Formula One Life

THANK YOU JETBLUE!!

2012-01-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU JETBLUE for donating a wonderful round trip ticket to FormulaOneLife! This will certainly be a blessing to our MILES FOR MISSIONS program or as a silent auction item in one of our upcoming fundriasers! Many thanks to JETBLUE's own Pam Findley for her dedicated volunteer hours which qualified us for this wonderful donation!

Christmas blessings...

2011-12-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas friends of FormulaOneLife! Thank you for being such a vital blessing to countless infants and children this year... Please see some compelling before and after pictures from Real Hope for Haiti orphanage which received our formula shipment last month: realhopeforhaiti.org/?p=6405
God bless you all for such critical support which is truly sustaining and saving lives... From all of us at FormulaOneLife, have a blessed and beautiful Christmas and New Year!!

Thanksgiving Mission to Guatemala...

2011-11-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

FOL Director Andrea Branas and her father 'Don Carlos' Branas serving the precious infants and children of Amor Del Nino...
...and the precious, new infants of El Amor De Patricia...

FormulaOneLife is thankful beyond words for one very dedicated father/daughter team and their recent Thanksgiving mission to Guatemala... Director Andrea Branas and her father ‘Don Carlos’ Branas- affectionately named by the children of Amor Del Nino- just returned from delivering over $3000 of formula to Amor Del Nino, Hermano Pedro and the infants of one new orphanage, El Amor De Patricia.

Thank you Andrea, ‘Father Branas’ and all our donors for filling thousands of baby bottles this Thanksgiving season with your vital love... God bless you all!!

THANK YOU UNITED AIRLINES!!!

2011-11-18T10:41:00.001-08:00

We just got the good news from our UAL Headquarters in Chicago that FormulaOneLife will receive one of the airline's charitable grants! Many thanks to the following United flight attendants- ANDREA BRANAS, CARRIE FABER, BABETTE DEBARROS, TOMIKO TUCKERMAN & FRANCESCO SAMARELLI whose FOL missions qualified us for this grant! We could not have gotten it without you! A heartfelt thanks to you all!! And THANK YOU UNITED AIRLINES!!!

THANK YOU DELTA AIR LINES!!!

2011-11-12T11:36:00.001-08:00

Orlando Delta Mgmt. receiving 11 cases of formula on 11/11/11!!

Delta ground personnel offloading formula at Port-au-Prince Intl. this morning!

Today marks the accomplishment of one truly, special formula delivery to Haiti...
Thanks to Delta Air Lines, FormulaOneLife was able to send 11 cases of infant formula on an early morning ferry flight from Orlando to Port-au-Prince. The formula was picked up this morning at PAP by Maison des Enfants de Dieu Orphanage Director Pierre Alexis to be shared between the infants of Maison and Real Hope for Haiti orphanage in Cazale. Please take a moment to see the precious infants and children of both orphanages at forhisgloryoutreach.org and realhopeforhaiti.org.

FormulaOneLife would like to thank one outstanding woman and former Delta flight attendant, Pam Findley, who called on her friends in Delta Mgmt. for invaluable assistance with this delivery and without whom this mission would not have been possible.

On behalf of the infants who will be fed nearly 4000 baby bottles through this special delivery, thank you Pam, Delta Management and all the FormulaOneLife donors who made this ThanksGIVING mission happen... Our infinite and heartfelt THANKS for your GIVING!!
God bless you all!!

Continental Airlines Inflight Formal/Humanitarian Awards 2011

2011-09-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

FormulaOneLife Founder Mary Beth Lavin and nominated co-workers receive Continental/United's 2011 Humanitarian AwardThank you Continental Airlines Inflight Formal Committee for putting on a beautiful event last night including our beloved Gordon Bethune and for your kind recognition of humanitarian work... Congratulations to all the Humanitarian Award Recipients... Keep up the good works!!

Real Hope for Haiti Orphanage, Sep. 2011...

2011-09-19T19:50:00.001-07:00

An amazing story of God's perfect timing and provision... the Director of Real Hope for Haiti Orphanage- with 18 infants to feed... (videographer: Mike Philips of Acts 2 Help Others)

HAITI 2011...

