Holden's 4 Month Birthday

Tomorrow is Holden's 4th month birthday in heaven.  I want to say that there is not a better gift to us, his parents, than knowing we have received donations for FOUR wells... All by his 4 month birthday!

Today I drank 64 ounces of clean water.  Each time I took a drink of my reverse-osmosis filtered water (we are spoiled), I thought of those precious African people who were drinking something I would never even water my yard with.  I thought about the moms who are filling their children's cups with that filth, just hoping it doesn't make their babies sick...or kill them.

I cannot fathom giving my sweet child something like that to ingest.

Because of you, 8,000 people will soon be drinking safe water.  8,000 people won't be wondering if the next sip will be coming back up.  (Sorry that is a gross mental picture, but it's the truth.)  Mommies will be able to give their beautiful children water that will make them grow to be healthy kids.  Daddies will know their families are safer.  Communities will be changed.

I have been asked many times why we chose an African (Ugandan, in particular) charity, instead of a local one.  The answer is simple: We were all so blessed and privileged to be born in the United States.  As Americans, we can turn on our faucets at any time and enjoy something that millions of people worldwide cannot: clean water.  The Lord has paved a way for us to provide clean water in Uganda.  It is His project, that we are just so blessed to be a very small part of.

Four months ago, I would never have believed this joy and hope could be possible.  I am in deep gratitude.

Well number 4 is dedicated to the handsome son of Holly and Ryan Steele, Landry James Steele.  Landry was born on July 24, 2010 and went to be with the Lord on July 26, 2010.  

Humbly His,

Sarah (for all of us)

A Real Gift

If you would like to give the gift of clean water to someone this Christmas, please let me know who the gift is for.  We will send them a beautiful Holden Uganda card stating that a donation was made in their honor for Christmas, from you.  We will send the card out as soon as we receive the funds, so it will still arrive by Christmas.

3 wells?!

We woke up to a Christmas MIRACLE.  I am absolutely in awe of how generous and loving people are, especially since it is the hardest month to give.  Thank you for showing us that Christmas is about something more.  It is about sharing the love of Christ, the One who came as a baby 2000 years ago.  

All of us were absolutely shocked with one well this month.  Then two wells.  Today we are building THREE wells.  This is all possible because of the beauty and generosity in your hearts.  Thank you thank you thank you!

This Christmas, I will be thanking the Lord that thousands of people will be receiving a privilege I take for granted every single day: a clean glass of water to drink.  

Our third well will be in honor of the handsome little son of Kelly and Dan, Noah Daniel Mahalak.  Today, three months ago, was the day that Dan and Kelly found out their son had already gone to be with Jesus.  So today we received the funds to create his well.  I KNOW the hand of God is blessing these wells.

Just as Gwendolyn and Dylan's wells will be saving lives, little Noah's well will also be saving lives.

I wish there was a way I could tell you how my heart is overjoyed by Holden Uganda.  I guess until someone loses a child, but then is shown a purpose and a plan so great for that child's life, it is impossible to understand this feeling.  I just want you to know there is not a second that goes by that I don't think of ALL of you; your prayers, your generosity, your encouragements and your faithfulness.  

Merry Christmas and Many, Many Blessings.

Humbly His,

Sarah (for all of us)

December's Well!

www.holdenuganda.org is an official website now! 

Christmastime is something we thought would get in the way of starting a well in December.  It is the toughest month to ask for money.  Little did we know that YOU ALL would absolutely blow our goals out of the water (literally) and change that thought process of ours!!  Not only did we already build a well this month, we are on our way towards getting January’s well built!!

December’s well is named after Gwendolyn Hope Cushman.  She is the beautiful daughter of Blair & Erin Cushman, who went to be with Jesus on October 20, 2010.  Little Gwendolyn’s well will provide safe drinking water to 2000 people, saving 1000 of them from water-related deaths each year. 

We are simply humbled by your outpouring of love.  I listened to Matthew West’s song “My Own Little World” today.  I thought of you all.  You have given your lives to serving a greater purpose.  Thank you!

