And Without Further Ado

[Sorry for the site outage the last several days. If you tried to view the site you probably got a message saying you're not authorized and need to request an invitation. There were a lot of problems with functionality and I just shut it down until it got 100% good to go. Its now open and free and everyone can see it. Even you, China]

We’ve got some exciting changes to talk about here at Evanjafrica. What’s exciting is that nothing is actually changing. This is not because we’re all living in an episode of Lost and none of this is real (or for my older readers: Season 8 of Dallas, or all of Newhart), it’s because the changes are all happening in cyberspace. If you’ll look over to the right =====> > >  you’ll notice that the old posts are still there, the swirling thing is still swirling, and you can now donate to Evanjafrica online through PayPal.

What!? I can now donate online through PayPal?! Yes. Yes you can. Evanjafrica is now a PayPal Verified User and you can donate us through the magic of the interweb. And the great part is donations are still totally tax-deductible, as we are still an incorporated 501-C3 Non Profit.

For us here, the move has been a long time coming. If we had a nickel for everybody who has asked us for an option like this, we basically wouldn’t need an online donation option, we’d just eat nickels all day long. The result is the ease and security of online donations brought to you by many hours of headaches on my part.

How does it work? I’m glad you asked! If you are a part of the faithful that support our ministry and remember to mail your check every month feel free to keep on doing so. However, if you’re like the rest of our online audience, you tend to be inconvenienced by remembering things. And if you’re like most of my friends, you don’t know what a check is. Having an online donation option gives anyone with a credit/debit card to make a simple donation and have it help out right away.

And the best part is you don’t need to sign up for anything. If you’re scared about needing a PayPal account, the best part is you can just go online and pay with your credit/debit card. It’s 100% safe and secure.  And don’t worry, we don’t even get to see your credit card to be able to steal your identity (darnit). And because it asks for you name and mailing address, we’ll still be able to send your tax deduction information at the end of the year.

The PayPal link will soon be added to Victor and Christina’s site too. Also, stay tuned for changes coming to evanjafrica.org. That site isn't really gonna get much new content, but it'll be updated to look prettier and like it's not leftover from the ancient days of the internet back when Matthew Broderick was discovering how to change his grades and play global-thermonuclear war.

So from time to time, when you’re thinking of us here in Mozambique, or praying for the staff and kids here, and have a little latte money left over at the end of the month, you now have the ease and ability to make a few clicks and bless us, and then go back to playing Farmville or watching Netflix.

But wait, there’s more! If you think that God is calling you to make giving a regular part of your worship (cause worship is more than just singing) you can click donate to automatically give monthly. What that does is have a monthly amount charged to you just like any other subscription to a magazine or TV company or phone bill would do.

So here are three do’s and two don’ts that we ask of all of you.

• DO continue to pray for us. I myself need to do better at letting folks know how they can continually pray for us. I’m going to try to start putting up even just short little updates about every 2 or 3 weeks with how you can pray for us here. If money solved all our problems we wouldn’t need Jesus. Prayer is the fuel that keeps our car running. The car is the orphanage. It’s a metaphor.

• DO consider donating. And after you do, whether it’s infrequently or one-time only or a monthly pledge, do a little dance! Be happy, because the kids are happy. And if you're able to, do consider monthly giving. Even just $10/month is entirely doable. Think about it, that's like two trips to Starbucks a month, or choosing to not eat out for lunch one time a month, or a beer at a Mariner game, or not even going to the Mariner game (cause face it, why would you).

• DO know that you are blessing us and we’re very thankful.  Every night after dinner I get the kids together for Bible study/story time and every night we thank God for everything that has come our way and to thank for each and every one of you that has and will join with us in helping the kids.

• DON’T give without praying. Pray about what amount you should give, and then ask God bless it and send it on its way. I will attest that every day we’re eating here is proof that prayer works.

• DON’T think we’ll be fine now that we have a PayPal button. Our faith is in God to move people towards love and compassion to help us out. Our faith is not in an online-giving option. We are doing very well here, but it’s completely by God’s grace, not PayPal’s grace.

If you click the DONATE NOW button, it will redirect to the Support/Donate Page first. Then clicking on it again will take you to the PayPal site. Please read the Support/Donate this first time. Much of the content is the same, but presented straightforward and very much unfunny. It also has all the instruction on how to donate by check and mail.

Thank you for your prayers and your donations. And always stay tuned for whatever the heck happens next here in Mozambique. I have no idea what it will happen, but I do know that it will happen.