Favorite Fundraising Ideas

Here are some of my favorite fundraising ideas, most of them found on: http://www.gapyear.com/articles/90420/a-to-z-of-fundraising-ideas

- Auction of Promises

Visit local businesses and ask them to donate their services for you to auction off. Or rope in your friends, who could promise to wash cars, mow lawns or do housework for the highest bidder.

- Beard Shaving

Grab a few hairy marys and shave them. Not just for fun - fundraise by getting people to sponsor them to go through with it. You can shave heads, beards, backs or legs... the possibilities are great.

- Back to Front Day

Get sponsored to wear your clothes the wrong way round for a whole day.

- Concert

Get some talented friends to perform in front of those less talented. Or, vice versa for a laugh. Charge an admission fee and organise a collection during the matinee.

- Car Washing

Grab some willing friends and get knocking on your neighbour's doors. Tell them why you are offering to wash their car and chances are, they'll gladly stump up a bit of cash.

- Chocolate Ban

Get sponsored for every three days you can go without chocolate - or for every day without, if you're a serious chocoholic!

- Fairs, fetes, bazaars, etc

Get yourself a big space (a hall, a field or even a car park) and let your imagination go crazy. Set up a coconut shy, apple bobbing stand, races and white elephant stalls.

- Film show/premiere

There are two main ways to do this. Speak nicely to your local cinema manager and ask if you can rent out a screen - or even if they will donate one to your worthy cause. Charge your friends and family an admission to watch the newest blockbuster. Alternatively stage a screening in your own home - maybe you could theme the type of films you show with your gap route? Ask people to bring their own snacks and to pay a small amount for the screening.

- Fashion Shows make for Fashionable Fundraising

Depending on how ambitious you are, this could raise a significant amount towards your charity of choice. Either grab a couple of mates and stage a show in your house. They could model clothes that you no longer want or need, which could then be auctioned off at the end of the day. Alternatively, let local clothes shops know about your fundraiser and ask them to donate clothes for the show. This is also great publicity for them. Get hold of a hall and advertise the event well in advance - give out flyers in your town centre and post them through letter boxes.

- Fill Smartie tubes with coins

Pass smartie tubes out to your friends and family and ask them to fill them with spare change - preferrably £1 coins! Then collect them back in - you'll be amazed at how much you will raise this way and there is very little effort involved. Also, you could empy the smarties from their tubes into a jar and run a 'Guess the number' contest.

- It’s a Knockout competition

Get some teams together and arrange assualt courses, games and quizzes galore. Each team member pays a few pounds to take part - with the winning team being awarded a prize donated by a local company.

- Ice-cream Eating

Either get sponsored to make lifelong friends with Ben and Jerry or buy huge tubs of ice cream and sell them by the scoop as cornets on a hot day.

- Joke-a-thon

Go up to people on the street and asking them to pay you fifty pence if you can make them laugh. Best to be armed with a ready supply to hilarious jokes for this one.

- Karaoke competition/display

Rent a karaoke machine and hold an event in your local pub, college bar, or bedroom. Sell tickets, or make it a competition and charge people to enter. Get a local company to donate a prize.

- Leap Frog

Get sponsored per leap, or per quarter-hour. More fun if you're leaping over strangers, in the local park or on the beach. Tell them what you're doing; they'll either laugh and agree or walk very quickly in the opposite direction. Take photos to prove you did it!

- Obstacle Course

Set up a hard-core obstacle course and charge people to race.

- Pram push

Dress up, push your mate in a pram through the streets of your town, shake a bucket and be prepared to tell a lot of curious bystanders why they should give you money for your fundraising shenanigans.

- Scavenger Hunt

People pay to enter. They each recieve a list of items they need to scavenge (a beer-mat, a yellow flower, an item of underwear that's not their own...) Give a prize to the person who brings all the items to you first.

- Throwing wet sponges at a person in stocks

Great at a summer fair!

- Tuck shop

Buy cheap multi-packs of chocolate bars and crisps and sell them at extortionately inflated prices. This works well at offices and factories, as well as schools and youth clubs. Sell home-made cakes and cookies too if you've got time to bake them.

- Twister-a-thon

Get sponsored to play an all-day game of Twister with your mates. People will donate more if you're doing it in a public place - your embarrassment is always worth a few quid.

- Video-a-thon

Rent a bunch of classic movies and play them back-to-back for 24 hours. Print schedules and hand them out to your friends and acquaintances, who'll hopefully turn up and pay to watch their favourites. Offer a discount for those who last the whole 24 hours. Don't skimp on the popcorn.

- Costume Sponsor 
Make a crazy costume and then get sponsors to wear it for the whole day, wherever you go.

