Join the Movement. . .REALLY. . .all the cool kids are doing it!

You remember me talking about running that half marathon? And doing it with boys wearing skirts? :-) Well, we are joining that fun experience with a new website launching today

HOPEMONGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HopeMongers is the brainchild of some dear friends of mine, Sam and Wendi Henry. You'll remember their names because they are co-founders of RLC, Wendi was a HUGE part of "Feed the Forgotten" and we just spent time with them in Dallas. Heck, Wendi is in my Facebook Profile picture! All around. . they rock. Now, they are launching HopeMongers, a MICRO-GIVING organization.

If you've been around my blog for ANY amount of time, you know that one of my favorite things about the Lord is that He allows little old me and you to be a part of His plan around the world. I may not be able to write huge checks. . but I can give my $10 and sometimes that doesn't feel like a lot. Well, that's where HopeMongers comes in. You can go in and pick a project, give $10 and WATCH as it grows and other people just like you come alongside and give their little bit too. . .soon, our "little bits" join together and make a HUGE difference in the lives of the world's poor!!!

So. . .Go HERE We have a goal of getting teachers' salaries covered in Otuboi and Rapha as our project for our run. Will you join me? Otuboi (read Amy's story) is a high school for sweet children who have endured SO much. . many of whom are former child soldiers. Rapha is . .well. . if you've EVER read my blog you probably know Rapha! This orphanage is as close to my heart as any place in the world. And often. . they have to make the choice between providing FOOD and paying their teachers. WILL YOU HELP? For $180 we can provide a teacher for one month! $2160 for a year! Will you join? Maybe you'll make it a goal to use YOUR facebook, twitter, blog, email community to fund a teacher for a month. . give your $10 or $20 and use your network! HopeMongers even provides a button right on the site where you can post to FB, Twitter, Myspace of even emailing!

We are starting with a school counselor for Otuboi and we will move on from there! Our hope is to see 3 teachers at Otuboi and 6 at Rapha sponsored! Join us. . open your hearts and wallets. . .make a difference in the world's poor. . .in precious children who are hurting. . .

Oh yeah. . and in 5 weeks you get funny pictures of boys in skirts too!

Kapelebyong--AMAZING MUST SEE

Check out this AMAZING video that Dan Smoker made after their trip to Uganda. This was from Kapelebyong, where they visited on Sunday.

If you'd like to be a part of what HopeChest is doing in Uganda. . .you could always sponsor me in the half marathon!!!!! Click HERE to donate. . make sure you write "Half Marathon-Brandi" in the notes section!

How Far Will You Go?

I want to introduce you to 3 guys today. . .guys that are proving that they will go to ANY length to see kids fed. Kids they may not even know. . .kids who are starving halfway across the world. Ok, let me introduce these crazy fellows.

First. . .you have Bob Mudd.

Bob is the COO of Children's HopeChest. If you look up "straight and narrow" you get a picture of Bob! He is the organizer, the consumate professional. He left his job as the head of a very well performing telcom business to be the COO for HopeChest. Could you see him dressed in a skirt? Um. . .your answer is NO.

The picture is Vince on the left and Bob on the Right. . obviously. . that's me in the middle :-)

Vince Giordano is next. He's the director of Outreach and Partner Relations at HopeChest. Vince is Mr. Macho. . .he's a black belt in kung fu. . .MMA fighter kind of guy (yes, I had to learn what mma stood for :-) He also has multiple tatoos (am I allowed to tell that, Vince?!) Right now, we tease that he's Mr P90X work out guy. . .yeah, not the kind of guy you picture in a pink tutu, right?

Russ Weir is next. Russ' name may be listed next to Bob's in the dictionary. He's an executive at a major oil firm and is a numbers guy. He's wicked smart (ok, all 3 guys are) and most of the time I only get about 25% of what he's actually saying to me! Yeah. . you don't see him wanting to wear a "Warrior Girl" shirt, do you?

Well. . . ..these guys may be "guys guys" and may be fairly straight laced. . but they share one thing. They are absolutely passionate about orphans. They have all 3 recently taken up running and have decided to do a half-marathon. I'm running it with them! But. . they've decided to put themselves out on a limb and say one thing. . .if we raise enough money, they will all 3 run in sparkly pink tutus and warrior girl shirts!!!

Will you help? Will you join us in raising money that will support orphans in Uganda and Ethiopia? This is a GREAT cause and the pictures will be super fun too!

Personally, my goal is to raise 5k for this race. Will you help me get there? I'm willing to do something silly too. . .I'll race in a tutu but I know it's not that funny! If you have an idea. . and have some $ to put behind it. . I'll do just about anything! :-)

Go to www.team-hope.com to donate or go to www.hopechest.org and put marathon - Brandi in the notes section!!!!