2011-09-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

(click all images to enlarge)FormulaOneLife Extended Wings Director Janet Kasper just returned from nine days in Haiti, where she and our partnering team from Metro Church delivered over $4000 of infant formula (see post below), Medika Mamba (life saving therapeutic food to treat malnutrition) and over $15000 of water purification units, vitamins and Kids Against Hunger food to four orphanages in critical need. The trip was indeed life changing for Janet who shared the story of one delivery in particular which brought her to her knees... at Real Hope for Haiti- a rural orphanage a long distance from Port-au-Prince- the orphanage Director reported they had just used their last can of formula the day before... with 18 infants to feed... they had only five single serving packets of powdered formula left in the orphanage. The delivery was truly an answer to prayer. (please see:
realhopeforhaiti.org/?p=5015).Many of the infants and children were terribly malnourished- having been brought in too late by their parents who could no longer care for them... Real Hope for Haiti is doing their best to feed and nourish 84 infants and children in a country where food is a luxury and formula is $43/can. Please help us continue to support them with desperately needed aid and prayer. Thank you Mike Philips of Acts2HelpOthers for leading this critical mission, METRO Church and our own Janet Kasper for hand delivering such vital aid and truly saving countless lives...
formulaonelife.org
acts2helpothers.org
metrocc.org

WAY TO GO METRO... TO HAITI!

2011-08-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

(click pictures to enlarge) ...only SOME of our formula going to Haiti tomorrow!

Our awesome, partnering team from METRO church of Winter Springs led by Mike Philips of Acts2HelpOthers is headed to Haiti tomorrow to deliver over $4000 worth of formula and Medika Mamba (therapeutic food for malnourished infants and children) and over $15,000 in water purification units, vitamins and Kids Against Hunger meals to a number of orphanages in truly, critical need...

Thank you Mike and team for delivering so much life saving love!!
acts2helpothers.org
metrocc.org

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

2011-08-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

FormulaOneLife can barely keep up with the thank you's to so many wonderful people lately! Today...

FormulaOneLife salutes Continental Flight Attendant Francesco Samarelli for making an urgently needed formula delivery to Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage in Haiti... Thank you for giving your time to carry such vital love to infant orphans in need, Francesco... God bless you!! Note: Formula in Haiti is $43/can... apart from being truly invaluable to infant orphans, the value of Francesco's delivery cannot be underestimated!!

Last week...
FormulaOneLife thanks Dora and Edinson Libreros of REACH Ministries for donating 84 cans of formula to our upcoming Haiti mission next week! Thank you Dora, Edinson and REACH! Que Dios les bendiga!!

AND... Continental Flight Attendant MaryJean White just donated the proceeds from her Silpada Jewelry Party to FormulaOneLife! Thank you MaryJean and all those who were 'jewels' to support our FOL missions through MJ's jewelry party!

Last but not least... thank you to everyone who donated a bag or two (or three or four- Dale! :) for our Haiti missions... you are truly helping carry bottles of love to babies in need...
God bless you all!!

Fox35 Interview!

2011-07-27T04:57:00.001-07:00

FormulaOneLife would like to thank Amy Kaufeldt and FOX35 for covering our recent Ethiopia mission and for bringing such needed awareness to the needs of infant orphans... THANK YOU Amy and Fox35!

ETHIOPIA 2011...

2011-07-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

(click pictures to enlarge) From top to bottom: Bethzatha Children's Home, Restoration Orphanage, Kidane Mehret Children's Home, donations (pictures prohibited at some orphanages)

FormulaOneLife just returned from our best mission yet to Ethiopia... Over $9000 worth of formula, milk and vital Plumpy Nut for malnourished infants and children was delivered to five orphanages in need. Thank you to all of our donors for making this mission possible and a very special thanks to Andrea Farese and Bellies for Babies participants, Mr. Danny Davis and Dr. Roger and Stephene Bassin for being our "Archangel" supporters this trip! Thank you for helping us feed such precious little ones and for touching their lives through our hands with your love...

A Thousand Words and Not Enough...

