::art & life::

About a month ago I received an amazing email from a total stranger, and I'm so excited to share it with you! Ok, that must sound really strange. But bear with me!

Below you will see a woman.  She's a woman I met in India back in 2010, 

and she has leprosy.

Notice the hands.  The evidence of her disease is irreparable. And even though she is in remission, she is still considered an untouchable by her community.  The fact that we went through this leprosy colony with the sole purpose of touching these neglected souls - letting them know that we did not consider them untouchable, but rather as beautiful children of God - is not a common occurance for them. Visiting the leprosy colony is one of those moments in life that changed me.

So you can see why, when I received the email below, I was moved.  Really really moved.

"... I don't remember when it was, but a few years back I must've seen some of your photos online after you all also came back [India] I was so blown away by how you captured everything. I remembered meeting any of people in your photographs. But I saved a few of the photos on my computer like I do when I come across anything I love. 

Catching up to speed...I'm now a junior in Studio Art at Auburn and haven't been able to get away from thinking about or painting the people I've met overseas. Last semester, I painted a portrait based on the photo of the woman you took at the Leprosy Colony in the picture below. I spent about a month trying to figure out who took the picture to get permission before I painted it, but no one could give me any leads. 

I went ahead and painted it though, just knowing I could never show it unless I found the photographer and got their permission. 

Good news is, [someone] was finally able to direct me to you the other day when I mentioned it to her! 

So I'm just wondering if I can have your permission to show the painting? Because it was your original artwork, I need to make sure I'm in no way taking away from what you did. 

Your permission would just mean that I can submit it to things like student shows, or for a scholarship entry. 

If this isn't OK with you, I totally understand. Let me know what you think!...

Again, I LOVE your work! 

Have a blessed day!"

Of course I said YES!  Abigail (the artist) has allowed me to share her artwork on my blog and I could not be more excited!  Isn't it amazing?  Now if I could only get a copy for my home! 

Unfortunately, Abigail doesn't have a blog (yet!) but I will be emailing this post link to her, so be sure to leave her some love! She deserves it for SO many reasons!  Thank you Abigail for turning part of my heart into your art.  I really truly love it. 

If you would like to support our return mission trip to India in January 2013, you can visit my store or sponsor my blog with a featured ad.  Every penny will be used to help us go back and share the love of Jesus with beautiful and deserving people, just like the woman above.

Support

I'm changing things up a bit on the blog. I'm a visual person and like to see change.  I've been wanting to make this particular change for a while, but have put it off due to fear of losing some of my current sponsors. And I do NOT want that to happen!

In efforts to clean up the page a bit and get my sponsors more in the viewer's eye frame, I am changing the size of the buttons I will require for sponsor swapping. 

I will always, always offer free swapping. The whole point for me is to support my sister (and brother) blogs out there! 

With all that being said, if you would like to continue (or start) "support" swapping with me starting April 1st, I will need a button sized 250x100 which you can email me at

thewilliamspost[at]gmail[dot]com

IT'S FREE!

I will also start shuffling the swap ads each month to give everyone the best exposure!

***

Now, onto new things:

I am adding a new element to sponsorships here at The Williams Post.

Starting April 1st, I will be offering a select number of monthly Featured Ads for only $15!

No, I'm not trying to make a career from blogging, but I AM trying to raise support for the hubby's and my mission trip to India in January!

Featured Ads will be sized 250x250 and will be placed in an optimum location on the page.  Featured Ad bloggers will also receive an individual Featured Blog Post during the month!

So, if you would like to purchase a Feature Ad spot for April, please send me an email at

thewilliamspost[at]gmail[dot]com

And, just in case you need a little convincing, take a look at these cute faces from our last trip.

Ok. That was wrong and I know it *wink*

Vlog!

Hey guys! So... I'm linking up with 5ohWifey and The Hollie Rogue today for the 2nd Girl Behind the Blog Vlog linkup party! But, I forgot about it until the last minute so you get to enjoy my video of me right after getting home from the gym.

I did take my hair down to try and make myself more presentable...

BUT... It's a little on the greasy side. Sorry!

And just remember, I'm doing this (greasy haired and all) for YOU!

Yes.. you!

