Shaping history, one life at a time!!

Hey everyone! How ya'll doin? There is something that has been pressing on my heart since I was around 8 years old and on a small scale I have been able to fulfill some of this pressing. But since before returning home from this last trip and upon returning home on the first of September I have made up my mind to put things into action and I wanted to allow all of you to be a part of it.

Have you ever wanted to be able to feed people both in America and outside of America? Ever wanted to help provide water in countries where water is not present? Well my friends its not as hard as you think and I am here to help you make it happen. I have started non-profit organization to help provide food for both Americans and non-Americans alike along with many other people who are doing the same thing. Also, we raise money to be able to go into places like Haiti and Africa, India, Azerbaijan and many many other places around the world where without those wells people are both dying from dehydration and also unable to grow their own crops to be able to have food to eat. I heard a Haitian pastor say recently on a documentary a good friend of mine made after a recent trip to Haiti and the pastor said this "Dont supply us with food every day and water to drink, but TEACH us how to fish, TEACH us how to grow crops, and give us the means to dig a well for irrigation so that we might feed and water our own people." So in other words he was saying that they dont want us to just keep sending them food but rather to teach them how to catch it and grow it themselves. WOW! I think thats an AMAZING idea. I know that in that particular village in Haiti Pastor Tony Paul and his people have been taught how to fish and taught how to grow crops, but I also know that they dont have the money to dig the proper kind of wells needed for irrigation therefore they cannot grow their crops and their people are starving to death on a daily basis.

I know that there is a crisis in America, but can u imagine being in one of these countries where they are already so poor that their people are dying at such a rapid rate and THEN going through the same economic crisis we're going through? And now, with the natural disaster that recently hit in Haiti they are in much more need then most of, if not all of us are. We think we have it bad?? Well lots of people have it WAY worse then we do. Many of you know that I am always going overseas and doing things to help people but being gone for nearly 5 months this year and returning this month has really made me want to work even harder at raising the necessary funds and support to be able to give life to people who otherwise wont have it.

I spent a weekend in September with many people from around the world at a conference where I was able to learn of many organizations and ministries that are working together to fight against hunger and dehydration around the world. Through this conference I was able to get many contacts and ways of being able to see these dreams become an even bigger reality.

I'm not going to beg you for money. I'm not going to beg for your help. But what I am going to do is present you with this offer to make an impact in the lives of so many people around the world. Lets stop thinking about ourselves for once and what we can get in return and just give with a cheerful heart knowing that we are allowing someones mother, sister, father, daughter, son, baby and even their animals to be able to see another day of life and possibly grow up to become more than just a beggar on the street. Wouldn't u want someone to help you or your loved ones if you were in the same situation?

How can you help? Well, of course financially. Unfortunately it takes money to get things done in the world today. I need connections. Do you know of any farmers who would be willing to donate some of their crop or any shipping companies that would donate their shipping services? Any doctors offices or medical suppliers that would donate medical supplies? We need everything!! Of course I'm always looking for people to go with me on my trips so if your interested in that you can let me know as well. :)

How can you contact me or how can someone you know that might be interested in helping contact me? Well I can be contacted on myspace (search c_strong@live.com) or via facebook (search cjsm123@hotmail.com) or via email at strongc@sfreserves.org or by phone at 513-885-5690. I am still in the process of setting up an account where all monetary proceeds will go, so for now I will be putting them into a seperate savings account and/or you can contact me for another means for donating for tax purposes. Once the ministry account is set up then proceeds will be able to be made out to the Thirst No More Ministries, so pray I can get that set up asap.

Please pass this information onto anyone that you know that would be serious about partnering with me and many others in providing water and food for people around the world. Thanks so much for your time and may God bless you.

Last but not least, I do want to point out that it doesn't matter what you believe in, what your religion is and rather you like me or not. This isn't about religion or about me, but rather about making a difference in the lives of so many people despite our own feelings or beliefs. So lets put aside all the petty non-sense and make a difference around the world. :)

Until all have heard,
Callie

Home sweet home!! Or is it??

