Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Night for Ruslana  

The beginning of the update post... more to come later tonight! -2/15/2010

We've been working since the end of 2009 to make "A Night for Ruslana" happen. We had MANY people who helped us and could not have done it without their assistance! When we were trying to decide whether or not it was something that God wanted us to do, we were facing a deadline to pay the deposit and the rental fee and didn't have enough money to do that. Two days before it was due or we couldn't rent the hall, someone gave us the money we needed to rent it and pay the deposit. The exact amount we were short. We took that as a Word from God that we were to go on with it! So we did.

Here is a short list of people who helped make it possible. There were MANY so if I leave your name off, THANK YOU!!!

  • John & Tracie Loux - our dear friends (basically family) came from Kansas City to help us, support us, and to speak at the banquet.
  • Beth Damphousse, Bonnie Smith & Dianna Royland - the wonderfully talented ladies who did the bulk of the cooking for the event. It was delicious (so I hear)!
  • Raymond & Katherine Cox and the FBC Singles - served dinner, bussed table, cleaned dishes, cleaned the hall after the banquet.
  • Beth LaFever - washed all the dishes!
  • Steve Covey - gathered sound equipment, set it up, made sure the band and I sounded as good as possible.
  • The Band - Deanna Olson, Chuck Johnson, Darren Stout, John English, Tony Hutchins, Wayne Dickinson, Beth Damphousse
  • Decorators - Dianna Royland, Beth Damphousse, Megan Dickinson, Judy English, Denise Redman, Beth LaFever (there were a couple of more but names are escaping me right now).
  • Mary Ann Brining & Alma Mangum - cake bakers extraordinaire.

Finally, throughout the whole process, Wayne & Meghan Dickinson (more family) have been right by our side encouraging us and helping us in LOTS of ways! We couldn't have done it without their love and support!!

The night began early Saturday morning (well actually way before that, but...). Throughout the day, things were moved over to the hall. Tables and chairs were set and decorated. Food was prepped for cooking and later cooked. Instruments were tuned, voices were warmed up, sound was tested and retested.

Judy English

Tracie Loux helps Hannah Malone organize the "Bracelet Store." We are so proud of Hannah! She has raise well over $600 toward the adoption with her bracelets!

John Loux sets up sound equipment.

Judy English helps decorate tables.

Mary and Meghan move chairs...

Denise Redman frosts an italian cream cake.

Beth LaFever sets up chairs (with Hannah)

Mary and Tracie

Steve Covey setting up sound equipment for the concert.

Everything ready? I wasn't positive, but couldn't think of anything else to do...

Bethany and Seth take tickets at the door.

Hannah's Bracelet "store" was a great success.

Bethany being silly...

John & Tracie start on the appetizers...

Yum! The appetizer. Brushetta and spinach artichoke dip.

The night began with excitement as people actually began to show up! You just never know what to expect and we had never hosted any kind of banquet, much less a fund-raising banquet. It was Valentine's weekend and it was a fund-raising banquet -- so we just didn't know what to expect. But the room filled up quickly and suddenly we were in the race to serve the appetizers and get drinks served and get the entree prepped to serve (all at one time!). The wonderful servers did it, though and we were off and running. As the appetizers were finished, the entree was served and our guests genuinely seemed to enjoy the meal. We served home-made lasagna, green beans, french bread with butter, garlic and parmesan cheese and a wonderful spinach salad with craisins, feta cheese, croutons, onions and a sweet vinaigrette dressing.


As the meal was topped off with Italian Cream Cake and coffee, I began the concert (let me interject here that I didn't do a concert as much as sang worship service type songs for the most part---this was not about me). About half way through the concert, John and Tracie Loux brought a stirring and challenging message of adoption. Hopefully the hearts of many of the guests were opened to THEIR part in the care for orphans. We are planning an adoption "symposium" in late Spring to further this all-important mission.


We're still totaling everything, but God definitely provided greatly financially through this event. As I said before, we had no idea what to expect and hoped to net $1,000 at least from the banquet. God did way more than that. Finally, we feel like we are in striking distance of what we need to rescue our daughter. We can, at last, see that this will really happen and that God will provide the rest of what we need.


To all those who helped -- THANK YOU! We could not have done it without you!!


To all those attended -- THANK YOU!!! Your support and your love hold us up and help us continue on!!!


We are truly blessed.


God has done great things and we are filled with joy! Blessed be the name of the Lord!


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