-Personal Shopper Service
We all know someone who doesn’t like to go shopping, doesn’t have the time or energy or is unable to get out to the shops.
Earn money for your cause by setting up your own personal shopper service. Do someone’s grocery shopping, run their errands or just accompany them around town… all for a small donation of course!

A Slave Auction

Not as bad as it sounds. Get volunteers to agree to be a 'slave' for an hour, an afternoon, a day etc. Once you have a sufficient quantity of slaves, you can organise the auction and invite loads of people along to it, preferably including a few successful local businessmen and women. The slaves that are 'won' in the auction may end up performing a number of tasks for the winning bidder, usually based upon their skills, e.g. a carpenter might put up some shelves, a chef might cook a nice meal, a gardener might do some digging etc.

Dinner Auction 

This can be a very fun event that has the added benefit of being delicious. Ask a group of volunteers to make one dinner dish each. The dish could be an appetizer, main meal or a yummy dessert. Package the meals in take-home containers. Everyone brings their meals to the fundraiser night. Arrange all of the meals on a table so everyone can see what they're bidding on. The auctioneer should start the bidding around $5 each and watch as people bid against each other, raising the pot. Imagine what you would pay for a chocolate hot fudge cake. Everyone goes home with at least one meal for that night or the next day.

Children's Clothing Sale

Babies and children outgrow clothing and toys so quickly, often before they are worn out. Host a baby and kids’ resale as your next fundraiser. You will need a large building with a cafeteria or gymnasium, such as a school or a church. You will need access to long tables. Clothing racks would be helpful, but not necessary. Set a day to have the sale, preferably a Saturday or Sunday to maximize shoppers. Rent the tables to parents looking to sell their children’s clothing, toys, and accessories they are no longer using. You could rent the tables for ten to twenty dollars a piece. Charge an entry fee to shoppers. A dollar would be appropriate. Have a monitored room that the table renters can place their large items in for sale, such as high chairs and strollers. Mark each item so you know who gets the money when it sells. Have a concession stand with drinks and food for your hungry shoppers and moms. People will look forward to this sale every year.
More information on holding a clothing consignment fundrasier here.

Bidding for Blue Plate Specials
This is a fun and sometimes hilarious twist on the dinner fundraiser. Tell people to bring an individual serving, cooked meal or dessert, their checkbook, and their sense of adventure. They will be bidding for their dinner. Meals can be simple such as hard boiled egg or scrambled eggs, or elaborate such as lobster thermidor. It is up to each person to decide what to bring. Put a cover over each meal to keep it a secret and let the biding begin. Keep hot meals in a warmer to keep them hot. Either start the bidding the same for each meal, or start with a high or low bid to keep people guessing as to whether it is a fancy meal or not. You may want to reveal what the meal is during bidding if you think it will drive the price up. It will be funny to see a peanut butter and jelly sandwich go for $25 when prime rib only sells for $5. Just be careful to announce any potential food allergies before bidding starts.

Board Game Tournament

Create a fun twist on a card tournament and do something that everyone can participate in. Have a Board Game Tournament. Pick a favorite, such as Sorry, Trouble, or Monopoly. Assemble 4 person teams that will work together to accumulate points or you can allow individuals to participate. Charge an entry fee for each team, in order to earn money for your charity. Give a portion of the proceeds as the winning prize or get prizes donated from local businesses. Decide if you are going to play with a time limit for each game so that everyone has the same chance and to keep things running on a schedule. Decide on any “House” rules beforehand. Set up bleachers for the audience and consider having a 50/50 raffle or raffle for door prizes. Definitely have a concession stand with coffee, soda pop, popcorn, chips, hot dogs, and bottled water to earn extra money.

Carnation Day

 Everyone loves to receive flowers and it can be very uplifting to know that someone is thinking of you. Have a carnation day on Valentine’s Day or Sweetest Day as your group’s next fundraiser. This is a great fundraiser for a school. Carnations are a relatively inexpensive flower and you should be able to get a great deal buying them in bulk. Contact a local nursery, greenhouse or florist and see if they can help you out. Have pre-sales of the carnations before school and during lunchtime for a week before the day. Make up cards that have a line for student’s full name, homeroom, and spot for a personal message. Set up a table to sell the cards and pens for the students to fill them out. Have collection boxes to place the cards in. You may want to have the boxes labeled with homerooms or alphabetically (A-D, E-G, etc.) to make sorting easier. Have a cash box with small bills and coins so that you can make change. On the morning of Carnation Day, have some people grouping flowers and cards and others delivering them to homerooms. The recipients will love hearing their names read off and receiving the flowers. Consider ordering extra to give each teacher and principal one as well.

