Welcome to the Team!

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

This is a thread where all new members can introduce themselves.

I'll start :) My name is Katy and I am the Team Captain.

I created Support for World Vision on Etsy in the hopes that others would join me in participating and raising awareness about this great charity.

I choose to donate some of the profit I make from my Etsy shop, Heartfelt Handicraft, to World Vision and hope you will do the same! I am proud to say I am also a Child Ambassador for World Vision, and currently sponsor 2 children with those proceeds.

As a Child Ambassador, I connect children in need with wonderful sponsors that help change their lives. I have just created my own sponsorship page and have set a goal of trying to connect 25 children with much needed sponsors. Stop by and join me on my journey to make it happen! Here is the link, which can also be found on the home page:

http://myshare.worldvision.org/JerseyShoreChildAmbassadorTeamKathrynW

Hello, and tell me something about you!
- Katy

[CedarDogDesigns]

Hi,
My name is Terry and I am excited to be a part of this team! I currently use some of the proceeds from my business to support a native missionary in India and a couple in Minneapolis who minister to Somali refugees (of which there are a lot in that city!). Until recently, I supported a child in Haiti, who has since left the program he was in.

Back in 1984-85, I was in the Peace Corps and lived in the West African country of Niger, so I am hoping soon to also be able to sponsor a child from there through World Vision. Nearly a year ago, I went on a mission trip to Uganda, so I may try to add a child from there as well (if I can get my sales up!).

In any case, I have always had respect for World Vision as an organization (though have never sponsored anyone through them) and am looking forward to helping Katy reach her goal!
Terry

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hello Terry!

That sounds like amazing work. I can only imagine the things you've experienced and the people you've met while working for the Peace Corps. I'd love to hear about it.

Thank you for helping me try to reach my goal. I am beyond hopeful I will get my first sponsor through my sponsorship page. Keeping my fingers crossed. Even if I don't make it to 25, I will still be happy :)

[BlueHandsBoutique]

I am so happy to see this team. I am new with Etsy and learning what to do with the shop. So much to learn! I am also a special education teacher. I sponsored 2 boys in Africa, Leo and Caleb, with World Vision in memory of my mother when she died about a year ago and for my husband's birthday. It has been so great to write to them and hear back from them through their letters and drawings. I would like to sponsor a girl for my daughter's birthday next. Holly

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hello Holly, and welcome! You do special education? I am studying in my Masters program right now in education, and will have a dual certification in special education. It's quite rewarding, I'm sure you'll agree.

It is wonderful that you sponsor Leo and Caleb. I sponsor 4 children right now, and one of them is in Africa (Parfaite from Democratic Republic of Congo).

When you sponsor kids you can also teach your own children a lot about giving and global awareness, there are many benefits. Sponsoring for your daughter sounds like a great idea.

I have a sponsorship page where you can sponsor a child through the link, it can be found on the left side of the team homepage under "My Sponsorship Page". Sponsoring a child through my page helps me better serve the children I am trying to help by benefits I can accrue through World Vision to assist me in my duties.

Right now, I am participating in World Vision's "Cry Out for Congo" campaign, a special initiative they are running to help the Ledia II community in the Democratic Republic of Congo (where my sponsored child Parfaite is from). There are 2,000 children in this particular community that all child ambassadors (like myself) across the U.S. are trying to find sponsors for. I have a thread marked URGENT that has some more information pertaining to the campaign and why we are focusing on this community above others.

Right now my sponsorship page is reflecting only children in the Ledia community, as part of the initiative. I encourage you to think about sponsoring a child in Ledia, however, if you are interested in a different community/country, please let me know and i can assist you in finding a child that meets your interests.

I am so glad you have decided to join us! Caring hearts like yours change the lives of these children.

[DVKzKrafts]

Hello, my name is Darlene. I've had an Etsy shop for three years now. Still learning how to run it though. I am a member of several teams. I love the team spirit and support of one another and I try to support each team that I am a member of whenever I can. I've been married to my wonderful husband for 28 years and we have three children. One of them has been battling brain cancer since August of 2012.

