Lar Evangélico Português needs your help!

Hello you :)

Thanks for taking time to read this!
As many of you may know I've lived in Portugal for the first 6 months of this year, to work in a childrens home. I won't tell you all about what i've done right now, cause it will take me ages and this note will be way too long. :P
I just want to ask you for some help.

On Februari 21st I'm organizing a charity concert. The band Everlife (USA) and Nuclear PLayground (NL) will play a great show that night, and besides that we will share something about this childrens home, the work that we have done, and are still doing there, we'll try and find some new sponsor and raise (alot of ) money, we hope!Now there's a thing.. to organize this concert i need €1500 (which is about $2000).€1500 i dont have. Now i've been writing potential sponsors for 3 months, with no results. I was about to give in when God spoke to me recently and told me to not give up, to hold on and trust Him.I believe there are people like you all out there that would like to help me.

So let me tell you something about the childrens home.Lar Evangélico Português is a home in Maia, Porto, Portugal, which roots go back to 1968.The family Machado started taking kids and older people into their house who were suffering from the post war financial crisis. Although they had a limited income themself and could barely take care of their own family, they wanted to share everything they got with the people that had less.Their house got too small pretty fast and thats when Lar entered the world.In the past 40 years many kids have past through the home. Many of them are still connected with the work.
Right now Lar de crianças e jovens (children and youth) has around 65 kids in the age of 3-26 years old.Kids who come from broken families. Parents who use alcohol and/or drugs, mothers who are prostitues, parents who are in jail for crimes of every kind, neglection, fisical and sexual abuse.. all these things are things many of these kids have experienced in their young lifes. Things no one should ever experience!They provide these kids a new home. A safe place to stay, a warm family where the love of christ is spread.
In the 6 months i've worked there I've experience love above everything else.And thats really what these kids need. a Family. People that love them. Many of them never experienced any kind of love before they got to the home. The home doesnt only provide them food and a bed to sleep in, but also education, and many activities. The people that work there, give everything they have, to give these kids the best they can, for a very limited salary. I really respect the work they're all doing.

Thats really why i want to do so much more. And one thing we can all do to help them, is to support them financially.All the work they're doing costs alot. They're supported by the government but that money is just enough to pay the staff. They dont have money for food, clothes or hygiene products. Thats what they need us for.

By organizing this charity concert i hope to raise alot of money. Money so they can get proper food, so they can get clothes, so they can take a good shower.. These isnt luxuy.. these are things we all NEED!

Now.. i have some questions for you..
Are you willing to help these kids and give them the things they need?
Are you willing to make 2009 a better year for them?
Are you willing to spend a little less on your own christmas presents, and spend a few bucks on this project??

Yes.. even a few bucks.. every little bit helps!
I believe we can pull this off.. TOGETHER.
I really can't do this on my own.. i need people by my side..

You can donate something through paypal.If you dont have paypal but still want to help us out please send an email to deborah.flep@gmail.com and we'll work something out!!
Thanks you for your time and have a wonderful christmas!

Love,
Deborah

Business of the Season

I know i know I'm a real bad person.. it's been over a month since i last blogged!
I got caught up in all my work, family things and preparing for the december month!
So.. what's been going on in my life...

I got another cousin!! Her name is Lynn.
She's my grandma's 10th granddaughter!
The girls rule in our family ;)
I've seen her quiet a few times now and she's so beautiful and absolutely adorable (as you can see on the picture!).
What a miracle! :D

School has been quiet busy. I'm finishing my internship in the end of januari and i have some things left to do. Have to read two more books and write reports about them, and have a couple more reports two write about the work i'm doing (and those are not just a few pages :S).
So that's some work left to do. But I'm sure enjoying my time at Bambino's Home! The kids are so sweet and i really like the people I´m working with!
They offert me a job after I´m done with the internship which is truly a gift from heaven cause I´m gonna need some money! so Yay God!

Besides work and school I´ve been working on a charity concert.
I´m organizing a concert in our church with Everlife (US) and Nuclear Playground (NL). It's to raise money for the childrens home Lar Evangélico Português, in Porto, Portugal (see last blog).
I'm still working on finding individuals, groups, organisations, church etc. that want to sponsor us. We'll need a max. of €1500 for the expenses of the concert. I'm hoping we can get that money together cause i really want all the money we raise that night to go to the kids!
So if you know people, groups, organisations, anyone, who wants to sponsor us, let me know!! Cause we really need help!

For more info you can check www.myspace.com/everlife and http://everlife.hyves.nl
Februari 21th 2009, Baptisten Gemeente 'De Schuilplaats' Eindhoven
Be there! ;)

This week was my birthday. Oh what a week. On tuesday i had to work, so the kids sang happy birthday for me and made me a nice bday crown. Oh lucky me :p but it was a fun day!
In the evening i had a little party at my house with my family, which was very nice!
And yesterday I had another little party with my friends. Oh we laughed so much, i really love my friends!
Ingeborg, Helmya, Natasja and Martijn gave me a crepe maker. A thing to make crepes (du-uh), which are basicly.. really thin pancakes.. only they taste different.. you can eat them with chocolate and whipped cream, with ice cream, or with ham, cheese and mushrooms... and with many mor ethings probably but thats what i've tried to far!

Can't wait for next weekend when we go to 'Zeeland' with most of our friends. Gonna be such a great weekend!
I'll be making crepes of course! ha i hope it will work!!

Well I'm gonna leave it with this for now.. I know i promisses picture from Porto..
I'm working on the video! Hope i can finish it soon!

Have a great week!

Love,
Deb