Thursday, June 26, 2014

Carnival for Compassion

A few months ago I (Matt) was contacted by Marie Boggess.  She asked me if it would be okay if the proceeds from a carnival that they were planning at their church went to help Village to Village.  Here is what Marie had to say about this experience.



My name is Marie Boggess and I am the part-time youth director at Immanuel Baptist Church in Minot, ND. One event the youth group plans every year is called the Carnival for Compassion, which is an idea the students had to try and make a difference in other people's lives. This year was the second year we have done this carnival which includes fun games for kids, face-painting, food, and a silent auction. Our church is amazing in that the members donate almost everything to make the night a success: decorations, hotdogs, prizes, games, volunteers, etc. Each year we decide where we want 100% of our proceeds to go, and this year, we decided to choose one of the special projects through Village to Village International. Our goal this year was to make $2,000 to send to the families at the Heart of Korah. On May 21st, we had our carnival, and it was such a fun night! We had more games, more silent auction items, and more people who were willing to donate to a great cause than we did the first year! We ended up making $2,400 and we were all so excited to see what a few kids and adults could do for Jesus with the talents that God has given us and a little hard work! It is amazing what can happen when we take a simple idea and take action together; hundreds of people can be impacted!

Village to Village Intl. would like to thank Marie, her family, and Immanuel Baptist Church in Minot, ND for making this all possible.  Thanks for helping us care for vulnerable children.

Family Spotlight: The Curtis Family



What is your name and where are you from?  Joe and Kristina Curtis and we live in Bettendorf, IA

What is your favorite place you have visited?  We both love San Antonio!   

What is your favorite movie?  Joe - We Were Soldiers, Kristina - I'm not a big movie person but I do like the classic Disney movies

What is your favorite thing to do on a date?  Nothing to crazy for us...just dinner and a walk afterwards is perfect for us!

What is your favorite sports team, if you have one?  Joe - Iowa State Cyclones and the Cubs, Kristina - Iowa Hawkeyes and the Cubs   

What is your favorite food? We both love Colombian food.  Joe is from Colombia so we make it a point to include his culture in our lives. 

What is your favorite book?  Joe - Chosen Soldier, Kristina - I have way to many to list...I love to read!

How did you meet your spouse?  We met in art class during our first day of college.  We definitely bonded over our dislike of the class! 

Who is someone you would like to meet someday and why?  Joe - Bear Grylls...I want to follow along on one of his survival trips, Kristina - Irene Garcia...she is a foster/adoptive mom who wrote a book I am reading currently

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?  Joe - I wanted to be a soldier, Kristina - I wanted to be a doctor

If someone asked you to give them a random piece of advice, what would you tell them? Joe - Don't quit and don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something!
Kristina - Don't ever put limits on what you think God wants of you...it is very likely He has something completely different and way more perfect than you could ever imagine!

Have you ever tried sushi?  Did you like it? Yes! It is one of our favorite date night dinners!   

What are two of your favorite websites? Joe - Google and ESPN,
Kristina - My NICU support group and Pinterest

Do you have any updates on your adoption process? We have all of our paperwork done and are just waiting on a referral so we are officially a waiting family!


They are so close to meeting their $10,000 goal.  You can help them by giving here.