As I begin to write this blog I am asking myself what is it that I want people to know? What do i say to the people that read this and that follow me and follow the work that I do? I have come to the conclusion that I don't really know. I think that all I can say is what I am thinking and feeling and what life has been like upon returning to America nearly three weeks ago and what is to come in the future.

Since we stepped off the plane in Cincinnati, OH my heart and mind have been on an emotional roller coaster yet at the same time they have not. Let me explain. We arrived home the evening of September 1st and immediately the next morning my life in America began. I got up early and had to drive a few hours away to visit my uncle who has been in prison the last 15yrs (he was charged for something he didnt do. he was driving a car and someone in his car shot a gun out the window b/c he was under the influence of alcohol and the bullet bounced off the roof of a house and hit a girl on the corner and it killed her. my uncle was charged the same as the guy that shot the gun and has spent most of his life in prison...pray for him please) and immediately after visiting him my mom and I drove into my sisters town and surprised her and my niece and nephew who didnt know that I was home yet. And from there the fast paced life began.

I spent nearly a week in Mississippi and arrived home around 12:30 am on Thursday the 17th and immediately the next morning woke up early and headed nearly an hour away to where my church is and was there all weekend for a conference. I arrived home last night (Monday the 21st) and am now trying to realize that Im in America and Im not going anywhere for a while.

Where are all of my Azerbaijani and Turkish friends at? Where is my homeless friend Martin that I met on the streets of England while living in an Arabic Muslim community? Where are they? Where are all of the women with their heads covered and the call to prayer at 4:30am? Where is the culture and the hospitality that comes from these people groups? WHERE ARE THEY AND WHERE AM I?? These are the questions that Im beginning to have the time to think about and ask myself.

Something that I dont think people understand is that going into places like that changes every aspect of your life. Not only in the physical sense but spiritual, mental, and emotional as well. Its not something that can be explained but rather just experienced. I dont think that I have arrived yet at overcoming the negative things that can sometimes come along with returning back to America such as major culture shock, many times depressions, shock etc...however as I do this more and more I think I learn more and more how to control those things and how not to fall into any of them that will affect my mental, spiritual, physical and emotional health.

What is my next step many of you may be wondering. Well, I am waiting on God for that one. I know that I am going to open coffee shops around the world but now I feel like maybe I am being called to open one here first and then once it is established and sustaining itself then I can move on and hand it over to someone else. My heart is to go into all the world and show people the love that has been shown to me. I want to help people and I want people to know that they are loved and that they do have worth and that they CAN make something of themselves and live a happily blessed life. I want for people to know and feel the love of God that I feel every single day. I want them to know that they are of worth and value and that they can do anything they put their heart and mind to. That they are not defined by their culture but rather they should have culture be defined by them.

There are many details to opening up these coffee shops or tea houses or internet cafes depending on the culture and if you'd like to know please feel free to ask and I will be happy to give you more details. But ultimately my goal is to let my light so shine before men that they may see my good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Also, I am planning to finish my Psychology degree and follow it up with a degree in International Business. The name of this ministry is Called "Thirst No More" and along with the coffee shops (Life Houses) I am also raising money to be able to dig wells in places where water is not accessible to the people. This is a new vision that I got after leaving the hotel from the conference on Monday night. Its something Ive dreamed about for years along with feeding the hungry both here in America and around the world and God is opening up doors to see these things begin to become a reality. Of course we all know that when much is required of us the enemy likes to try to come in and destroy us and he is trying REALLY hard to get at my family and myself so please do keep us in your prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and to pray for me and also for Leilah and I while we were gone on our trip. You will be blessed for that. Please continue to pray for me and the work that has been placed before me. Pray for finances and kingdom connections to making these things happen. Also for people...I NEED PEOPLE!! haha...I cant do it alone so pray for people to come along side of me to help make these dreams and visions come true. Lets help the world ten people at a time. :) Thanks again and God bless.

