

Then socks, underwears for boys, girls, women, men...

Shower curtains, shower rings, bath rugs for after bath

laundry detergents

dish soaps

bugs repellents because apparently lots of bugs in the trailer

other household stuffs

I apologize that we did not get a chance to take pictures of all things we bought

When we arrived at the church people were waiting for us

As I unload, people were taking stuff and they were gone pretty fast!

I have the receipt for EACH of you that donated the money!

THANK YOU THANK YOU!  I am so blessed to have all of you generous people as friends!

This boy name is Daniel.

I got to talk to him when he came to the church with his family... I asked him how old is he and if he find everything he need.

He said, he was looking for a backpack because the backpack given by the public school was too small.

So PERFECT!

Right before we left, my son's bestfriend gave us a "special backpack filled with supplies" and a special encouragement friendship letter.

He hope the boy will write back and start a "pen pal!"

He doesn't want it to go randomly to people!

I have been saving it while dropping the rest of the stuff at the center...

So I gave it to Daniel!

He lost his house :-(

His dad is looking for a job.

They live in a FEMA trailer.

He has 2 twin brothers who are 5 years old

His mom is expecting the 4th child due early November and it would be a GIRL!

Daniel only have 1-2 shorts (I forgot what his mom told me) and 2 shirts!

He can not find his size in ANY of donation centers... They went to several  around Joplin

He needs shoes as well!

They do not have washer... In this heat! Imagine having to wear the same clothes several days!

So I told him, we will try to get him some clothes and I asked if he would come back tomorrow.

Mine you

I fought back tears so hard when I spoke to him...

The whole time my son Jeremy was next to him.

I think of how many pants and clothes he has at home...

I think of what I would feel if he had asked me for a backpack for a new school year and I could not give him one.

This is just one story! Each of our team member has been blessed to learn others stories..

A mom who has 12 grandkids in the house because several of her kids' houses were damaged!

Another mom Theresa who despite of losing everything...

Came 2 days a week to the center to HELP!!!!

A kind hearted man who cooked us breakfast lunch and dinner has been here for 3 months!! He was from Oklahoma City!

We are bleesed!! I think the rest of the team can echo that!

I believe that GOD has uses this people to BLESSED us!

Thus said,

I RAN out of laundry detergents again as well as girls underwears and socks...

and many more items....

IF you feel that little voice speaking in your heart and would like to give

Please send money to florencehardjono@yahoo.com via paypal!

I will send the receipt to YOU!

You can tell me if there is anything specific that you would like to purchase...

Most of you know me for years... You know I am not the begging kind!

However, I would this time!

I am BEGGING you now for your help! If you can only see these people faces and hear their stories...

NO amount is too small... The shirt were $3.88 at walmart! A mere $10 can buy 3 shirts...

We found $2 detergent today at big lots! $1 dish soap, etc

We were not spending money like crazy! We know that we ought to be good steward!

As to accountability , I went shopping with my girlfriend Maya as well...

This way, we talked back to each other what is needed and not!

Ex: I want to buy little girl dresses, she reminded me that it may not be practical :-)

I so wish right now I know someone who is in extreme couponing! :-)

Please help... So MUCH are still needed!  EVERY donation counts!  no matter the amount!

My account is florencehardjono@yahoo.com

thanks MUCH for all your prayers!!!

Joplin Day 1

We left around 9 pm last night... 2 hours later than our original plan.. Basically because of me :-).
Well between preparing for my defense and me doing heavy paper for one of my class over the weekend... My house was a complete mess.  Plus I had not pack nor did the laundry...

So Luki and I did not get finish getting ready until 9 pm...

So we left Columbus around 9 pm... Drove all night.... and arrived around 11:00 am @ Joplin.

Of course we had to stop for ihop

Then we arrived at this awesome church! The people were so wonderful!

We will be staying at this church until Sunday.

So here is the entrance to the "men" area.... It's pretty much part of where the donation center was.

Those were air mattresses!  Of course my kiddos want to sleep with daddy!

Then ladies were told to stay upstair...

This wonderful man "Mr. Roe" a volunteer who has been staying for 3 months here cooked this Indian flat bread for our lunch..

and this delicious hamburger stew... 

This is Ms. Jill... She organized this donation center.  Our task for today is pretty much to organize all these stuff for their "shopping day on Thursday.  There are 400 FEMA trailers ready for people to move in this weekend so people are coming to get basic essential stuff such as cleaning supply, soap, detergents, etc....

These are their clothing section. We really need clean and new underwears for kids, women and adults also socks... white socks... they ran out :-(

The wonderful team! I am so TOUCHED by the generousity of various members of the fellowships ... Many can not come because this is the week before finals but they were able to raise about $800 dollar!