Christmas Cookie Baking

 Most people have already been rushing around for more than a month, first getting ready for Thanksgiving, and now preparing for Christmas. There's shopping to do, decorating, possibly travel to plan, or preparing their homes for guests, and they have to do it all while still keeping up with the day-to-day tasks and activities. It's a miracle if anyone has any time left over to bake anything from scratch. That's where your group comes in. Offer baked holiday cookies that members of the community can buy by the dozen. Decide on a few varieties to make, and they don't have to be complicated. Simple sugar cookies, or gingerbread will do. You can get fancier if you like, and offer premium cookies at a slightly higher price. If your volunteers have the time, inclination, and skill, you can also offer larger baked goods like cakes and pies. Ask people to place their orders a week or two in advance so there's plenty of time for preparation and and baking. And for that inevitable emergency request, add on a small last-minute fee. This way, families still get homemade treats rather than store-bought, and your organization raises money for its cause. Everyone has a happy holiday!

Death By Chocolate

Chocolate lovers are everywhere. Give them what they want with a Death by Chocolate Fundraiser. Contact local restaurants and pastry chefs to see if they would be interested in participating. They would receive free advertising in return. Find a banquet hall that is willing to let you host the event for free or a reduced price. Let them set up a cash bar to recoup some of the cost and maybe you can split the proceeds. Sell tickets as a Chocolate Tasting Event. Tickets sold in advance can be reduced price from tickets sold at the door to encourage pre-sales. Have each chef prepare sample sized portions of their favorite chocolate desserts. It would be great if they could attend the event to answer questions (and get praised) about their desserts. Make sure you have variety of milk, dark and white chocolate desserts. Something for everyone! You may also want to have a wine tasting. Find a sommelier willing to help suggest wines that will pair well with chocolate. This fundraiser is sure to be popular and a great moneymaker.

Giving Tree
This is a great fundraiser to stock a food bank or other church pantry, or collect gifts for people in need during the Holiday season. Instead of decorating a tree with regular ornaments, decorate it with hand crafted paper ornaments that have items that are needed written on them. Have ornaments that hit all price points. Items in the $1.00 to $25.00 range are best, so that everyone can participate. If you are collecting items for a food bank, request non-perishable items. Have bins set up around the tree for people to deposit their gifts in. Or have a collection date and time to gather everything at once. If you are collecting items for those in need, try to have as much information available on the ornament. It is easier to shop for someone knowing that they are a size medium woman who likes the color blue and needs some long sleeve shirts, or a little boy who needs a pair of snow boots and is a size 7.

Holiday Shopping in One Night
Holiday gift shopping can be time consuming and hectic. Host a “holiday shopping in one night” event for your next fundraiser. Find vendors willing to set up a booth, either for a set fee or a percentage of their sales for the evening. Contact representatives from popular companies such as Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware, and Watkins. Most companies have online directories to find representatives in your area, or ask around to find them. Send home flyers, advertise with posters, and contact your local newspapers. Offer a free grab bag or raffle ticket to the first fifty shoppers. See if the vendors will donate gift baskets or product samples to give away. Have a bake sale and concession stand to feed your hungry shoppers and make extra money. Consider having craft vendors as well, but do not make the show bigger than one shopper can get through in one evening. Your shoppers will appreciate being able to get all their shopping done in one place.

Love from Home Packages
Being away at college is a huge adjustment and can leave you homesick. The perfect remedy is a care package from home. This fundraiser would be perfect for a high school or church. Mail flyers to the parents of recently graduated seniors (within the last four years) and explain your group and what you are raising money for. Have a list of care packages for sale and their contents. For example, you can have a chocolate lover’s package, a coffee lover’s package, an assortment package, etc. You will want to put things in the care package that are convenience foods that can be easily prepared in a microwave and are shelf stable. Let the parents place a personal message in the care package. Shop at discount food stores to get the best price on items. Find businesses willing to donate cardboard boxes so that you can ship the packages. Parents will appreciate the convenience and students will appreciate the love from home.

 No Dirty Dishes for a Week

 No one likes to wash dirty dishes. With our busy lives, it is sometimes hard to find the time to make a home cooked meal. This fundraiser will probably be very popular and appeal to a large group of people. This fundraiser is appropriate for all groups. You will want to find several local restaurants that are willing to donate a dinner for two, or even four if the restaurant is really generous. Approach local restaurants over the phone or in person and explain who your group is and what you are raising money for. Tell them you are looking to raffle off a whole week of dining out at local restaurants. Ask if they are willing to participate. Let them know that they will receive free advertising at your event. Try to find a wide range of restaurants from simple to elaborate and different cuisines. You can either work with the restaurants to schedule a set week with a night at each restaurant, or they could just offer a certificate redeemable for a dinner for two. Selling raffle tickets for this should be easy.

