Why Is Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone?

It was an incredibly successful day of medical screening! Approximately 3,000 individuals waited calmly and patiently for many hours—some arriving the day before—with hope that today would be the day they would hear, “Yes, we can help you.”

If you would like to donate to this ministry, please click here. Any gift you send by April 30th will be DOUBLED, thanks to a $250,000 matching pledge, to help TWICE as many people!

Update on Ellianna

Answered Prayer!!! The doctor took the breathing machine off of Ellianna and she is breathing on her own. Thank you for your prayers but please don't stop. Ellianna is not out of the woods yet.

A Precious Life

This little one, Ellianna, was born premature and has had to have surgery. But there have been some complications. She is on life support and her parents, Hannah and Mark, have asked for prayer. It is serious.

Please pray for this precious little life and for the comfort of her parents. It is so hard to sometimes feel so helpless when parents watch their children struggle and suffer. The true Comfort comes from the One who holds each one of us, young and old, in the Palm of His Hand. May this family find the Peace and Comfort from our Great and Mighty God who loves each one!

K.I.S.S. = Keep It Simple Sunday

What could be simpler (or more restful) than spending some time wrapped in a quilt on a chilly Sunday afternoon? Quilting started out as a hobby but over the years has turned into a passion. I love all the fabrics that are available today. There is something to suit everyones taste and style. For me, I still love the warm colors of the earth. They evoke a peace and quietness that I need in this fast-paced, rat-race life we find ourselves living in.

So today, for my K.I.S.S., I share my latest, albeit not finished, quilt that is my new favorite for today :). It is pieced and pin basted waiting to be quilted. This quilt I used Moda's Perennials by Kansas Troubles Quilters. I think this "simple" Nine Patch pattern is apropo for me. The quilt itself is very busy. Your eye is drawn to all those 2" squares which seem to move around the quilt. I "slowed" down the movement by framing it all in with two simple borders.

As I find the day drawing near its close, I catch myself thinking about tomorrow knowing that this week, as every week, will probably fly by. I will look back and not even know where my time has gone nor if what I have accomplished has even been worth it. Hopefully though at the end of each day, I will wrap myself in my quilt, curled up with a peace in knowing that I have done what God has chosen for me to do that day.

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." ~ Proverbs 31:13

Happy Birthday Shell of Raspberry Rabbits!

Don't you just love birthdays and bunnies?!? Shell of Raspberry Rabbits is celebrating her birthday tomorrow and we just want to wish her a very Happy Birthday! Hop on over and visit with Shell. She is a wonderfullty talented lady who loves rabbits!

To see other well wishes, stop over and visit with Donna at Brynwood Needleworks. She's co-hosting this party along with Jillayne of A Fine Seam.

By the way, I love bunnies too!!!

Happy Birthday Annie!!!

“A Mother holds her children's hands for a while...

their hearts forever”

Today is my daughter's 27th Birthday. Fortunate for her that she is in Sierra Leone doing what she feels called to do. Unfortunate for us, because we can't be with her. Hopefully we will have a chance to talk to her later. My other daughter nor we have heard from her recently. I'm sure that everything is okay, she's just been busy. We try not to worry knowing that she is in good Hands, but it's hard not to wonder...

This is one of my favorite pictures of her as a little girl.

She was in preschool in Happy Apple School.

Here she is last summer with her dad.

Happy Birthday Annie!!! We miss you!

P.S. Don't forget that today is K.I.S.S.

(Keep It Simple Sunday). 

Stop by and visit The Tattered Tag

and see how others K.I.S.S.



Featured!!!

My Rabbit Racer has been featured on By Your Hands... blog!!! Please click on the photo above and check out her Handmade Spotlight...Who Doesn't Love a Chocolate Bunny?

Top O' The Morning!!!

Hence I cannot be silent,

And indeed I ought not to be,

About the many blessings

And the great grace which the Lord

Has deigned to bestow upon me.

Saint Patrick

Fabric Giveaway!

A Bee in My Bonnet (no not mine!) is cleaning house and is having a giveaway!!! Hurry, she will draw the winners on March 21st. Click on the photo above and sign up today!

Update from Sierra Leone

"...We currently have 26 bow-legged kids, some of which have scabies and many of which have Malaria. I think 3 of them had surgery yesterday and several more will have surgery Tuesday...There are also 8 maxillofacial patients here as well."

Please continue to pray for the volunteers and the patients.

K.I.S.S. = Keep It Simple Sunday

A quiet cup of tea gives you an opportunity to

rest, reflect and refresh!

(Click on the image above for ordering information!)

Stop over and visit The Tattered Tag to see some other wonderful ways to K.I.S.S.

Great Way to Start the Weekend!!!

It's that time of year!!! The Old Farmhouse Gathering is having it's annual SPRING CELEBRATION. There is amazing variety of items perfect for your Spring and Easter decor. I've sold a few of my items already and so has many of the other members. "Hop" on over by clicking on the photo above. You will not be disappointed!!!

The Farmer's Attic has been featured on The Tattered Tag!!! Thank you Christina for this wonderful feature you did on my shop! Please stop by and visit Christina and check out the feature today! Just click on the photo below.

Spring on the Farm

'Spring on the farm! OFG!' by OakleafHollow

The OFG Folks are ready for Spring! Stay tuned for our upcoming Spring Celebration! (Click on each photo below to visit the wonderful shops featured in this treasury!)

paintedkreatio... $14.00	Primgal $8.00	PrimFolkArtSho... $6.50
MarionberryCot... $44.95	simpletilly $45.00	Rabbithollowpr... $59.95
appletreecotta... $25.25	misseskwittys $20.00	BlockheadArts $35.00
farmersattic $64.99	SugarMtnMercan... $10.95	MotherlodeToad $8.50
atstuart $40.00	homespunandrus... $6.00	rockymountainp... $25.00
ArtisanSoapSpa $5.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Screenings Have Begun!