Until all have heard,
Callie Strong

p.s. In my last blog we were STILL in Azerbaijan. What I failed to do was update you guys later on. When we left Baku we spent one month in Turkey traveling around and then one month in England as well. So, if you were confused about the September first date that is why. :) Cheers!!

Counting down the days.....

So, its been a REALLY long time since I have written here and for that I do apologize. I will try to write more often but now the time is ticking and our last days are approaching as we prepare to leave Baku.

Some of you may be wondering what in the world we have beeen doing, or even just how are we doing. Touche!! Those are all VERY good questions..haha..and I will try to answer them. I will go back in time just a little then come back to the present time.

Well, we arrived in Baku on April 23rd. After being in Baku for 2 days we had to move promply from our apt. as we later learned that we were living in what we in america might call the ghetto or a slum...basically the worst part of Baku...lol...in that place we were mistaken as prostitutes and so we had to move. After living with a family for nearly two weeks when then moved again into our own apt. ONE room!! No need to say more....lol....We lived there for one month and then, on June 3rd the night before our departure to Istanbul to return home we felt led to pray for about FIVE hours where at the conclusion of that we felt led to stay. "STAY???? For how long?" well....the answer was "Until I say to leave!"...so....as you can tell, WE'RE STILL HERE!! haha... and we have moved yet again two times since our previous place. In many ways it made me feel like Jesus b/c the Bible says that even the Son of man has no place to lay his head. We went from place, to place, to place. Many of those times we were just staying with other people and not knowing each day where we were going to be staying. But all in all the times were great.

Our time here has been filled with LOTS of obstacles, which in turn led us to have to seek HIM more and more. The hardest times here have proven to be the best. We have had to make decisions that we wouldve never dreamed we'd have to make, or we didn't want to have to make or even just having to make them RIGHT at that moment in time under tremendous amounts of pressure and having to trust that we heard from Him. So, all in all we're learning.

Throughout our time here we have just been spending a lot of time with my friends and former students which has been amazing. Former relationships have grown deeper and new relationships have been made and also grown very fast in such a short amount of time. Both Leilah and I have felt our hearts grow towards the people here in a way that we have never felt them grow towards anyone. We feel as if we've known some of our friends for our whole lives. Two months feels like 1 yr or more.

Our diets have consisted of food, food and MORE FOOD!! Hahaha... We have each picked up a few extra pounds, which we plan to dispose of before returning home..whenever that is...lol....Lamb meat has definitely been in the picture, which we both could do without. Just a few short weeks ago we went to a village far away by the name of Quba. On the way, we stopped on the side of the road where we then found our dinner, watched it get chopped to pieces and then kebabed it for a delicious lamb on a stick....yuuuuuummmm!! Quba is one of thee most beautiful places I have ever seen. I have been there before during one of my previous trips to Azerbaijan, but this time was different. We stayed in a friends village a.k.a "the willage" where we slept with every animal you can think of making noises all night long, with a hole in the ground for a toilet and with water running right down from the spring. We also visited a waterfall where Leilah and I (after much contemplation) decided to dive in. It felt like ice cold needs pelting us in our heads...haha....

The past few weeks we have spent with some very close friends, one of whom will be leaving for the army this Saturday July 4th. We are all kind of down and out about that and will definitely miss him dearly. Then, after just a few more days we will be departing for Istanbul Inshallah (God willing) where we will then stay from a period of 1-7 days and upon that we think we will be returning home. :) I will try to give an update in the next few days..until then, God speed...

Callie

And the count down begins!!

Very quickly I would just like to say that if you have not read my blog prior to this one....GO READ IT!!...haha...ok, now I will continue.

Life over the past few weeks has been...oh...how do I say...pretty eventful. Busy, busy, and did I mention BUSY!! I took off work a few weeks prior to leaving and I still have not accomplished all that I need to do before leaving on Monday. But that's why there is grace, right? Leilah and I STILL have not received our visas BUT we're not worried about it because we know that God will deliver them right on time. :)

As I mentioned above we will be leaving on Monday the 20th and wont return until mid-June. We are excited to be going and READY to get the getting there part over with...haha...I am even more excited then Leilah because this is going to be a HUGE surprise to all of my friends and former students there. They have NO idea I am coming, let alone bringing a guest with me. I am so thankful that God has opened up doors for me to build such great relationships with the people of Azerbaijan. They are truly dear to me and hold a VERY special place in my heart.