Pampering in Prison

 Create a new twist on the lock up for charity. Instead of just locking up your prisoners and having them make phone calls to family and friends to raise bail money, pamper them too. People will request to be locked up for the day. For a small donation take down the names of people to arrest. Create a list of offenses for which they are being arrested for. Instead of picking them up, you may want to have them turn themselves in. You may want to forewarn them with a note, so they can prepare and have their phonebook with them. Tell them what amount they need to raise and let them know they can begin ahead of time. You will want to arrange to have people that pamper there, such as massage therapists, manicurists, estheticians for facials, hair stylists and makeup artist. Have pampering stations set up that appeal to both men and women. You will also want to have phones available to them.

What would you do to change a life?

  I just designed this picture to be my desktop background so that each time I turn my computer on and off and the times in between, I am reminded. I want to ask myself this question all the time... because it is something that should be close to everyone's heart.
  What would you do to change a life? Would you share the full true Gospel message with someone? Would you risk embarrassing yourself to tell someone the truth of how they need God or they are heading for a not so good future destination? Would you stop spending so much money on food or dvds or music or other things that don't really matter that much to give someone on the other side of the world a better life? Would you give up the comforts of your home to travel to another place and fulfill the call God has on your life... to change a life? Would you stand up for the right thing, even if it might mean that you suffer... to save a life?
  Would you speak up more, love more, listen more, care more... to change a life?
  Or will you remain the same? Will you think about it for a moment and then toss it off like a shirt you don't like, and go back to your old life?
  Listen to me and join me... and let's consider what we can do to change a life. I am over living life for myself. That is not at all what I was made for, and I know for certain that you weren't made for it either. God created us to serve and worship Him, and through that comes a love for others. Through that comes the passion and understanding and want to change another persons life.
  Join me and let's change a life.

Cards With A Difference

  I decided to make a website to showcase the designs I have for my cards and to make it so that people other than my friends here in my hometown can buy the cards. Unfortunately I don't know how to make it so that people from overseas can do it, but New Zealanders with Internet Banking can buy the cards. So check out my site, which I am calling for this time, Cards With A Difference.
  The cards are $1.00 each, and postcards are 50c each (New Zealand currency). So have a look, and even if you can't buy them if you are from another country, maybe you have a friend in NZ who could get them for you. :)

Learning the Russian

  So my Russian learning has been going pretty good. I haven't been plowing through my course at fast speed, but I have been learning the stuff quite good, and I feel that it is growing on me. Like now instead of thinking, "Thank you," I think, "Спасибо," and usually say the Russian accept when I am at the supermarket because I am talking to mostly people who do not know Russian.
  I am actually a bit behind in my course, if I am only going to be doing it this year, but I am going to do it until I go to Russia next year in July, so hopefully it will be finished by then. I really want to know it in depth instead of just get the course finished and not have retained anything in my mind.
  So, please keep on praying for me that my Russian will continue to grow in my mind. All I can say is Спасибо, Бог. He is so good to me.

До свидания!

Ruby.

Postcard Ideas

  At the moment I am putting inspiring words of photos and getting them ready to be printed, because I have come up with a new idea of something I can sell at my boot-sale stall: postcards. But not just any postcards, but ones that encourage others to follow God, reach out and help others, forgive, and stand up for what is right. Some should be ready for the next boot-sale. I hope they sell well, but it will be fun making them, either way.
  Here are some of the designs I have been making today and a couple of days before:

  What do you think? Pretty groovy, hey? God is good at giving good ideas. God is just plain good, all the time. :)

Knitting in the Lord's Army

Hello, Blogger Friends.

<-- Here is a picture of me with my second-to-lastest knitting project: a boys scarf. That went good, and now I am onto a matching beanie. I am thinking about putting the word out there to people asking if they have any wool they don't need and want to donate to the cause of getting knitted up into something warm to be given to a child with Operation: Cover-Up .
  Doing knitting for the Operation has been pretty rewarding, and I recommend that if you live in Australia to get in touch with Operation Cover Up people and get knitting, or there are lots of other projects that help people. I think sometimes we can become so caught up in our little worlds that we forget we have thousands of brothers and sisters in the Lord suffering for being a Christian, and that there are thousands of children whose parents have died or abandoned them, so many families struggling to get by, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
 I think I have said it before, and I will say it again: ask God what He wants you to be doing to change the world. One thing I can tell you needs to be done first: spending alone time with God each day to get on track and make sure you are doing what He wants you to be doing. It is so easy to go off on our own tangents and get down the track to realize we have wasted weeks, months, or even years on things that don't matter. Making time for God each day is not easy, but it is a requirement for being a Christian. We are part of the Lord's Army, and we can't afford to be sleeping while the fight is raging on.