In an email from Annie in Sierra Leone:

We screened some patients today at the national stadium here. It is estimated that 10,000 people lined up to be seen.

In a blog update from Mercy Ships:

Mercy Ships is deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred today during medical screening at the Freetown National Stadium when a crowd stormed the gate resulting in several injuries and one life lost.
Mercy Ships personnel working at the site attended the injured and accompanied them to local hospitals.


"Our hearts and prayers are with the individuals and families of those affected by today's events. The occurrence of this incident in the course of activities intended to restore lives is tragic. We move forward with tremendous sadness, but great determination, to assist as many people as possible in the next ten months," stated Mercy Ships Founder, Don Stephens.


Mercy Ships exists to serve the forgotten poor and has served Sierra Leone five times over the past two decades, also helping establish two land-based health care facilities. For the next ten months, Mercy Ships will be providing surgeries for qualified patients while working alongside the Sierra Leonean Government to support its five-year healthcare plan and strengthen the functions of the national health system.


Please keep the people of Sierra Leone and the Mercy Ships crew in your prayers, not just today but in the months to come.

I can't even begin to understand the emotions Annie is experiencing seeing such a large number of people in need of health care. I would think that one of the hardest thing is having to turn people away. Please keep her in your prayers!!! Keep us, her parents, in your prayers as well. Reading something like this has literally made my stomach turn over. I'm not overly worried about her. She is in the best hands possible, the hands of our God! But I am a Mom!!!

She also indicated that the poverty is staggering! Take a moment to praise the Lord for the abundance we have in this country. I think that we take for granted all that we have right at our fingertips. We have more than we could even ask or think!

K.I.S.S. = Keep It Simple Sunday

The photo is of my husband's grandparents who had an arranged marriage in Italy. When they arrived in Brooklyn, New York they were married on July 12, 1908. They went on to raise 5 children who went on to raise families of their own. The beautiful way of life, as difficult as it was, was to enjoy having the families around them. Meals were lingered over for hours. They worked together, laughed together, loved and lived a "simple life".

We live in a time that is so fast paced, days become a blur, months and years fly by. I'm afraid that we have forgotten how to stop and enjoy the simple things in life that mean more than our busyness or what money can buy.

Take some time today to think about your family. Embrace the moments that you have. We don't know how long we have here on earth and time spent together has an eternal value beyond anything this world has to offer.

Stop over and visit The Tattered Tag to see other's K.I.S.S. posts. The Farmer's Attic has some great new arrivals for spring. New items listed regularly!!!

More News!

Annie sent an email again tonight (keep 'em coming!!!) and thought you would like to read more of what she is experiencing:

"...Things have been going very well here! Tonight we walked into the town and met at least 100 people just from walking a very short distance. A lot of people live in the same houses. The people I met were absolutely precious. The kids all just grabbed onto us and didn't want to let go. There is trash and chickens everywhere. Their houses and infrastructure is very poor. We met a man who had very deformed legs and I'm hoping we will be able to treat him. When I was leaving, these women smiled and grabbed my arm and said "we don't want you to go". It was a sweet time. We are still cleaning and setting up the hospital..."

Continued prayers are welcome!!! Thank yout to all. Hopefully we will start receiving pictures soon for me to share with you!

Getting Things Ready!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers for Annie!!!

Excerpt from Ann in Sierra Leone: "We cleaned the hospital today and had to bleach the walls floors and ceilings and all of the equipment at least once if not twice. Tomorrow we will continue to set up the hospital. ... On Monday we will be going into the community and screening patients for surgery. ... Roomies are from Netherlands, America ... I have met people from all over! A lot from all over Europe, Australia, some from Asia and Canada and America. :) ... When i see you i will have to tell you about the water taxi!! What an experience haha!"

(Now I can't wait to hear all about the water taxi!!!)

Next Stop - The Pelican!!!

From London to Spain for refueling, then onto Sierra Leone. Text message from Ann "...We landed in Spain for fuel. I have met some awesome people on my team. Feeling good but really tired...I am ready!!! :) . There are so many of us experiencing this new thing together which is comforting!" (Comforting for her parents as well!!!)

Annie arrived in Sierra Leone around 2 pm EST. Now it's on  the Pelican water taxi to the Africa Mercy.

Quick Update

Ann is now in the air on her way to London's Heathrow Airport. There was a 1 1/2 delay in D.C. and they had to rush to make their flight to London. (Isn't that unusual!!!)

A Request

Would you consider praying for my daughter Ann as she leaves today for Sierra Leone, Africa today? She will fly to London and then to Freetown. As mentioned in an earlier post, she will be serving the local people on board the ship Africa Mercy which is now docked. To view a slideshow of their arrival in port, please click here.

They are now in the process of patient screening with surgeries to begin just shortly following. Those arriving on board this week will probably hit the ground running. The volunteer crew will spend the next 10 months serving the forgotten poor, providing FREE life-changing surgeries, as well as other medical and dental care to those in desperate need. (Our daughter will only be there until May 12th.)

I will post from time to time updates on her ministry with Mercy Ships. Thanks for joining us as we pray for her, for the others involved in this ministry as well as the local people of Sierra Leone.