Friday, June 14, 2013

OKC, Moore Diaper Distribution TOMORROW!

The day has finally arrived!  Shower of Hope Oklahoma's Diaper Distribution Day is tomorrow, June 15!  Since May 21st, Shower of Hope Oklahoma has been collecting diapers, wipes, baby food, infant formula and other baby care items for Oklahoma's recent storm and tornado victims.  As of today, June 14th, we will have 8,000+ diapers and 4,600+ wipes to distribute to families in need tomorrow!

I'm beyond excited at the success of the Diaper Drive and am so appreciative of everyone who helped donate and spread the word.  Thank you!

The Diaper Distribution will be tomorrow at The Changing Table in Oklahoma City.  The Changing Table  is located at 1145 SW 74th Street, Building D in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on the W I-240 Service Road between Western and Penn.  Click HERE for a map.
 
We are wanting to bless other families who are in need right now.  It's just a diaper, but to someone who lost everything, this could be the glimmer of hope for them in knowing things will get better and that are many others in our state, country, cloth diaper community and beyond who are thinking and praying for them.
 
Please help spread the word and if you know of a family in need, please share the event with them as we have a TON of diapers, wipes and other items to give away.  We are wanting to help and serve those families in need right now.
 
Blessings To You,
Toni Keltner
Shower of Hope Oklahoma
 
**For more updates, please like Shower of Hope Oklahoma on Facebook and follow Shower of Hope Oklahoma on Twitter!**

Friday, May 31, 2013

Our May 20th Experience.


 
 
If you've followed the news for the past 11-12 days, then I'm sure you've seen footage of the horrible storms and tornadoes that ravaged many parts of Oklahoma on May 19th and May 20th. 
 
I wanted to share with you my husband's experience on May 20th.  Andrew was in Newcastle, Oklahoma that day working.  He left early that morning and planned on working there all day long.  That same Monday morning, I headed to take my oldest to pre-school.  Each and every day, I pray with my children and cloak our day in prayer.  That day was no different.  On the way to school I prayed the following:
 
Thank you, Lord, for our family.  Thank you for the constant hedge of protection over each of us.  Thank you that your guardian angels are encamped around us always.  Thank you, Lord, that no weapon formed against us will prosper, no evil will befall us, nor any plague come near us.  Thank you for blessing each of us with long, healthy, peaceful and prosperous lives, in the name of Jesus.  Amen.
 

As I went about my day in Broken Arrow, my husband went about his day in Newcastle, Oklahoma.  Later that afternoon, my husband and two other employees were working on the interior concrete of a home when one of the employees saw the tornado on the ground headed towards them only two houses away.  My husband and his employees had merely seconds to take shelter before the tornado hit.  My husband and one employee took shelter in a bath tub, while the other employee took shelter in an interior closet.  The tornado hit the home and basically leveled it, ripping the roof off and leaving only partial walls which were shifted 15-feet off of the slab.  As my husband took shelter, he cried out, "Jesus, save me!"  He prayed Psalm 91:15-16 while the walls began to collapse around him:
 

"He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
 
After the storm settled, my husband and the other employee dug out of about 4-feet of rubble and debris.  They then called out for the third employee.  All three men were safe and virtually unharmed.  With only a scratch here and there, they were basically unscathed after enduring a horrific force of nature.
 
They immediately went to other home sites around them, looking for other survivors and trying to help those in need.  My husband's truck was totaled in the tornado, so my husband and the other two men then set out on foot trying to seek shelter and find help.

The first place my husband and his co-workers sought help was the New Castle Walmart.  Even though they were in a strange town, Walmart was a familiar site.  My husband and his co-workers were dirty from the home collapsing on top of them and dirty from the storm debris.  Their phones were not working and they simply were seeking shelter, something to drink and maybe somewhere to clean up.  As the men approached the Walmart, they hoped to seek a safe haven from the catastrophic events that they had just endured.  However, Walmart staff turned the men as well as other tornado survivors away.  It was disheartening to hear that my husband and his co-workers, in a time of desperate need, were turned away to seek help elsewhere.  My husband as well as other storm victims, set out on foot to find shelter and help elsewhere.
 
The men finally made it to a local Braum's and met a woman who just happened to be in the same neighborhood that my husband and his employees had also been in during the tornado.  The fellow survivor mentioned that someone was giving her a ride to the local hotel and mentioned to Andy that this person might also give them a ride there.  My husband was then introduced to the "Good Samaritan" who offered my husband a ride to the hotel where he could seek shelter for the night until he was able to head back home.  On the drive to the hotel, my husband talked with the woman (Good Samaritan) about a few things.  From their conversation, it was obvious that the woman was also a Christian.  The Good Samaritan said that she was headed to Sallisaw, Oklahoma for a funeral and asked my husband where he lived.  My husband knew that Broken Arrow wasn't too far out of the way on the drive to Sallisaw, but knowing that the woman was traveling alone, my husband didn't want to ask for a ride.  After all, these three men were complete strangers to this Good Samaritan and my husband didn't want to make the woman feel uncomfortable by asking her for a ride to Broken Arrow.
 
Upon arriving at the hotel, the other tornado survivor went to check-in with the front desk.  The Good Samaritan and my husband continued talking when out of the blue she asked, "So, would you and your friends like a ride to Broken Arrow?"  My husband was stunned.  Obviously, this woman had to hear from God that it was OK to help these men, these complete strangers.  The Good Samaritan had to have a complete peace and know that she could help them.  My husband and his employees were thrilled and arrived back in Broken Arrow around 10pm that evening on May 20th.
 
The Good Samaritan started her day off in New Mexico, got stuck in the New Castle Braums because of the tornado and then met my husband.  This Good Samaritan is a Christian and wanted to lend a hand.  This Good Samaritan reminds me of Matthew 25:40: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
 
Please continue to pray for Oklahoma.  We are in the path of more storms this evening and potential tornadoes.  In fact, there was a tornado touch down only about 1.5 miles away from our home last night.  Be alert and stay safe!
 
Blessings To You,
Toni Keltner
Shower of Hope Oklahoma
 
**For more updates, please like Shower of Hope Oklahoma on Facebook and follow Shower of Hope Oklahoma on Twitter!**
 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Share The Love.

www.cottonbabieslove.com

This past fall, Cotton Babies' Share The Love program officially launched. I'm a proud Host Site for the Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma area. I'm thrilled to be working with such an amazing company helping families in need. Share The Love is a Cotton Babies program created to receive donated used cloth diapers and distribute them to families in need of a little extra support. No family should have to choose between diapers or food, when you Give Love we will be able to share that with others.
 
So, are you currently choosing between diapers and food?
The Cotton Babies Share The Love program may be able to help. With caring donations from the cloth diaper community, we are able to provide cloth diapers to families in need through Share the Love. Many of the Cotton Babies staff and friends have been through difficult circumstances and in need of help. I, myself, have been through a tough financial season. So, it is from a place of experience and understanding that we desire to reach out to others, because we know the power of a caring, helping hand.

www.cottonbabieslove.com

As the Host Site for the Greater Tulsa Area, I'm currently building our cloth diapers stash to help families in need. If you would like to lend a helping hand and help share the love, please send me an e-mail at cblove.brokenarrow.ok@gmail.comGently loved cloth diapers, cloth wipes and all other cloth diapering accessories are greatly needed and so appreciated. 

You can also visit www.cottonbabieslove.com for more info!

If you're a family who needs a helping hand, click HERE to view the
Share The Love application.

Thank you for sharing the love!

~ Toni ~

Do small things with great love...


 

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