Easter Saturday at the Boot Sale

  The first official fundraiser for Orphans Aid International by us was down at the Train Station Boot Sale today (Saturday). It was a good time and we made $100.80. Yay!
  Just spent the night watching two movies. Neither of which were very beneficial, but the second one was really funny. I was laughing the whole way through. We watched SALT first, and that was a bit sad. I don't like movies that don't leave room for a good ending... and I like non-Christian movies less and less these days. But there are a few acceptions where my worldly-self gets the better of me.
  Got Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) out from the video store. Cooked dinner... then went to put it on, HUGE crack in it. Couldn't play it (hence why we watched the other two movies that Dad had picked). A tad annoying, but I do pretty much know Pride and Prejudice by heart I have watched it so many times. One time, I watched it, and then I put it on right afterwards and watched it again. Not one of my better moments, but they don't call me the RE-Run Queen for nothing.
  Happy Easter whoever is reading this.

Listening to My Own Advice

  You know how it feels when you are inspired and you just want to get out there and do SOMETHING? Well... that is how I feel almost every day. I have been inspired, and that inspiration just keeps on coming. Even when I feel discouraged and have mood swings, etc, I still want to get out there and change the world.
  But I gave some advice to a girl today, and I feel that it is good advice. Now, I just have to start doing it myself.
  The advice was that prayer is so important. I already know that. But more than that, I told her that instead of just getting out there and trying to change the world, we should first of all pray and ask God exactly how He wants us to do this, how He wants to use us to bring change in the world, and what He wants us to do. Because when we just go out there and don't see what God really wants, then we like give out all we have and it doesn't really seem to change anything
  So what I said we should seek God's will first, and then once we know what He wants us to do... DO IT. Because when we are doing what God wants, then He will bless what we are doing. When we have gotten our instructions from God, we know what we are doing is what He wants and we don't have to be offended by what other people think, because we know. And we can have faith that He will bring out the best.
  So... I am going to do this. Keep me accountable.
  Ruby.

The Perfect Game

  Just watched a really good movie last night called The Perfect Game. It is about the first Mexican Little League team, and it is a great one. You will have to get the movie out from the video store or somehow... because it is a great family movie. Good for all ages and brings up good issues like racism, putting God first, and working as a team.... and has a cute as team of kids. :)

What is worthwhile to me?

  I was just having a discussion about an a movie that has just come out with someone from my church, and I made the comment that that kind of thing wasn't worthwhile to me. And now I am thinking... what is worthwhile to me?
  I didn't want to comment on their thing otherwise it would seem that I was being all high-and-mighty, which people can often think when I get annoyed with what others are doing when they should be doing the good things in life. But I can write it here.
  What is worthwhile to me?
  Knowing that I am doing my part to reduce poverty. Helping other people. Telling people about God and the Bible... the truth, in other words. Encouraging others to focus on God and let the other things fall away. Preparing for my life beyond being a teenager. Spending time alone with God and learning to hear His voice.
  To be honest, there are a lot of things that are worthwhile to me, and seeing secular movies at the theater have recently dropped off the list. But if the comment about the new movie had been made a couple of years ago, I would have joined in with the excitement. Now I just feel a little cut off from my generation as they go in their worthless direction of consumerism, and I try to go the other way. If you want to follow the way I am going... or even are already going that way... let me know. Encouragement every once in a while is nice. :)

Encouraging News

  Some exciting news I have to share.
  Last night I got home from youth group and went on the computer to check my emails. I noticed that there is one from the fundraising site, with the subject title telling me there was a donation. I opened the email and wow... I was shocked! Someone had donated $1,700.00 to OAI through my fundraising page!
  Wow.....
  Praise God is all I can say. He is so good to make someones heart so generous. I have a couple of ideas as to who it could be... but I don't mind leaving whoever it was anonymous. I don't have a huge idea who it is though, so it could be anyone. Either way, if you are reading this... thank you very much. And let this be an encouragement to those other people out there... it doesn't matter how big or small you give as long as you know it is the amount God wants you to give.
Love,
Ruby.

James: It is Finished

  Wondering about the title of my blog? Let me explain...
  Over the past few weeks (from the 28th of February until today's date of March 20) I have been memorizing the book of James. And today I finished it! I am really excited about this, because now I can rememorize it (to reaffirm it in my mind so that I don't forget the truth I have read) and move onto memorizing another book of the Bible. Any suggestions?
  In 2010-2011 I memorized 1 Timothy, 2 John, and 3 John, but the main reason I wanted to memorize them was to be able to say, "Look at me, I just memorized three books of the Bible." That is not at all the right attitude to have. Now I have a different reason to memorize it... because I want to have God's Word in my heart to take it with me where I go in life.
  And a plus side of memorizing things is that it opens up your memory. It has been helping make learning my Russian easier, that I am sure of. But the main reason that my Russian is going good is because God is helping me do it and cause I have a reason and a goal I am working towards.