Thank you so much for the invite.

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hi Darlene, and welcome to the team! I have had my shop a little over 3 1/2 years, and I am still learning too. I'm no expert or big time seller, but I've learned a few helpful things from my time here and I'd love to share them if you're interested. You can always send me a message.

Glad to have you here, and I am sorry to hear about your child who is sick. We do have a thread for prayer requests, and if you feel comfortable with it, you can put whatever you want us to pray for on there. We also have a chitchat thread so if you feel like sharing what's going on in your life, feel free to do that too.

Welcome :)

[Former_Member]

Hello all! I'm new to the team. Hoping everyone enjoyed their thanksgiving!

I offer soy candles and think it's awesome this team has a heart to help children!!

Thanks for the invite!

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Glad you have decided to join. Welcome Gladys!

[CustomBowsByJami]

Hi everyone! Just joined this team, though my husband and I have been World Vision supporters since 2011. Thanks for the invite and Happy New Year everyone!! ; )

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hello and Welcome, Jami!

[Former_Member]

So excited to find this on Etsy! As a believer I definitely feel it's important that we connect and build relations with other owners who are also faith driven people. In the past we had sponsored kids from World Vision and then our boys became very involved with mission trips to Africa, Peru and other places. I'm fairly new to Etsy (October, 2013) so I'm definitely still learning how all of this works and how to attract sales, etc. I do like the idea of sponsoring a child from my shop. That would be exciting!

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

I agree Barbie, I also feel it's important to connect with people that share your faith. It's a good way to stay grounded when you (hopefully!) become successful. I wish I had the time and money to be able to do mission trips too, that is really wonderful that your kids dedicated their time to helping people in other countries. Someday I'd love to be able to get that experience firsthand, but for now I'm doing it vicariously through the kids I'm sponsoring through this organization. If you would like to sponsor a child, I can help you with that. If you'd like some advice, tips, etc. on Etsy I'd love to help you with that too. Welcome to the team!

[BonJeanCreations]

Hi everyone. I am on several teams also and most of them are Christian based. I love the sharing and support of the teams. I currently sponser a child from Malawi. It is always great receiving correspondence from Peter, a little boy.. I currently have a t-shirt listed in my shop with all proceeds going to World Vision. So far, not much interest. Anyhow, thanks for the invite. I cannot think of a better program to support than World Vision.

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

That's great, Bon Jean. Sometimes it just takes awhile to find the right person to buy an item. I've had many I thought would sell right away but just needed some time and then it sold. Hopefully you will have some luck! How long have you been sponsoring Peter?

[BonJeanCreations]

I have been sponsoring Peter for two years now. My daughter introduced me to World Vision. She sponsors two children. It is a blessing to be involved.

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

I agree. I feel blessed myself when I am able to help others too. I am sure Peter loves having a sponsor. My child in Armenia, Meline, I hear from most often. I chuckled when her mom wrote note about writing all of her friends telephone numbers in the notebook I sent with a sparkly pen. I would have done that as a kid too. It's important we remember that despite the poverty and unfortunate circumstances, they are just like us.

[CelistellART]

Hello! Thank you for inviting me to your team! I am a Christian & glad to see a group of people dedicated to helping others & getting the WORD out there! I started my shop with an idea that my sister in law gave me..which was to create Christian art.

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Hi Celistella, that is a wonderful and selfless thing. It is always important to help others in need, and that is what I hope to do too in my shop.

[Former_Member]

Hey!
I'm Elizabeth and I just started my shop The Little 19:14 Shop, I sponsor one child through World Vision and am donating a portion of all sales to World Vision. One of the items I sell are Bandana and Pillow Case
Dresses and for those every one I make I am also donating one to either go to Operation Christmas Child for the shoeboxes or to be sent to missionaries I know in the Philippines.

I'm so excited to see other people with similar visions and to think of all the children we will reach through this!

Elizabeth

[HeartfeltHandicraft]

Welcome Elizabeth! How generous of you to donate also. Where is your sponsored child from?