Yesterday I shared a new fundraiser that I'm launching for the Rhodes family. If you haven't seen it, start here.
Let's start at the end since if you come back to this post later this will be the part you're looking for.
The Basics
I am pledging to have a permanent tattoo done of a piece of art drawn by Sam and/or Klemi Rhodes once the Rhodes family adoption grant reaches $7,000!
I am leaving the final decision on my body art up to all of You!
Mandy and Marty have Sam and Klemi working hard on drawing some pictures for us. Once they have a few options I will post them for yall to vote on.
Here's How You Can Earn Votes:
1. Share this post on any form of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Etc.)
Get 1 vote for each method every time you share.
2. Make a tax deductible donation to the Rhodes family FSP by clicking HERE
Get 1 vote for every $1 you donate
(You can also mail a check directly to Reece's Rainbow, just put 'Rhodes family' in the memo line, this lets every $ go to their fund as nothing comes out for Paypal fees! You can mail your check directly to Reece's Rainbow here: Reece's Rainbow, PO
Box 277, Monrovia MD 21770)
3. Participate in any current fundraisers. These will be added and deleted as needed.
Get 1 vote for every $1 spent
Right now there is a tshirt fundraiser going on!
Click here to order yours now!
Cast Your Votes
You can leave a comment on this blog (comments are moderated and I am happy to leave your comment unpublished if you prefer) to let me know what you did and which design you want to vote for. You can leave a comment each day to let me know what you did that day. You can also message me on facebook, or tag me in a post when you share. Finally, you can email me at kirk_brooke81@yahoo.com if you prefer!
The 'Fine' Print and A Few Q&As
Let's start with a few questions I've received, and the answers. If you have a question feel free to contact me using one of the methods
Q: Are you really letting them do the whole design or are you giving them a design to color or something? (And a related question: Are you accepting designs/idea/artwork)
A: I am leaving it totally up to the brilliant little minds of Sam and Klemi! I had thought
about laying some 'ground rules' so to speak, but, ultimately decided to leave it all
in their capable little hands!
Q: Do you already have a tattoo artists? (Related: I know a great artist if you want me to introduce you).
A: I do already have an artist, he did my last two tattoos (the two that were actually
designed and not something I picked off the wall in a shop). I messaged with him
before hand to make sure this was a feasible idea and I completely trust his work.
Plus he is actually a great artist, and I trust that he will be able to turn whichever
piece of Sam and Klemi's art that is selected into a tattoo and maintain the integrity of
their original work!
Q: Is this your first tattoo?!
A: Nope, this will be my fourth. Although it will be my first in about 11 years. I've wanted
another for a long time, but never found a design that I loved. I got my last piece right
before I found out I was pregnant with Nicholas. I'm excited to be able to do this as a
way to help Ducky come home and also to wear forever something designed by some
of my favorite little people!
Q: So will this run until they're fully funded/home/etc.?
A: No! There is a time limit. The $7,000 goal is based on what the Rhodes family needs
to pay, in fees, when their Dossier is submitted in country. So this whole thing hinges
on the money being there when they need to write the check. Most likely this will be
around the middle of January! I know that may seem like a big mountain to move in
less than two month. But, we serve a big God. A God who is faithful, who provides,
and who we can rely on completely when we walk in obedience! The Rhodes family
is faithfully saying, "Yes!" to the child and the path that God has called them to. So,
I know he will provide! (I will update with progress and a definitive date as soon as
Mandy knows!)
Q: What if I don't like tattoos, can I vote for you not to get one.
A: I went back and forth with this one for a while. I know that tattoos aren't for everyone and I totally respect your opinion and your personal choices! Before I published part 1
of this, which ended up being short and sweet and humorous, I had written and
rewritten several different drafts that were much longer; sharing my heart, sharing
more of the story of why I wanted to do this particular fundraiser, etc. But, they all ran
so long I kept nixing them.
Ultimately, I wanted to make a personal sacrifice, it may sound strange to you if
you're not a tattoo person, but, most of us who have them, they're very personal to us. Each one tells a story. Everyone has personal preferences, like the type of art
they're drawn to, what they will and won't put on their body, even things like color choices, they're all personal. And, it should be that way, I mean we'll have them forever!
Like I mentioned previously, when I first had this idea, I had a lot
of ideas in mind for 'rules' I'd put in place, like: No cartoon characters, Nothing from
Disney, had to be all black, or only one color etc. etc. But the more I thought about it
the more I realized these were all issues of vanity, that it's not really doing something
sacrificially if I put rules and regulations on it. So, I'm letting go of all control.
The only exceptions are the location (I wanted it to go somewhere I didn't already have any thing for it to compete with. And the limit on the size is just due to the amount of time it takes to get the tattoo. I wanted something that could be done in one session, even if's a long one! (For reference, my largest tattoo took about 6 hours including short breaks).
The size also affects the cost and good work doesn't come cheap! I'm not putting any limits on the number of colors that can go into the piece, so I don't want to end up with
a really large and colorful piece that would cost a huge amount of $ that could have gone into the adoption grant instead!
Well, that's all I can think of for the moment. I wrote this while trying to wrangle four kids and a dog that all woke up with an extra burst of energy this morning! So, if I forgot something, let me know, if you have any questions feel free to ask!
Thank you for loving and supporting the Rhodes family! Please cover them in your prayers, and pray for 'Ducky', for his continued safety and protection while his family races to him, and for his heart to be prepared for all the coming changes.
Thank you for loving and supporting the Rhodes family! Please cover them in your prayers, and pray for 'Ducky', for his continued safety and protection while his family races to him, and for his heart to be prepared for all the coming changes.
~Brooke~