Life with God is an adventure.

  До свидания

 Love, Ruby.

Some Exciting News!

здравствуй

Wow, I have some exciting news. Orphans Aid International (a lady named R, who Sue had asked to ring me so we could discuss fundraising ideas, etc) rang me this afternoon. We chatted about some interesting things, and then R brought up the exciting news. "Sue wanted me to tell you that next year there is a trip to Russia for one of the centers camps." I was a bit shocked. "Am I aloud to go over with them?" I asked, not sure whether that was what she was meaning or not. "I am pretty sure that's what Sue meant when she said it," she replied.

Спасибо, Бог.

Mum suggested today that I should be journalling all these exciting things that God is doing in my life. I think she is right. I am writing it down in different books, etc, but I think I need a set book: "Journey to Russia" or something along those lines.

My learning of Russian is going well. I am able to pick up words the guy the Russian channel (we get Russia Today on our TV) is saying. Like "Thank you," and "Good-bye."

Please keep praying for me so that you can join in on the exciting things God is doing.

Love,
Ruby.

Facebook

  Ever heard of Facebook? Well... I recently started sharing one with my mother. That may sound awkward, but apart from the obvious reason to safe-guard me a little from all the guys who asked if I had a Facebook, it was convenient since Mum had one but couldn't be bothered keeping up to date with it, and I couldn't be bothered making one, but was all right with looking after hers.
  Anyway, now I am on Facebook like every day. In the beginning it was really taking up my time, but now I am cutting back on it a bit and just going on once I have completed a good amount of tasks in the day.
  Facebook is good for keeping in touch with friends I have made from work when they move on.
  Question of the week: Are you obsessed with Facebook?

Long time, no type

  I know I haven't written in a while. Life has been reasonably busy with starting back at school (especially since this is my last year, yay!), babysitting at least once a week, trying to stay on top of my emotions (which is hard, but I am getting better at it), and numerous other things. Bibles in Schools is starting back in a couple of weeks so things will get even busier!
  I have found an accountability partner, though, which is great. Her name is Mum, and she is my mother. Some people probably wouldn't want to have one of their parents as their accountability partner, but I guess I am not like most people. I know that Mum is the one (apart from Dad) who cares the most about me and who has the highest expectations of me. She believes that I have a purpose in life, and she does not want me to be any less than the person God has created me to be. And that is what I need (among other things) from my accountability partner.
  Keeping on top of my emotions. That has been made easier by spending alone time with God each day. Not easier, I mean, but has made it... better. Life is not easy with God, but I have Him to help me which makes the burden of my emotions lighter.
  Over about the last month (or half a month) I have been learning the importance of praying. Not just for in general things, but for specific things I want and expect to see happen. So I have been setting aside a few minutes in the morning, middle of the day, and at night each day to pray about things. Some of things I pray for are these: evolution to stop being taught as fact in schools in my town (ad throughout NZ), the child abandonment statistics in Russia to drop significantly, for my future husband (if he exists, which I am still not sure about), my unsaved friends to hear and fully understand the Gospel message and God to draw them into Himself, etc. Some of those things may seem random or unlikely to happen, but I want to see my world and community change for the better, and I am prepared to pray for those things and see them happen.
  Love,
  Ruby.

Church Camp in Kaiteriteri

  We just got back from a church camp in Kaiteriteri (which is a beach town about two and a half (I think) hours away from us. A good drive, anyway.) yesterday. It was a great time over the long weekend (Monday was Waitangi Day.)
  On Friday most people arrived and set up their tents. The rest of the day was spent hanging around. On Saturday the day was spent hanging around, going to the beach, greeting others who had just arrived, and then in the evening there was an outdoor showing of the movie :Facing the Giants. The awesome thing was that just after the movie equipment had been packed away after it was shown, the rain fell down. So everything was all safe by the time it rained.
  Sunday was a rainy day. Some went to town while others hung around the campground. In the afternoon there was a sand sculpture building competition with a Bible theme. Me, Mum, and Sarah made John the Baptists head on a plate, and a cross near that, with the words "For this reason I die" written in white shells above the two sand sculptures. Other castles or sculptures included: Jonah in the whale (with a guy playing Jonah and sand sculpted into a whale form around him), Joshua and the city of Jericho, the mans house who was built on the sand, a behemoth, the fishermen and boat with the net that caught all the fish when they put it on the side where Jesus said to fish, Noah ark, a mini Noah's ark on top of the mountain where it landed, and a couple of other things.
  Then on Monday in the morning it was a bit rainy and everyone rushed to pack up their tents and get on the road home. It was a good time the church camp. :)