2011-07-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

Picture of a sign outside the orphanage forbidding pictures...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes we can only commit to memory certain indelible images... images that later flash through our minds with more clarity and definition than we would ever want to see...

This was the case on our mission trip to Ethiopia last week, when we visited a government run orphanage prohibiting pictures. Our FormulaOneLife team painfully committed to memory nearly 140 infants and children institutionalized on the outskirts of Addis Ababa... where infant orphans have been suffering serious malnutrition for lack of unaffordable formula and vital aid. Just yesterday we learned of another infant death at this orphanage, and the word among neighboring homes is that infant mortalities are happening almost daily in overcrowded, underfunded orphanages like this one.

One of the first rooms we visited was a dark and damp room lined with cribs filled with toddlers. Some were faintly crying as if too weak or desensitized to cry louder... There was not a single nanny or staff member in this room or anywhere nearby. One of the toddlers was sitting up in her crib crying softly. As we wiped away her tears, caressed her cheeks and rubbed her cold bare feet, she soon fell asleep from the comfort, still sitting straight up in her crib...

Another toddler was standing in her bed, her little hands gripping the cold, iron bars of her crib. Her hands seemed almost frozen to the bars as I struggled to pull them away to warm them...

The older children were napping in equally cold, dark rooms lined with bunkbeds and no supervision anywhere to be seen. Our guide told us the tragic stories of the children, one by one, and we were asked to pray for them...

Upstairs was the nursery- comprised of two rooms for the infants. The first room was smaller with about 15 infants. Each had a note card above his or her crib and nearly all the cards read the same in Amharic (translated by our interpreter): “Found on road by police on (date).”

The second room was overwhelming... Nearly 50 infants in 26 cribs (two abandonment cards per crib) and most of them crying... crying because they were wet, with only two diapers allotted per infant per day... crying because they were cold- with the coldest baby hands I have ever felt- and crying because they were hungry... With 60+ infants to feed, bottle rationing and formula stretching is likely common. But even more than hungering for their bottles, these babies were starving for love... for as soon as we picked them up, they stopped crying... even though they were still cold, wet and hungry... our loving arms wrapped around them was enough to stop their tears and comfort them if only for a few, precious moments...

The visiting pediatrician pointed out the infants he feared would not make it, and we were told of one who went to the hospital earlier that day...

FOL was blessed to give over $9000 of formula, diapers, milk for the older children and 4,500 servings of vital Plumpy Nut (for malnutrition) to this orphanage and four others in Ethiopia on this trip...

As we do our best to identify ways to continue our support to overwhelmed orphanages like this one, may we all make one truly worthy commitment... committing to memory these forbidden pictures... of the orphaned infants and children who so desperately need us to remember them...

Bellies for Babies 2011!

2011-07-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

(click picture to enlarge)

FormulaOneLife would like to send a heartfelt thanks out to all those who supported our first annual Bellies for Babies benefit! Over $5500 was raised for infant orphans at four orphanages in Ethiopia we will be visiting in just over a week... God bless you all!!

BELLIES FOR BABIES... STARTS TONIGHT!!

2011-06-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

You're Invited!
FormulaOneLife together with Stellar Advantage request the honor of your presence at our first, annual Bellies for Babies bellydancing fundraiser! June 23-25th at the Doubletree Hotel, 10100 International Drive, Orlando. Shows start at 8 p.m. every night with a silent auction Saturday night! Use passcode "FORMULA" to get 50% off tickets online or by calling 407-616-6313. Visit www.belliesforbabies.com for tickets and details! Proceeds from this event will benefit our upcoming mission to Ethiopia, July 12-21st. Come join us for a spectacular show to fill Bellies for Babies in need... Thank you!

BELLIES FOR BABIES... SAVE THE DATE!

2011-05-27T07:04:00.001-07:00

SAVE THE DATE! JUNE 23-25TH, BELLIES FOR BABIES BELLYDANCING FUNDRAISER AT THE DOUBLETREE HOTEL, I-DRIVE, ORLANDO!
See belliesforbabies.com for more information... Please help us spread the word to fill Bellies for Babies! Thank you and hope to see you there!

FOL in Oviedo/Winter Springs Life!

