Halfway!

Jeff and I received our latest update on our fundraising for our medical mission trip to South Africa.  A big thanks to everyone who has prayed and donated...
We're halfway there!

When I heard the news, the Bon Jovi "Living On A Prayer" song came to mind...
Oh we're halfway there, oh livin' on a prayer!

For more updates please visit SouthAfrica316.blogspot.com.  This is where you can read about our team's preparation and get daily updates while we are in South Africa.

DIY Distressed Bed Side Table

In excitement of my upcoming weekend in Greer, where I plan to tackle two DIY projects, I wanted to share some past projects that have found their way into our beachy bungalow here in Charleston.
First, the bed side table.  Mom and I went yard sale browsing and found this for $5.  Only $5?  I jumped on that purchase.  This is a shot of the table after I sanded it and removed the hardware.

Back in Greer we have a wonderful garage that protects any projects from rain and pets.  I miss that, our kitchen doubles as a DIY area and surf board repair area.  Here's the table in the middle of it's painting.  I originally wanted it to be light blue, but not that light.  SO I added some dark green and blue strokes that would show through when I distressed the table.  When you go to Lowes, they have the sample pints of paint, I do everything with those, no need for a gallon.

After working on the bottom layer of paints I did the top coat a blueish-greenish layer.  Don't ask for the paint's name...it's a blend of all the paint I had laying around.  Then I distressed the table with sand paper, a key, and a handheld sander.  A tip for distressing is to do it where the object would actually be bumped against things and where everyday use would wear it down (corners, edges, top, around handles)  The electrical sander was big help for finishing touches.

After all the distressing I did a coat or two of polyurethane.  All the original hardware went back in the table.  A tip for more DIY fun, do more objects while you are doing one.  It's great multitasking and you get more fun things and only have to get your paints and tools out once. Here's some frames I also did in the process...These have all developed their own purpose around our home.

Second, here's one of those frames.  Who said picture frames have to be limited to pictures?  To add to our beachy style, I strung the shells and beads on thin white thread, then hot glued the thread to the frame.  To stop the beads from sliding down, I used a small jewelry clamp at the bottom of each cluster.  Jeff and I found this sand dollar while surfing at Folly Beach.

Thanks for stopping by,
Jenny

HOPE

I've been needing to share this with you!  This verse came to me last summer after moving away from Greer.  It has resurfaced as encouragement once again!  I'm thinking this one will be great to memorize.  Thank you LORD for your mercy and faithfulness!

Prayer for South Africa

These little reminders were sent out in the support letters Jeff and I worked up for our South Africa medical mission trip.  My hopes are that people will place it on their refrigerator, night stand, Bible, or a place where they will see it each day.  Hopefully, this will encourage more prayers for the people we are going to serve and for our team.
If you would like to receive a support letter please email your name and info to me at PhotographyAndDesignByJenny@gmail.  You can also read what the letter said in the post below.
There are also other ways to donate.














Loves,
Jenny

We are going to South Africa!

     We have exciting news for you!  From May 4-14, 2012, we are going on a Christian medical mission trip to South Africa! The day of our return flight, May 14th, we will celebrate our one year wedding anniversary.
     This is a group out of Seacoast Church.  Part of the group is from our young adult small group, The Vine.  We are looking to forward to growing deeper relationships with these people and the rest of the group.  Our team is made up of 50 medical professionals, students, and pastors.
Over 24% of South Africa’s population is HIV positive.  Where we will be, in Mpumalanga, over 36,000 children have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS.  In addition to the AIDS epidemic, children are dying every day because of childhood diseases that are preventable and curable.
The purpose of this trip is to minister to the spiritual and medical needs of the people of Badplaas.  For the past 10 years, we have been sending 1-2 medical teams per year to this same
area, and we have succeeded in providing ongoing medical care for over 1,000 people in a few villages there.
     We bring with us a huge mobile clinic, with over $100,000 in medications, surgical
equipment, and supplies.  We give everyone free medical exams, treatments, dental care,
glasses, any needed medication up to a year’s supply, and minor surgeries – whatever they
need.  Many of the children have parasitic infections that can be cured with one pill, but
without our help they would never be able to afford it.   We also teach them about sanitation,
how to avoid transmission of HIV, and much more.
     While meeting the physical needs of South Africans is a major goal of this trip, the primary
purpose is to share the love of Jesus.  Our desire is to bring hope to the hopeless, to minister
 the peace of Christ to those who live in daily turmoil, to bring joy to the people who know
much sorrow. As we seek to bring physical healing to the villages of Mpumalanga, we are
praying that God would use us to bring spiritual healing as well. 
we are very excited about what God is going to do in our lives and in other people’s lives through
this ministry.
     To do this, we need your help.  The trip is being funded entirely through donations and
by we who are going on the mission trip.  We need to raise  $500 each by January 22, and $3,500 each by April 1, 2012.   If you would like to be a part of our support team, no amount is too small.  Most importantly, we need your prayer support.   We know that God honors our prayers and will
bless his children in South Africa.   If you have any questions, please call Jenny at 864.630.1966. A video is in the post below to show more details of what we'll be doing.
      As the Lord leads you, please make checks out to:  Seacoast Church / South Africa 2012.
We enclosed a tax contribution form, so you’ll get an official letter for your tax deduction. 
The most efficient way to donate is to give online at http://seacoa.st/southafri2012med .
Just mention Jenny Williams and/or Jeff Williams where designated.
     Please be a part of this great opportunity - We know that you too will be blessed.
Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.  May God bless you richly.

For His Glory,
Jeff & Jenny


Badplaas, Mpumalanga

South Africa Video

Here's a Youtube video I found from the 2009 Trip to South Africa.
It'll at least give you a visual idea of who, what, where stuff!

Welcome to Williams Way...

I think I'll call it that.  It doesn't really matter right now.
I have been wanting to start a personal blog for quite some time.  The photography website/blog is great, but I don't get to share too many personal personal experiences, only some ones I take high res images of.  It's also not cool to steal someone's thunder on their wedding post to talk about something that's only of interest to me and my family.
This blog will also be used to document fun DIY projects I've been working on.
Another reason for the blog is because I don't want to fill facebook with my stuff.  Yes, I fill it up with pictures, but only because I like for people to have pictures of themselves and to remember fun times.  This will be a place for everything that doesn't fall into Facebook or Photography & Design By Jenny.
Most recently, I've wanted to share more about May 4-14, 2012...Jeff and I are traveling to Africa.  yaaaay!  More posts to come!
Here's a fun shot from a Sunday afternoon stroll in Downtown Charleston.

 

Loves,
Jenny