7 days and counting...

Hey friends!

Lauren Cray here writing... So I'm in Chicago with my awesome friends the Wallaces, finishing up a documentary job, getting mentally prepared to make the flight to Kenya next Sunday! Done a lot of flying these last two weeks but I am PUMPED out of my mind. BONUS: I learned my yellow fever shot is good for 10 years, (winning!).

So much has happened this summer, I can't wait to get started.
First up, Veronica finally gets to go on her first vacation in years as a guest of the Catholic Church in Spain for a short retreat. She deserves it!! She takes off the day after I arrive, so looks like kids and I are going to start things of with a big party (while the farmer's away...)

 Been in contact with a few people in Nairobi, friends, but also people of influence I have yet to personally meet. I can't wait to see Pelagie and the Adam's while I'm there, it will be good to have familiar faces so far from home.

We still have a ways to go with fundraising to complete the  entire project, but it seems like pieces are really starting to fall into place. Please pray they continue to do so!! And as V always says, "God will do it." She has faith that moves mountains... and orphanages.

Kate's church, Coast Hills, raised a whopping $7,500, and by her church, I mean a bunch of elementary and jr. highers!! Dang. My Indiegogo site is almost up and has raised almost $5,200, which puts our grand total of just over $27,500 which means we reached our first goal for "Phase 1" of building!!! We can dig that water line, hire a project manager, get that 10 foot wall going. Maaaayyybe we can start looking at those 15 passenger vans?? I hope. That would be nice for transporting teams. I'll keep you updated on that.

The wall? Yes, unplanned original expense.
Necessary? Absolutely.
The Prez of Extreme Response (the other Non–prof with whom we are partnering) was told recently a very large cat (Simba= lion in Swahili) was seen roaming around the Belwop 2.0 property, so um... aside from protecting all our gear from being stolen, nobody wants to be eaten by a lion, so a wall it is!

Other cool news, teams are beginning to formed to start building. Joshua Henry, med student/ future doctor extraordinaire (and my oldest friend since we were 6 months old) is coming out to help. Team Belwop is sending a media team in October (when we hope to start putting up that wall). Coast Hills may send a team, maybe a few other churches. Also, David Martinez (this rad guy I know ;) is coming out to help for 10 days and maybe start the garden/ make a short video to be  shown at the fundraiser dinner October 1st in Anaheim at the "White House Restaurant"-- more details on the dinner coming soon!

If you or someone you know would like to get involved with building the orphanage-- scratch that-- building this HOME-- please contact one of us.  My email is laurencray4@gmail.com and I will have access to it from across the pond. Til then, hasta luego!

With God all things are possible.
His Kingdom come!!

Nakupenda,
Lauren