2011-05-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Oviedo/Winter Springs Life Magazine for featuring FormulaOneLife and our March tournament fundraiser in their latest issue!

They need us NOW...

2011-05-16T06:51:00.001-07:00

Missionary Ashli York feeding infants and saving lives at the Restoration Orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

FormulaOneLife is now supporting an orphanage in desperate need in Ethiopia... The Restoration Orphanage in Addis Ababa recently lost three infants to malnutrition. FormulaOneLife was just alerted to this tragedy and we are now supporting the Restoration Orphanage with formula funds through Ordinary Hero (ordinaryhero.org) whose partner missionaries living in Addis are doing a life saving work at the orphanage. We will be visiting Restoration this July with more formula and aid, and we are committed to providing them with ongoing support in their critical need. Please help us help Ordinary Hero feed these infants in need now... www.formulaonelife.org

The "Extra Mile" award!

2011-05-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Continental/United CEO Jeff Smisek, Formula One Life's Mary Beth Lavin and Continental/United Houston Hub Vice Pres. Stephanie Buchanan

Formula One Life founder Mary Beth Lavin received the "Extra Mile" award from Continental/United CEO Jeff Smisek last week in Houston. Mary Beth would like to dedicate this award to all the Formula One Life supporters, volunteers and mission team members who have certainly gone the extra mile and thensome to make a vital difference in the lives of countless infants and children in need. Congratulations Team FOL on this well deserved award!

Bellies for Babies...

2011-04-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

(click images to enlarge)

In anticipation of our first, annual "Bellies for Babies" fundraiser this June, we are so excited to share this wonderful article in the latest edition of The Belly Dance Chronicles! Many heartfelt thanks to Andrea Farese for coordinating this fantastic event, the Doubletree Resort in Orlando for hosting it, and the Belly Dance Chronicles and writer Tiffany Shaw-Diaz for highlighting our mission in such a wonderful way! A standing ovation to all of you and the dancers who are filling countless bellies for babies in need.
Please visit belliesforbabies.com for more information on our bellydancing fundraiser June 24th-25th at the Doubletree Resort on I-Drive in Orlando! Hope to see you there!

FOL supports local JMJ Center...

2011-04-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Kovats and Jamie Beu at the JMJ Life Center (University branch)

FOL recently made its second delivery to the JMJ Life Center in Orlando which provides critical support for crisis pregnancies as well as for single mothers and families in need. JMJ gives out formula daily to local mothers and families through its three support centers in Orlando. Thank you JMJ for all you do for babies in need!

Guatemala...

2011-04-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

(click picture to enlarge)
click picture to enlarge

FOL team members Andrea Branas, Babette DeBarros and Andrea Farese just got back from Guatemala where they delivered over $5000 of formula and powdered milk to Amor Del Nino and Hermano Pedro orphanages with a combined 50+ infants and more than 200 special needs children. Many heartfelt thanks to Continental Airlines and our golf tournament and WalkForOneLife sponsors who made this trip and future trips possible through their outstanding generosity. And thank you Team FOL for going the extra miles to make one very special delivery in DEED!

TUSCAWILLA TOURNEY!

2011-03-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

(click all images to enlarge)

Thousands of beautiful milk mustaches will soon be on the precious faces of infants and children in Guatemala thanks to the wonderful participants in Formula One Life's first golf tournament which raised over $13,000!! Many heartfelt thanks to our hosts Tom & Linda Kasper and family, the Tuscawilla Country Club, our double eagle sponsors EMC and Dr. Roger Bassin and to all our sponsors, players and volunteers who made this event a beautiful day and our biggest blessing yet to infants and children in need... God bless you all!

An Honorable Scout...

2011-03-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

We would like to honor and salute boyscout Matthew Bonitz and his family in Lansdale, PA, for their wonderful fundraiser WalkForOneLife! Matthew and his family raised nearly $700 for FOL which will be used to purchase formula and milk for our next mission to Guatemala March 25th! Thank you Matthew, Elizabeth, Sheila and Tim and all those who supported the Bonitz family on their wonderful WalkForOneLife!

FormulaOneLife on Fox35!