Rhythms of Grace

 On Hillsong United 's CD "Aftermath" they have a song called Rhythms of Grace. We play it in my church, but haven't been able to capture the awesomeness that is on the CD. This song is just great.
  I have just been thinking about the lyrics.
  "My life is a life for your cause, my will laid aside for you call." What do these words mean? When we sing these words, we are saying to God that we give up our lives to Him. That will lay aside whatever we might have planned for our lives and say that we will follow God's call.
  "And reserved are the depths of my heart, only for You." We are telling God that we have reserved the deepest, most precious part of our heart for Him. That other parts of ourselves we will give away to others as we love them, but there is a part of us that is only God's and no one elses.
  I recommend that you read the rest of the lyrics of this great song and think about what we are singing. We say we are giving our lives up to God when we sing thing song... so the real question is this: are we liars, or do we do what we say (or sing)? I put that question to you. Many people will sing about following God, but there are few whose lives reflect the songs they sing.

Here is my life mission statement

  Last night God showed me the passage of Scripture that is going to become my mission statement.
  Taken from 1 Timothy 4:12-16, and modified slightly for me:
  "I will not let anyone look down on me because I am young, but I will set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I go to Russia, I will devote myself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. I will not neglect my gift, which was given me through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on me. I will be diligent in these manners; giving myself wholly to them, so that everyone may see my progress. I will watch my life and doctrine closely. I will persevere in them, because if I do, I will save both myself and my hearers."
  And that is how it goes. I think it is good for everyone... so the thing is, how are we going to live out this statement. Give this blog a comment to let me know how you are living your life to these standards. :)

A Photo in Hotel d'Urville

Here is a photo from in the fancy restaurant we went to on Saturday.

How the dinner went

An update on how the dinner went:
It went pretty well. I am glad it is over because I was pretty nervous, but once I was at the restaurant with them it wasn't so bad, but it still was a little awkward. Not too bad. I had salmon with other stuff around it and it tasted really good. But for $36 dollars I would hope it was nice. It was quality, not quantity and it made me feel pretty full.
Church tomorrow and that is when I give B his birthday present. I do not usually buy guys birthday presents, but he did take us out to dinner at a fancy restaurant, and he is my friend (kind of) so I bent the rules this once. But buying presents for guys can get to be pretty expensive business on my budget. :)

Seeya.

A Fancy Dinner

  Tonight me, the people I work for (R & B), their young daughter (N), their father (J), and the guy who is staying with them (B) are going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant in my town called D Urville or something like that, to celebrate B's birthday. I am a little bit nervous as I do not go to fancy restaurants. The main problem is that they all speak Indonesian, but I know they will speak English since I will be there, but still. That is not the full story of why I am slightly nervous but, as it says in Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious over nothing..." (you can look the rest of the verse up yourself if you would like.)
  I might upload photos if someone there has a camera, because I do not intend on taking mine there. :)
  I'll give you an update maybe tomorrow or the next day.
  Ruby.

Teen Websites

  I have two websites that I have made for teenagers. One is for Christian girls, and the other is for Christian teenagers (girls and boys). If you want to look at them and fill out some forms to help me make them better (or just look at them, it's up to you) then check them out.
  The reason I have made these sites is because they are both fun to create and I would like to think I am putting some food-for-thought out there to other teenagers around my age. The time to stand up and follow God is now, not in the future. Us Christians need to rise up and follow Jesus with our actions as well as our words. I have made these sites to encourage teenagers to do just that.

Accountability

  I think it is very important to have someone who is an accountability partner. I had one for a short time, but then she moved back to England so I don't have one anymore. But I want to find another lady who I can be accountable to in keeping my standards high and living my life for God and not going off in my own selfish ways.
  So why is it important to have an accountability partner? Why is important to be held accountable to someone you trust?
  It is important and needed in every Christians life because when you are accountable to someone you are less likely to do something you will later regret because you will have to explain to someone else why you are doing what you are doing. It is needed because they can keep an eye on you and you have given them the right to say when they are thinking you are doing something that goes against you're values and what is written in the Bible.
  There are many more reasons, but these are just a few I have thought of.

Amish Grace: Movie

  I am just watching the movie, Amish Grace, now. It is very sad. I have not finished watching it yet to know if it has a good outcome.
  The saddest thing is that this movie is based on a true story. To think that someone could do that is... horrible. Unthinkable. In the movie the guy who killed those Amish girls in the schoolhouse had his own children of around the same age.
 And yet, this is not the first time that something like this has happened. The world is fallen, and yet this movie shows us that harboring hatred and bitterness will not solve any problems. Unless we forgive men, no matter how hard it may be, then how can we expect God to forgive us.
  But such a hard thing it would be to do.
  "Hate will eat up your heart and leave no room for love," one man whose daughter died said.
  I watched the end of the movie. It was a good movie, sad, and inspiring through the tears.

