It's here!! 35 days until I leave for Guatemala! As that countdown becomes a smaller and smaller number I'm getting more and more excited! If you haven't seen my posts on Facebook about it this is where I will go a little more in depth on what I am doing with the Hogar Miguel Magone in Guatemala in May!
Almost a month ago I was asked by my dear friend Alli if I was interested in going with her and a team that she works with to be a videographer on their trip to Guatemala. The orphanage which has been around since 1997 started out in a woman's home and now functions out of several buildings dedicated to over 80 children between 3 and 16 years of age. The majority of these children have been victims of abuse or neglect. Over the past 3 years the orphanage has been working with a group called Orphans Hope and Legal Shield as well as other donors to build a home for the girls they have taken into their care. This "princess palace" will be a building dedicated to the girls of the orphanage, whereas before the boys were all separated by age group and the girls only had one section of one of the buildings for accommodation, now the girls will be able to have their own space and eventually the orphanage will be able to expand their mission!
So here's where I come in! The orphanage is constantly in need of donations to keep the orphanage to keep up and running! I have been asked to come to Guatemala to spend a week filming material to be developed into promotional video segments
, that will help to tell about the orphanage and their mission, and be used to bring in more financial donors. I will be capturing what an average day looks like for the children and people who run the orphanage. If a picture can speak a thousand words then think of how much more a 1 min, 3 min, 5 min, or 10 min video can speak! I will also be capturing the grand opening ceremony for the Maria Auxiladora Hogar (Home). Having the footage of the grand opening will be a testament to how donations that have been made over the past 3 years have been such an incredible blessing to these little girls.
I cannot wait for the 20th of May to come around but then again I still have a lot of preparing to do! Before the 10th of May I am needing to raise $1000 towards my trip. I am working completely pro bono and I am also having to raise my own funds to cover expenses of the trip. You can find a break down of my financial needs on my fundraising site: Send Gabrielle To Guatemala
I am so thankful for the opportunity to go and serve using the skills I have acquired in the field of documentary filmmaking. Allison (my friend asked me to join the team) and I are fully trusting that the Lord will provide everything we need for this trip and that He will continue to provide for the orphanage even after we return to the states. I started to cry a little over a week ago when she told me the day after I started raising money that someone had already pledged to donate some funds to both of us! If any of you would like to give towards my trip to Guatemala you can find more information on how to do that through the link above or the little widget on the side of this page! :] Any amount helps even 5 dollars gets me closer to reaching the goal!
Anyone who may have followed my previous blog: A Heart for Hearts I will probably be using the same blog to document my time in Guatemala! I will definitely be posting the link in this blog to direct y'all to the other blog when I have posted there. :]
It's so interesting to think that I never saw this trip coming, yet, here it is! It's really happening! I am really getting to live out part of my dreams as an artist and advocate for those who are suffering or are in need. I have already been learning so much as you all know who have been keeping up with this crazy thing I call a blog. I can't imagine what's coming and I'm so excited for it! If you would friends, be keeping me in prayer for the preparation of my heart, mind and spirit, for the preparation of needful things, for our team and their safety and health; for the orphanage and the finalizations with the girls home; and for the film that comes together after I leave central america that it would be a vehicle for future fundraising and support for the orphanage.
Psalm 10:14But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
If you all have any questions about my trip feel free to ask! Also, if anyone would like to share my fundraising link with friends or family that would be so awesome!
p.s. here is a link to the orphanage's website that was made by a volunteer that worked with them at one point. http://www.hogarmiguelmagone.com
