And on the sixth day...

One more day down! As the trip approaches, Kona and I are finding it more and more necessary to stock up on sleep and rest. All this fundraising and work is tiring!

Prayer request: that our team will mesh and completely get along. No fights, no drama; only friendship and good experiences.

Thanks!

One week!

First, I must apologize for the lack of communication on the blog as of late. Kona and I have been slammed busy with last minute fundraising and out of state trips.

That being said:
We leave for Europe in a week! WOO HOO!

I would like to reiterate that we will be posting to this blog on a regular basis while in Europe, and we will also be tweeting from our ChangeofShades twitter account! Feel free to follow us on either or both of these; we can't wait to share our adventure!

Thanks to everyone who has donated to our trip. Although all of Kona's and my money is in, we do have a few outstanding "parental debts" to pay off- so if you would still like to donate or put us to work (even after the trip) please contact us on this blog by leaving a comment!

And last, but most certainly not least, please pray for Kona and me while we are away. God has been so good through this whole experience, I can't wait to see what He has in store for us on the trip!

Thanks, and stay tuned!
Colin

Gearing up

These last months have been a whirlwind! Fundraisers, support letters, school, life. I feel like everything has come to a final cataclysm, a final push through this bottleneck, right as school ends.

I want to take just a minute and look back. I want to look back at what this experience, this journey really is about.

"Through pictures, video, information, and good humor, this blog communicates the heart of who Kona and Colin are." This quote, found right, summarizes what this blog is about. Not merely words, nor funny speech. Not information, pictures, or updates. This blog is about Kona's and my heart. Our heart for Jesus, for traveling, for building relationships- all of it. Change of Shades is about showing how one small group of teenagers can venture outside their comfort zone and reach into the world beyond. Take a pin to the bubble of adolescence, and the natural naivety therein.

Now, as the June 6th deadline looms over us and grips with it's iron claws, Kona and I trust in the One who has gotten us to where we are at. It is no accident that we have gotten involved with People to People, and no accident that we have come this far.
We have a little over $1,000 left to raise, and we know that all things are possible through Christ.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, we need both now more than ever. If you would like to donate, whatever the amount may be, please contact me at colin.mansfield@gmail.com .

Thanks!
Colin

Oasis was a success!

Hey Everyone!

So far, every one of our fund raisers have been a success! Oasis was definitely another one!

Colin opened Oasis at 2:00pm and I went over as soon as I got out of school. We had people pulling through that were regular customers and others that were friends. Colin and I had planned on closing at five... that was a nice idea... Just as we were about to close, a customer pulled up, and then another, and another. It turns out that we weren't able to close until 6:30! The extra time was definitely worth it. Colin and I were able to provide Timberline with a little cash to put towards their fund and we plan on helping them raise more.

Here is a list of other events that are to come:

June 18th, 7:00pm: Flip-flop and fondue jewelry party! This party is especially for mothers and their daughters. Others are definitely welcome! There will be prizes awarded to people with the best flip-flops!

We will be having a quarter carnival. The date is yet to be anounced :-) We will have games, music, kareoke, dancing, and much more so start saving your quarters!

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported Colin and I these last few months! We are so excited to share our Europe experiences with you! Please continue to keep us in your prayers as far as finances go. Colin and I have both raised around $4,000. We have $2,000 left to raise in one month! We both trust that God is going to provide and we are so thankful for what He has already done!

Thank you again!
Kona Estes