Our God is so, so GREAT!  I am yet again shown how much bigger His plans are than ours!

My Own Little World

In my own little world it hardly ever rains

I’ve never gone hungry or always felt safe

I got some money in my pocket shoes on my feet

In m own little world

Population me

I try to stay awake through the Sunday morning church

I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts

and I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see

it’s easy to do when it’s

population me

What if there’s a bigger picture

what if I’m missing out

What if there’s a greater purpose

I could be living right now

outside my own little world

Stopped at the red light, looked out my window

Outside the car, saw a sign, said “Help this homeless widow”

Just above this sign was the face of a human

I thought to myself, “God, what have I been doing?”

So I rolled down my window and I looked her in the eye

Oh how many times have I just passed her by

I gave her some money then I drove on through

in my own little world there’s

Population two

What if there’s a bigger picture

what if I’m missing out

What if there’s a greater purpose

I could be living right now

outside my own little world

Start breaking my heart for what breaks Yours

give me open hands and open doors

put Your light in my eyes and let me see

that my own little world is not about me

Update

Hello praying friends,

I'm so sorry for leaving you since Thursday!  Many of you have asked me for more information, so here goes:

Since Thursday, Chet has secured much of the necessary legal paperwork to create a 501(3)c.  He has been working almost non-stop on this, and I am so proud of what he and the Smiths have already been able to get done.  EVERYTHING is absolutely falling into perfect place.

[I am guessing that my organized, on-top-of-everything friends are probably gasping at the fact that all of this wasn't completed BEFORE sharing this amazing news, but I am not like that.  I cannot help but be so excited about what is in store for the Ugandan people.  It is such a precious thing to our Daddy and Mommy hearts! :)]

Can I just say that, WOW, there is a lot of paperwork to create a 501(3)c non-profit!!!?

We have the bank account set up (you should be able to see a PayPal link on the right of this screen) and will be prayerfully waiting for the IRS to send back all of our information.  Once the IRS returns our tax ID#, we will be able to send out the forms to our contributing friends to write off on their taxes.  If you feel led, you can donate now, and we will send you the form as soon as we get IRS approval.

Friday, I received our first official donation to Holden Uganda, from Andra.  I was so excited I think I nearly passed out once I got into my car!  I just know that there is amazing work to be done with the beautiful Ugandan people, and this is the first step!

Our official website is www.holdenuganda.org.  Right now it is linked to this blog, but we are working on it as I type.  www.holdenuganda.org is easier to remember, and more official.

I have learned an important lesson, if not one of the most important, over the past couple of days; when we say, "YES TO GOD!", all of His plans come to fruition in just the right way.

J.D., Kara, Chet and I don't see this as something that we are going to quit after our initial goal of the nine wells.  We will be in prayer about where the need is, and we are jumping in.  We are ALL in.

Humbly His,
Sarah Erwin (for all of us)
sarah@holdenuganda.org
325-728-0159

Holden Uganda

The first Ugandan well donated in Holden's honor, by J.D. & Kara Smith.  Verse says "Matt 19:13" now.

Holden Uganda is the project set up by J.D. & Kara Smith and Chet & Sarah Erwin, in honor of Holden Newell Erwin, to provide clean drinking water to the Ugandan people. 

Our initial goal is to drill 9 wells to represent the 9 months of life Holden spent on earth.

Each well costs approximately $2,200.00 USD, and will provide clean water for about 2000 Ugandan people.  Can you believe that for $1.10, you provide clean, healthy water for someone?  Our goal is to make $19,800 in the next 9 months.  (One well per month.) 

These 9 wells will change lives!

It is our wish to dedicate each of the nine wells to a baby who has gone to heaven before his/her parents. 

We will have more news very soon, and the direct link to donate towards this cause.  We will also have the name of the organization who will be drilling the wells.

We believe in using God's money honestly and wisely; 100% of ALL money donated will go directly towards drilling these wells.  Not one penny will be wasted and every penny will go towards making a POWERFUL difference in the lives of thousands of God's precious children in Uganda.

"...inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." - Jesus