Hola From New Zealand

  It is an interesting experience to talk with someone that you like, and to use your influence to encourage them in the things of God instead of pursuing and romantic relationship with them.
  I won't go deeper into the subject, but I would suggest that any single women out there that are wondering how they can relate to the opposite gender while remaining respectful, and keeping their standards and morals high, and enjoying a friendship I would recommend reading P.B. Wilson's book "Your Knight in Shining Armor." My friend Sarah and I did this book as a study together and we got a lot out of it.
  I got it from the Christian Bookshop, and I don't regret buying it.
  Have not had any donations in a while, but I think that the fundraising is still coming along good. But the more money that Orphans Aid gets, the more they can give to the orphanages they have set up and the more they can do in the countries where they work. The more homes they can set up or extend. The more orphans that can be cared for. The more staff that can be hired to look after the children and love them. So do not stop donating. Continue on supporting my fundraising goal and Orphans Aid in prayer and through donations.
Thank you,
  Ruby.

PS: I did my data entry work today and that went well. Only took 4 and a half hours to do it this week. Last week it took seven hours.

BlogBuster

  I am a little bored, so I thought I would write a blog and let you know how things are going with the fundraising and events I have planned and so on.
  Before I go on to tell you whats been up, I wanted to let you know of a good, inspiring, family movie by the name of "Christmas Angel." Christmas is over now as you well know, but the movie is good for any time of the year.
  How things are going with the fundraising: Things are going well. I have raised $720 since I started, but I don't want to stop there. By the time I am seventeen I want to have reached far far above the goal I have set for three thousands dollars, because if I am going to Russia then this year may well be my last year I will be able to fundraise for them before all the money I have goes into running an orphanage. So don't think that everything is running along smoothly so you don't have to donate... because you do. God said for Christians to look after the orphans and widows. So don't back down from following what God has told us to do. Get out there and, as I like to say, "Get active about your faith!"
  How things are with the fundraising events: I have not come too far along with any of the events I am wanting to do, but I am forming an idea in my mind about speaking in my church and giving a little bit of a talk about what I am doing, why I have chosen to support Orphans Aid, and about the fundraisers I am planning. I will have to ask my pastor before I can get up and do the talk, but the ideas are still forming. I have emailed Sue van Schreven because we keep in touch and asked if there is a trailer ( short movie advertisement) for the documentary Someone, Somewhere Loves Me.
  I don't just want peoples money. I want to get them inspired, involved, and active about calling themselves Christians.

  Ruby

The Romanian Boy

  I am writing a song called "The Romanian Boy". It is about the boy in the photo that I will put on here, who is from Transylvania, Romania. (It's on the Russian page of the OAI site, but he is actually from Romania).
  This little boy is also featured in Sue van Schreven's book "Rescue," well a photo of him is.
  The story told about this little boy is that he would yell out to people passing by from the hospital window where he had been abandoned by his parents and would ask them to please take him to his home. He represents for me the orphans over in countries like Romania and Russia who have no one. Most don't even have a birth certificate. As far as the government and other people in the world are concerned they don't exist. But I know they exist, and you know they exist. And we both know that they are in horrible conditions without love, so what are we going to do about it?

Ruby.

Someone Somewhere Loves Me

I am going to be doing some fundraisers in my town sometime soon. One of them, if I get the all clear from Sue, will be screening the documentary about her work setting up Orphans Aid International and what OAI does over in Romania.
  My parents got me the documentary for my birthday (which was today) and I watched it this afternoon. A very truthful, sad, and inspiring documentary videoed by Rob Harley.
  Another two ideas I have had for fundraisers in my town will be to have a games night and also a quiz night in my church or maybe at my home, whichever works best. What would be really good is for me to find some other girls (or like minded people my age) to help me organize such events. So, please be praying for that for me, because that would be great. God answers prayers, I have seen many times.
  Also could you leave a comment if you think of something else that I could do as a fundraiser that is thinking a little outside the box. Thanks,

Ruby.

Fundraising Days

  The fundraising is going well. I have raised $410 so far, and I started on Thursday! But I cannot claim the glory for getting people to donate, only God can make someones heart generous to give to a good cause. So thank you Lord!
  Praise is an awesome thing. Not only does it glorify God and worship Him, it also lifts up our hearts and makes us joyful. In my book, praise is a good thing all around!
  Feel free to promote my cause to any of your friends and family, because my goal is to reach $3000 by January 5, 2013. And remember, a blessing comes with giving generously. I know there are four people so far who are being blessed for giving to Orphans Aid International through my fundraising site.