2011-03-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you Amy Kaufeldt and Fox35 for having us on the show this morning and helping us get the word out about who we are and what we do... Come join us March 14th at the beautiful Tuscawilla Country Club in Winter Springs and help us fill bottles of love for babies in need... Thank you!
www.formulaonelife.org

Bottles of life for Haiti...

2011-02-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

Since formula costs $43 per can in Haiti, this formula delivery was literally worth thousands and is invaluable to the precious lives it is now sustaining at Children's Lifeline in Arcahaie and Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage in Port au Prince. Many thanks to Mike Philips and teams from First Baptist of Oviedo and Harmony Bible Church in Danville, IA, for delivering such vital aid to Haiti!

New video from Guatemala trip...

2011-02-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

Kristen reports from Guatemala with Formula One Life from Modern Christian Media on Vimeo.

Kristen Howard of TV45's Real Conversations reports from Guatemala where she joined Formula One Life on their Thanksgiving mission to deliver:
200 cans of formula for 5000 bottles of formula
160 bags of powdered milk for 3200 glasses of milk
360 Kids Against Hunger packs for 2160 KAH meals

Thank you Kristen and Kids Against Hunger for partnering with us to make such a difference to infants and children in Guatemala!

Thank you LIFESTYLE Magazine!

2011-02-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

(double click image to enlarge)

Many thanks to Central Florida's LIFESTYLE Magazine and writer Susan Cross for her very kind article on Mary Beth and Formula One Life! And a special thanks to Susan for taking the time to understand our mission and helping spread the word in such an invaluable way!

ALSO... We would like to recognize DR. ROGER BASSIN- pictured on the front cover!- for being a major sponsor and supporter of FormulaOneLife! Dr. Bassin and his wife Stephene continue to be a blessing beyond words to our mission... Thank you and God bless you Dr. Bassin and Stephene!

To read both articles on line please click on the following link:
http://centralflorida-lifestyle.com/index.php?page=multiplearticles&catid=23

Special delivery to Haiti...

2011-01-22T10:06:00.001-08:00

Formula One Life would like to recognize American Airlines Flight Attendant Norin Stone for recently using her wings to deliver over $1000 worth of urgently needed infant formula to Haiti. Norin is pictured here with Angie & Pierre from Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage in Port au Prince which feeds nearly 20 infant orphans. Infant formula costs $43/can in Haiti, so Norin's delivery was truly an immeasurable blessing to the babies of Maison.

Thank you Norin for your truly heroic act of love!!

Golf Tournament for FOL!

2011-01-19T10:47:00.000-08:00

Formula One Life is gearing up for its first golf tournament fundraiser March 14th at the beautiful Tuscawilla Country Club in Winter Springs, FL! (http://tuscawillacc.com) We are currently seeking players, teams, sponsors and prize donations for both a silent auction and raffle. Your participation or contribution in any way will be a true blessing to the infants and children we serve in Haiti, Guatemala and Ethiopia.

Please see below for tournament details (double click picture to enlarge) and please feel free to contact us for more info. and registration forms.

Please join us for a great cause or consider making an invaluable contribution as a sponsor or donor for the love of orphans...
Thank you!

Formula One Life-Racing to the Need!

2010-12-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

(click image to enlarge)

Formula One Life participated in 'Racing to the Need' this weekend at the annual Performance Racing Industry Expo in Orlando! Many thanks to our vital race partners: Kids Against Hunger, Hays Pure Water and Clean the World. For more info. on Racing to the Need please visit: http://racingtotheneed.org

GUATEMALA 2010...

2010-12-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

Team Formula One Life with formula, powdered milk & Kids Against Hunger donations for our Thanksgiving mission to Guatemala...
(click all pictures to enlarge)

Hermano Pedro, home to 250 special needs orphans and adults

Amor Del Nino (home to 50 orphans including special needs and 30 infants)

Dorie's Promise (home to 30 orphans, special needs and foster children)

A special tribute to our biggest sponsor, FedEx! (click to enlarge)

Team Formula One Life is back from its Thanksgiving mission to Guatemala where we delivered over $5500 of formula, powdered milk and specially fortified Kids Against Hunger meals to Hermano Pedro (home to 250 special needs orphans, adults and abandoned elderly), Amor Del Nino and Dorie's Promise orphan homes... We would like to send a BIG THANKS to our official sponsors, FEDEX and CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, to our very special supporters DR. & STEPHANE BASSIN, MATT TORREZ & ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY in Evansville, IN! Thank you for sending us to share a very blessed Thanksgiving with the children of Guatemala... God bless you!!