Please continue to pray for us prior to our arrival in Baku, while also praying for us while we are gone. Again I will add some prayer points below. They may seem repetitious but they are very important and needed. They are as follows:

-Please pray for our visas to arrive on time.
-That our flights would go smoothly. (We are using buddy passes from here to Istanbul which means we have to do standby.)
-Health.
-Safety.
-Finances.
-Both my family and Leilahs while we are gone.
-Protection while in the country.
-Open doors.

Thank you all again so much for your prayers and support. Please keep following me as I continue to follow after Him and the callings He has placed on my life. I love you and..no, we love you all. God bless!

Until all have heard,
Callie

If you would like to sow finincially you may make checks payable to Callie Strong or for a tax write-off you may contact me via email and I can give you that information. You can mail any donations to:

Callie Strong
20502 Heather Ct.
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Life is good..The people are good...and the food is great!

So many of you have probably been wondering "Where in the world is Callie RIGHT NOW??"...haha...and I will tell you. RIGHT NOW I am still in the states, however I am VERY pleased and excited to tell all of you that come April 21st I will be on a plane soaring across the skies to a land NOT flowing with milk and honey...haha...yet an amazing land none the less.

I will be returning to Baku, Azerbaijan where I will be following up with many of my friends and former students while also teaching English clubs/tutoring on the side, and doing some research on what it would take to start a Coffee "Life" House in Baku and if something like that would be a good way to invest in the lives of the Azerbaijani people.

I am also VERY pleased to say that a dear friend of mine by the name of Leilah will also be joining me on this trip and we pray that together God can and will use us in ways that are beyond our carnal comprehension.

Right now I am still working at the Creation Museum where I will continue to work and save until it is time for me to leave. Praise the Lord that they are willing to allow me to take this time to go to the uttermost parts of the world while still assuring me that I may return back to work when it is time to do so.

I am REALLY excited about this trip and I know that God is going to do something amazing while I am gone. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. Here is a small list of prayer needs as of right now:

Pray for spiritual protection for Leilah and myself.
Health.
Safety.
Finances.
My family and Leilah's while we are gone.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. Please keep following me as I continue to follow after Him and the callings He has placed on my life. I love you all. God bless!

Until all have heard,
Callie

If you'd like to sew financially you may make checks payable to Callie Strong or for a tax write-off you may contact me and I can give you that information. You can mail any donations to:

Callie Strong
20502 Heather Court
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Go...Going...Gone...

As many of you know, I am in the middle-ending stages of heading off to a land where there are no rivers of milk and honey. Where corruption rules the land; women are oppressed; and children are made to beg for money for the sake of their parents acceptance and food being put into their small bellies. This hasn't been an easy road to travel on and the process at times has been very challenging, but the end results will be well worth the hard work and waiting period. There have been many road bumps along the way, many obstacles to overcome, but in spite of all of those things the Lord has always sustained me. He has always given provision where provision was needed, not where I thought I needed it , but where He knew I needed it.

Starting this Spring I will be heading off to the Middle East where I will be living full time. I am excited to see what is in store for me and for the callings I have on my life. How will I be used? How will I be changed? How will I make an impact? ME? Who am I that I would be chosen for such a task as this? In many ways this is scarey and questionable yet the Word says "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Psalm 37:25 I am confident that the Lord will provide all of my needs and that He will sustain me even when I feel that I am unsustainable.

I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support for me over the past 9 yrs of my life when I first began this process by going to Kenya, Africa at age 17. Some of you have been with me from the beginning and others from just a few months ago, but rather you've been around for 9 yrs, 9 months, or 9 days you have all made a difference in my life in some way. Thank you again and may God bless you all.