If you feel touched and would like to help.... You can donate to: Mount Hope church

or you can send me money via paypal.  My account is florencehardjono@yahoo.com

We will be here until Sunday. I would like to ask you to help.  They ran out of peanut butter, jelly, laundry detergent, dish soaps, no clothes for boys and girls 4-5 yrs old, no white socks, underwears, shower curtains, etc... Anything to make a "trailer" a home!

Bottom line people are still desperately need help here.  The lady in charge was crying when she told us that there was a lady last week who came and ask begging with tears for some kind of meat. Because she has been eating can foods for 3 months pretty much!... Broke my heart as well...

If you donate to my paypal, I will buy stuff with your money and send you the receipt or YOU can tell me what you want me to do with the money!
Please email me if you do so I know and I can go ahead and buy stuff for them before we leave on Sunday!

I am actually asking you to help :-)  If you can spare any amount right now... The desperation and devastation is beyond description even 3 months after the tornado hit.

We are so blessed today! Already we came because we would like to serve but all day we have been blessed and served by the people of Joplin!

I will try to post by the end of the day everyday of our trip here...

Cheers,

My handsome Sammy!

This post is dedicated to Sammy, "My silly kind-hearted big boy"

He turned 4 last week! Here is the post of his  "baby time"

His name Samuel means "Because I asked the LORD for you"

He was a little down yesterday! His big brother got invited to a birthday party.

So mommy told him ," when you are in school, you will get your own friends too"

He said," I don't want to go to school"

I said ,"WHY?"

He said," because people say I am little" (tears were streaming down his sweet face)

His comment broke my heart to pieces!

I am guilty too... his 2 years old sister almost catching up with him in term of height

So people does comment when they see them together...

People wonder if they were twin!

I was guilty of not protecting his feeling :-(

Sometime people will say stuff in front of him, forgetting the fact that

he is one smart 4 years old that understand...

So to all my local friends... Would you please encourage him whenever you see him!

He is truly my BIG BOY as he has the BIGGEST kindest heart I have ever known!

Isn't he so handsome....

Sammy LOVES shrimp and chocolates!  Truly mommy's boy!

2nd Birthday with "oma" and "blema & blempa Tew!"

in Smoky Mountain.

2nd Birthday celebrated at home with friends....

Sammy loves crazy birthday cake and he would not rest until mommy make a special cake :-)

No one want to take their eyes off the smoking volcano :-)  even for a picture...

Well except mommy and daddy :-)

Third Birthday is for TRAIN!

Your 4th cool birthday cake is coming buddy! After mommy's defense :-)

I will make you the coolest Angry bird birthday cake ever! 

Love you tons big boy!!

My silly boy is 4 yrs old today! (This is his FIRST year of life!) part 1

 Here is Sammy!  My silly boy on the day he was born!

 Baby Dedication by our beloved former pastor.

 With Nai-Nai and Yeye (paternal grandparents)! His 1 month celebration!

He was so decorated :-)

First Halloween!

 Favorite picture with big brother!

Taken by my former neigbor, Kerri!

Isn't this precious moment?

Sammy made me laugh! ALL the time!

 With cousin Dave!

This picture ALWAYS makes me smile!

A KINDERMUSIK kid is a MUST!

Well TRAVELLED from the very beginning!

2 months old at Niagara Falls!

Singapore

JAPAN

INDONESIA, First wedding duty!
It's me with my auntie ninie!

First Birthday in Indonesia!

Prayer by my beloved pastor (from my home church)

to be continue...

My kids danced at the reception!

My Kids LOVEEEE to dance! SO when the music started.... Before the guests decided to step into the dance floor... You know... People do not want to be first on the dance floor.

So they decided to take matter into their own hands and start their own circle of DANCE!!!!

First koko leading mei2 to a slow dance :-)

Then they go to fast dance... and injury happened...

Back on their feet.... I LOVE seeing how much fun the had dancing at the wedding!

DC wedding photos part 2 (mei2 little wedding debut)

Mei2 refused to walk... but her big brother was determined!

COME ON!

Dragging rather.... because she did not want to walk at first :-)

Hi Mommy! ... They made it to the front row! Good job little brother! What a big brother you are!

Of course, this was koko 5th experience as a ring bearer!

 He started of as the flower girl escort like little brother.

Look at his smile!

Waiting for the bride!

Here she comes with her daddy (my uncle).

Isn't she gorgeous?  

INSIDE as in the OUTSIDE if you know her personally!

Wedding vows... He made her cry! Better be his last... Just kidding... It was her tear of joy...

He choked up too! You can tell he loves her so!

The pouring of sands.... resembling 2 lives into 1

Kissed.... She is a pastor's daughter... so that would be all he got...

Though he tried right after this :-)She was rather modest! Cause my uncle is on the front row :-)

This part is soooooooooooo much fun! Wait until I post the video.  

They DANCED!!! their way out as well as the rest of the wedding party!

To be continued...