I've Never Been SO Excited!

I Can't Wait to Meet These Kids!

I'm so excited.  It's finally time to take my trip to Africa.  I have been working with an orphanage called Our Own Home for a year now... fundraising, doing stands and taking in as many donations as possible.  I know it's going to be a long hard trip, but I know that it will be worth it when I meet Holly, William and the 55 children living there.  I know that God will have many things for me to do and learn while I'm there.

Stay tuned to the blog for UPDATES and pictures over the next three weeks.   Thank you for your support!

Bon Voyage, Jack Button

EXCITED... NERVOUS... OFF TO AFRICA!

My head is a blender full of emotions!  It's making an excited, nervous, happy, sad smoothie!  As I sit down to write this, my brain flashed to the "Bass-O-Matic" skit from Saturday Night Live.... Dan Aykroyd dropping bass into the blender.  I love fish, but I'm not sure about this!  It's that weird blend of emotions that I deal with every time we head off on a "mission trip," leaving family and friends behind... especially Diane!  Please pray that all of the everyday "chores" will go smoothly for her!

I am anxious that Jack and I will be traveling over 27,000 miles, requiring nearly 100 hours of round-trip travel time, including flights, layovers and buses.   Our time there will be spent working in an HIV/AIDS orphanage (Our Own Home) in the middle of East Africa.  So, please pray for travel mercies and safety.  I am excited, in large part, because I have NEVER seen Jack so excited.  He will be seeing the incredible beauty and unimaginable poverty of God's REAL world.  And, he will see his own hands making the world a better place.  Diane and I are VERY proud that he, Carly and Hannah care enough about a needy world to do something about it.  Finally, we are very, very THANKFUL for YOU... our family, friends and supporters who also care deeply enough to pray, give and help.

We are just $1,000 short of the kid's goal for completing the first dormitory and mission house.  That's after having raised the money that purchased the land.  The many bake sales, yard sales, car washes, farmer's markets, donation letters and proposals have successfully shared the vision of Dream of a Better World... that you're never too young or too old to make a difference!

Finally... I have to say, that God and Diane have made this ALL possible!  God is the author or our lives and of our work with Our Own Home!  Diane... thank you SO much for the way you love us ALL and work so tirelessly to make the kids dreams a reality.  You are amazing and inspiring!  You are my hero!  I miss you already!

Thank you ALL for caring about us and for helping our kids dream of a better world!

Mark & Jack - Off to Africa!

Yard Sale..Bake Sale..Everything Sale!

This week, we raised over $1,000 at our yard sale.  We also sold “Special Delivery” cookbooks, baked goods, and we even sold organic vegetables from our garden! We’re working hard with Our Own Home to raise the building money and we are well on our way to reaching our goal of $40,000 in the next two months.  

We've Purchased the Land! Now For an Even BIGGER Dream!

CONGRATULATIONS! But, our job is not over!  We have the opportunity to make a life-time of change for many HIV positive children living in Uganda. So, we are looking for donors who are willing to join Dream of a Better World and our partner "Our Own Home" in building a permanent home for their care, and love, and dignity and hope.

YEAAH!!! Last month, we completed the first part of this dream by funding the purchase of 4 acres of lush land on the outskirts of Jinja, Uganda!

Thank you EVERYONE who helped and a very special thank you to 147millionorphans.com!  But, now it's time for an even BIGGER dream! Now it's time to build a home!

Approximately $500,000 will be needed to complete all phases of this dream.  So far, $110,000 has been raised or pledged and $390,000 is still needed.  We realize that this is a BIG dream, but we’ve learned that you’re never too young or too old to make a difference.  And, this dream will make a big difference in the lives of some very needy children.  Now, we need your help!

Why?  Some people think that HIV/AIDS kids are not worth the effort or money.  But Dream of a Better World is made up of kids who want to help kids.  How would we feel if we needed help, just like they do?  How would anyone feel if they had lost both their parents and were abandoned because of their own illness, because they had HIV/AIDS?

We believe that the answer is two fold.  First, everyone deserves to be loved.  It’s true that many of these children will have a short life span.  But everyone is a treasure and everyone deserves the love of a family, and the hope that comes with it.  Secondly, many of these children have a very bright future.  If they receive the current treatment options available today, they could potentially live well into adulthood; and treatments are improving all the time. They all have hopes and dreams of finishing school, attending college, and even marrying and having children of their own one day.   Instead, many of these children are cast aside as if they were already dead.  No one deserves to be treated like that!

"Every laugh, every smile, every hug, every game of tag is a gift,

Every life, every breath, every moment is a treasure...

And that is true for all of us, every day…never forget."

--Mommy Holly

PLEASE... Won't you join us in this effort by donating.  All proceeds will go to the building fund for "Our Own Home."  We promise that it will make a BIG difference in the lives of these children.

- Jack Button, Dream Team Member and Global Collaborator

Miss Hawaii - 2nd Runner Up Miss America!

CONGRATULATIONS Miss Hawaii!

Last MONTH, Jalee became the 2nd Runner-up for Miss America!  Wow!  That just goes to show that Jalee's hard work and commitment continues to pay off!

Last YEAR, Dream of a Better World helped Operation Backpack by providing money for 61 backpacks filled with school supplies.  Guess who was there to help?  Yes, that's Miss Hawaii... Jalee Fuselier!  She was there to help and to inspire all of the kids.  It was great to see all of the smiles when each child received a brand new school backpack filled with supplies.  We handed out coupons for fun games, rides and LOTS of good food too!

WAY TO GO JALEE!  And, thanks for all your community service.  Thanks for the cool photo too!

- Jack Button

Dream Team Member & HTA Global Collaborator

Loving Animals & Helping Others!

There was a huge fire at Sugar Creek, a stable for Special Needs kids.  They lost six horses and most of their equipment.  We need to help them.  I felt so sad when I heard about this.  I ride horses too and I would feel terrible if my horse, Zippy, had the same fate.   I don't know how I would feel exactly, but I know it would be a REALLY terrible feeling.  I tell Zippy all my troubles and he will let me pet him for a while.  It helps me to feel better too.

Those kids need their horses even more than me!  Let's help them get back riding again.  Let's help them recover... it's our turn now!  PLEASE donate! Here are two ways to donate:

#1  Just click on the Sugar Creek DONATE button and follow the Paypal directions. 

#2 Make checks payable to “Dream of a Better World” and mail to P.O. Box 455, Haleiwa, Hawaii 96712.  Be sure to note SUGAR CREEK on your check.

Donations are tax deductible and 100% of your donation will go to Sugar Creek Equinapy.  Here's a flyer that we put together with more information: