Gary Halverson's Mission

So much is happening that is good

Gary Halverson — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:41:06 +0000

So we have been out to the garbage dump village and some Thai border villages just loving on the families. I plan to write up a more detailed post soon. We are up and on the move by 7:20am and don’t get back until around 9p. Just tough finding time to write.

I’ll be posting pictures as well.

Landed in Seoul

Gary Halverson — Sat, 12 May 2012 08:13:06 +0000

We arrived safely to our first stop in Seoul, South Korea. In a few hours we will be heading out to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

These well dressed people walked by. Cool.

Heading to Chicago

Gary Halverson — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:11:27 +0000

We are currently on the road to Chicago. Everyhing is packed and we are all ready to go. I am just sending out some last minute emails and txts to friends and family.

I will send out an update when we arrive in Seoul!

Thanks for your continued prayers!

-Gary

4 Days until we leave

Gary Halverson — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:29:54 +0000

We head out Friday! There is still time to donate items on the needs list, just let me know ASAP. We will have our final team meeting tomorrow night and will be going over travel logistics as well as packing up all the items donated for the needs list.

So much to do and time is running out! Thank your for your support and prayers!

Strength and Honor,
Gary

Meet the Team Event was a success

Gary Halverson — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:14:10 +0000

We held our ‘Meet the Cambodia Team’ event last Saturday night and had a few dozen people come out! We enjoyed authentic Cambodian cuisine made by the Hermsmeiers–THANK YOU!!

The team talked about why and how they came to be a part of this team! We also watched a couple of documentaries about human trafficking, which was sobering but also very good as we know there is HOPE in Jesus!

Thank you to everyone who came out and also who supports the team both financially and through prayer!

I leave you with this great video of Don Brewster talking about a very inspiring story of one of his rescued children!

Team Cambodia Fundraiser

Gary Halverson — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 01:47:16 +0000

Come meet the team going to Cambodia to combat human trafficking. We will be sharing with you what we will be doing while we are there as well as showing a documentary to raise awareness about the human trafficking industry. Due to the nature of the topic, we do not recommend that children 16 and under attend. Parents, please use your best judgement.

The event will be held at:

The Global Presence Warehouse
1828 Wright Street
Madison, WI 53704

Saturday, April 28th, 2012
Doors open at 6:30pm
Event from 7:00pm-9:00pm

We are asking for a $10 donation that will help cover the remaining cost of the trip.

We look forward to seeing you there.

http://www.facebook.com/events/271361819624169/

Airline Tickets Purchased

Gary Halverson — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:42:17 +0000

Thanks to an amazing fundraiser night where we received $650 in donations and Elite Nail School is generously matching that donation for a total of $1,300 raised! Thank you Jesus!

I just sent the paperwork in to purchase the airline tickets from Chicago to Siem Reap, Cambodia! This is a big milestone! Thank you everyone who has supported me!

I still need about $1000 more to cover ground transportation and lodging as well as costs to bring supplies to the safe houses etc. You can still help, click here!

21 Days until departure!

Prostitution Scandal Makes Headlines

Gary Halverson — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:40:17 +0000

Prostitution is all around us….sometimes it comes front and center…it needs to end….

This makes me sad…

Eleven Secret Service agents and 10 military personnel are under investigation for having as many as 20 sex workers in hotel rooms before President Obama’s arrival in Colombia. It’s alleged that this isn’t unusual conduct for some members of the Secret Service whose private travel motto is “Wheels Up; Rings Off.” Read between the lines and ache at the complete absence of integrity in the officials whose spines are supposed to be strong as steel so they can sacrifice themselves for our political leader. Apparently, their character is not so solid…

Read the rest here… http://www.purefreedom.org/blog/?p=299

Update from the Front Lines

Gary Halverson — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:32:58 +0000

Here is the the latest update from XP Missions operations. We are 23 days from departure to Cambodia!

Poipet, Cambodia:
More great news is that the little boy we originally found in Pattaya, remains safe with his grandparents in Poipet. We are trying to get him into a vocational training program, which his grandparents are open to, and then he will be able to get a good job in the future.

His younger brother is still in the hospital with a broken leg and his older sister still lives at home with the step-father who was found selling her for sex back in Thailand. Please pray for this entire family. Our team will continue to work to get her out of that home and into a safe place. Safe Haven,

Poipet, Cambodia:
The Safe Haven school is making much progress and is anticipated to be complete in May. Likewise, the three new children’s homes that are in construction are almost done. The roofs are going on, and there are residents planning to move in by May. Please pray for these moves and various transitions. Johnny and his caregivers will be three of the people that will be changing houses. Children that have undergone high trauma are often times upset by sudden changes, so please pray that this transition will be smooth and have no negative effects. Pray that Johnny will feel safe and secure in his new house and that he will suffer no anxiety or fear in the process.

Children’s Needs List

Gary Halverson — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:53:27 +0000

Here are some of the items needed for the safe houses and local communities in Cambodia. If you would like to donate any of these items, contact me!

Children’s Toys:
1. Ball & Jack Sets
2. Long Jump Roaps (large enough for groups to participate)
3. Coloring Books
4. Crayons (both skinny & fat)
5. Sets of alpha and numeric flashcards
6. Miniature toys (stuffed animals, matchbox cars etc.)
7. Puzzles (0-12 years)
8. Candy and gum

Clothing: (All sizes, male or female especially for ages 0-10)
1. Shirts
2. Shorts
3. Underwear (this is a great need)
4. Flip flops (this is a great need)

Toiletries:
Most people in the slums and villages cannot afford toiletries. When we go on outreach many times we must explain what the toiletries are (including toothbrushes) and how to use them. We will need miniature toiletries including:

1. Shampoo
2. Conditioner
3. Tooth Paste
4. Tooth Brushes
5. Body soap (liquid or bar)
6. Lotion

Taking care of the least of these is an honor we all can participate in! Thank you, your awesome!

Strength and Honor,
Gary