Ok, enough silly stuff. On with the vlog :)  I hope you enjoy hearing all about what I'm currently learning!

I got all serious on you, didn't I? But this is truly what God has been teaching me... for like the last decade... and I'm just now starting to get it.  Thanks for listening and I am really looking forward to watching the other vlogs that link up! If you haven't made one yet, it's not too late! You can link up RIGHT HERE!

(for the prompt, click below!)


Wanna watch my past vlogs?
Vlog 1 - True Beauty
Vlog 2 - Girl Behind the Blog #1

And, while I have your attention, I'd love to direct you to my store page: Missionary Kerrie's where you can purchase a hand-made bag (by me of course!) and, more importantly, support mine and my husband's mission trip to India in January!
(shameless plug, I know!)

"like" my page on facebook!

Be sure to leave me a comment so I know you stopped by! 

I look forward to meeting you, face-to-face!

This one's for the girls

*warning: excess pictures ahead!*

This trip was unlike any other, as it will filled to the brim with the girliest of girly!

I was so excited to bring this group of college girls to Mexico for their spring break and they were excited to spend their time investing in the lives of the young girls on the canal!

We did Bible study and spanish worship songs...

Makeovers with the older girls (which they loved!)...

And on the final day, we hosted 3 tea parties (well, pink lemonade parties)!

*when the idea came up I immediately thought of Tiffany's tea party she hosted in Mexico for Valentines day!  If you haven't already, go here and read about it!

The girls loved it! And I really loved getting so much focused time with them this week.  Most trips, I'm busy helping build a house or run a medical clinic.  This time, we let the Lord lead everything and spent some serious quality time with these beautiful young ladies!  The poor boys would say, "for the girls, again?!?!" In fact, they were so curious about what we were doing that they would peek in the door any chance they got!  Maybe one of these days I'll take a group of guys to focus on them for a whole week. I know they would love it!  Instead, they entertained (and injured) themselves on the trampoline. And I think they were ok with that ;)  

***

It's time to link up again!  I must admit that the lack of participation in my weekly linkup has been a challenge for me.  I've seriously considered scrapping it.  But, I really feel like God wants me to keep it so that the opportunity is there for us to share with one another what God is doing in our lives, and how we are using our lives to honor Him.  So, without further ado, here's the link-up button! Feel free to grab it and link up with me!

<div align="center"><a href="http://kerriewade.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Life Linkup" src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j370/kerwilliams/linkup.jpg"/></a></div>

Love at First Sight

On every trip I've ever led to Mexico, we've arrived in Texas on Saturday, rested, and crossed into Mexico on Sunday.  This trip was different.  I took a small group of college girls from Samford University for their spring break, and what says spring break more than spontaneity? 

So, we arrived, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed across the border: sleep deprived, greasy-haired, and with 18 hours of van ride on us. But we didn't care. We wanted to see our amigos.

Oh how I've missed these faces. It's been only 4 months since I last saw them; but it's been four months too long. When you've been going to the same village multiple times a year for more than five years, it feels like going home. And I miss home.

 I got to visit with that little cutie (Mauricio Manuel), whom I hadn't seen since the day he was born, four months ago. Yes, I actually met and held him on the day of his birth. And isn't he SO cute? I mean, look at those lips!

It was love the first time I set foot on these dirt roads and met these beautiful people back in 2006, and every time I see them, the love grows exponentially more. 

And I think the same could be said for my dad, who has been coming with me for a few years now! (They know him as the chicklet man.. a.k.a the gum man!)

 

My time with my family in Mexico is so special to me.  Each time, our relationships grow, my Spanish gets a little better, and we help change each other to look more like Jesus. 

It's not always easy, leading a team.  Being in Mexico brings out the best in me, but also sometimes the worst.  Satan attacks me each and every time and I learn things about myself that I don't like. But at the same time, Jesus' grace covers me and allows me to minister and for that I am so thankful and SO undeserving.  

En el nombre de Jesus,

Te Amo.

Para Siempre

I'm home again after an amazing week with this little amiga and many others.  I missed my husband SO much, and I couldn't be happier that I will be back in Mexico in just three short weeks with him.

More photos to come! (I took 1200, so I'll be editing like a mad woman!)

Oh, Merlan, how I love you!