Jewelry Sale To Benefit Our Trip!

Do you live in So Cal? Do you like jewelry? If so, please join us at the Wasson's home on Monday, June 13 at 6:45 pm for a jewelry show with Premier Designs. The Wassons' address is 19 Calotte Place, Foothill Ranch, CA 92610. 25% of the sales will go towards our El Salvador trip costs. The entire line of jewelry ranges from $10-$98 with the average price only $35. All jewelry is covered under Premier's warranty. Join us for a fun evening together and help send our team to El Salvador!

Authentic Salvadorian Food in Costa Mesa!

The July El Salvador team gathered at San Silvar Restaurant in Costa Mesa this weekend to enjoy some authentic Salvadorian pupusas! We have an amazing team! God is moving in our lives as we prepare to serve together. Great news! Dave Eason's parents, Dave and Sandi Eason, will be joining our team and serving alongside us in El Salvador! We are blessed to have their experience, passion and leadership as we serve the beautiful people of El Salvador together.

We want to thank all of our supporters for your donations! The team needs to raise $28,000 total, and we have already received $18,000! If you would still like to donate towards our trip costs, send your donations to:

Jenni Ramsey
All Blessings Intl.
12935 Villa Rose Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92705

2,034 Silly Bands!

A huge thank you to the kids at Arroyo Elementary School in Tustin! Last month Aidan Ramsey challenged his schoolmates to donate 1,000 silly bands for him to take to kids in El Salvador. Last week he collected all of the containers that he had distributed in each classroom. He received 2,034 silly bands! Way to go Arroyo! We can't wait to see the smiles' on the childrens' faces when they receive the silly bands this summer!

We are still accepting new and used silly bands. Let us know if you'd like to donate!

An Amazing Network Gathering...

Last Monday, May 2, Susan Clark and I led our first network gathering for So Cal leaders who serve in adoption or orphan care ministries. We had an incredible gathering with twenty-two people in attendance from Long Beach, Simi Valley, Riverside and Orange County! There were many more who wanted to join us and were unable to be there.

We invited each person to briefly share their personal journey with the group. I literally could have stayed for hours to hear the stories and vision that exuded from each person. Our group included adoption agency representatives, pastors, adoptive families, a family therapist and church leaders who are mobilizing their churches to "care for the least of these." I felt honored to spend time with other leaders who are intensely passionate about needy children in our community as well as the international orphan crisis. Our waitress was deeply impacted by the stories that were shared around the table. She actually interrupted our sharing time to tell us how inspired she was by our gathering. Awesome!

We are currently creating a roster of those who were in attendance. We are also researching an online network system that can help us to communicate with one another. Our goal is to begin meeting every quarter to encourage one another and to share our visions and ideas regarding orphan care, fostering and adoption. I can't wait to see how this network evolves and impacts our communities!

Headed to the Summit...

I can't believe that I leave for The Summit in just two days! Last week I learned that I won a contest through Christian Alliance for Orphans. The contest gave applicants points for posting information about The Summit on their blogs/Facebook and for recruiting to The Summit! I received front row seats and an invitation to a private reception with Christian recording artist, Sara Groves! The concert will be held this Friday night, May 13, at the end of The Summit. Lucy Armistead, the founder of All Blessings will be attending with me! We will be staying together at The Summit along with another All Blessings staff member. I can't wait!


Award winning songwriter/musician Sara Groves

Here are the break out sessions that I will be attending during The Summit:

Encouragement for Orphan Ministry Leaders
Creative Fundraising for Your Adoption
Adoption Reworked: Orphan Care Through the Rediscovery of Abba Father
Raising Children with a Heart for Orphans
Advocating as a Busy Mom
Creative Advocacy: Training Storytellers that Change the World

I am also excited to be hosting the regional network break out session for California. This will be a great opportunity to meet and network with other conference attendees who live in California!

Stay tuned for more!

Get Silly for Orphans!!!

This sumnmer Aidan will get his first stamp in his passport! He will be traveling with our team of 16 to El Salvador on his first missions trip! Aidan has been blessed with the gift of giving, and he wants to bring special gifts to the orphans. He decided to collect silly bands (small rubber bands that come in various sizes, shapes and colors), since they are small and easy to carry.

Today Aidan shared about his project at our elementary school. He distributed containers for the silly bands to each classroom before school started. Then he spoke in front of the entire school body, and we were so proud of him! He asked the students to raise their hands if they had their own silly bands, and told them that the kids he will meet in El Salvador don't have their own toys. He challenged the students to bring in at least 1,000 silly bands this month!

If you would like to donate silly bands for Aidan's trip, please let us know! Aidan also needs to raise support for his trip costs. Tax deductible checks can be written to All Blessings International (ABI) and sent to:

ABI
12935 Villa Rose Dr.
Santa Ana, CA 92705

Thank you so much for your support! We can't wait to see how God uses Aidan to bless his new friends in the orphanages! Thanks for helping us to "get silly for orphans"... and for being part of Aidan's support team!!!

Network Gathering for So Cal Church Adoption/Orphan Care Leaders

Susan and I represented All Blessings Intl. Adoptions at The Grove Church, Riverside's Adoption Service


Susan, her daughter Julia and me ministering to a young mom at the government orphanage in El Salvador

Last year God placed a vision in my heart. I began to talk with my close friend Susan Clark about my idea, and it resonated with her as well. Susan and I have both been blessed to help "birth" adoption/orphan care ministries in our church communities. We have both learned a lot and both have a lot to learn! I am amazed at how God continues to connect me with other leaders who are passionate about caring for orphans. Many churches are starting adoption/orphan care ministries and I have sensed the need to launch a network for other leaders who need in encouragement in sharing this vision in their faith communities.

Susan and I will be attending The Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit in Kentucky next month. I am so thrilled to be able to network with other church leaders and to learn from their mistakes and successes. We will be attending seminars on topics such as adoption fundraising, building church adoption grants, leading church adoption/orphan care ministries, etc. I know that I have a lot to learn!

We are excited to share our vision and will host our first network on Monday, May 2 from 6:30-8:30 pm at Mimi's Cafe, Tustin (17231 E. 17th Street off the 55 fwy). Feel free to email Jenni for more information at jenni.ramsey@cox.net and stay tuned for more!!!