FOL's TV debut on TV45!

2010-11-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

Real Conversations - Formula One Life - RC04 from Real Conversations on Vimeo.

Here it is! Our first television interview on TV45's "Real Conversations" with Larry Langston & Carolyn Pankalla. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Larry, Carolyn and the whole TV45 staff for having us on their wonderful, new show! (FOL interview begins at 4:25 into video)

St. Joe's Blessings...

2010-10-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

(double click this precious picture!)

FOL Team member Janet Kasper, Mrs. Saundra Sweeney and her 3rd grade class at St. Joseph Catholic School in Evansville, Indiana, which held Formula One Life fundraisers totaling nearly $500! That will provide a TEN month supply of formula for one very blessed infant in need...

Thank you beautiful children of St. Joe's for being such an INSPIRING ThanksGIVING blessing!! God bless you!!

TV45 promo for FOL interview!

2010-10-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Real Conversations - Promo - Formula One Life from Real Conversations on Vimeo.

St. Joe's ThanksGIVING!

2010-10-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

(click pictures to enlarge)
FOL Team member Janet Kasper teaching St. Joe's 3rd graders in Evansville, IN about the needs of infant orphans.

Many heartfelt thanks to Janet, Mrs. Saundra Sweeney and her 3rd grade class for rallying all of St. Joseph Catholic School to raise formula funds for our upcoming Thanksgiving mission to Guatemala! God bless the children and staff of St. Joe's for putting the GIVING in ThanksGIVING!

FOL to air on TV45... stay tuned!

2010-10-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

We had a great taping today at TV45 for our "Real Conversations" interview which airs Nov. 4th! Stay tuned! Thank you Larry, Carolyn, Kristen, Mike and TV45 crew... you guys are the best!!

Thank you FHG!

2010-09-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

For His Glory Outreach-- the U.S. based ministry which supports Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage in Haiti-- thanks Formula One Life in their current newsletter... check it out! Thank you FHG!!

http://conta.cc/b2H56y

Double confirmation...!!

2010-08-21T20:49:00.001-07:00

The amazing story of the woman from Malta who found the picture of me holding her son-to-be in Ethiopia (see below) just got more amazing... It was just confirmed that the baby girl in this picture is her daughter-to-be... along with her son! So I ended up in this picture with not just one but both of her children-to-be! And they are not related! And their adoptive mother in Malta found us all on facebook! Somebody tell Chicken Soup for the Soul, please!! :)

FEDEX A BLESSING...!!

2010-08-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

FORMULA ONE LIFE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND EXTEND OUR DEEPEST THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO FEDEX FOR AWARDING OUR VERY FIRST GRANT!! THANK YOU FEDEX FOR YOUR WONDERFULLY GENEROUS DONATION AND TRULY COMMENDABLE SHOW OF CORPORATE CARE!! FEDEX... THE 'GODSEND' OF BLESSINGS!! :)

Amazing confirmations...

2010-08-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

I just received the most AMAZING email from a woman in MALTA who came across a picture of me holding her son in an orphanage in Ethiopia!! What beautiful confirmation for our mission this is... "hi mary... i see your photos in ethiopia you make me so happy beacuse i go in october to adopt 2 children a boy and a girl... i see my son in your hand his name is simon you make me happy see the photos i am very (excited) to go there and bring with me simon and aster...i see you in the photos with my son...you make me happy... god bless you"

Continental Airlines Magazine!!

2010-08-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

(double click to enlarge)

Hot off the press and straight from the seat back pocket in front of you ;) ...check out Formula One Life in the August edition of Continental Magazine! And here is your complimentary, virtual copy!
www.magazine.continental.com/201008-co-notebook

Thank you Continental Airlines for your corporate care and for ensuring good news travels fast!!

HAITI...

2010-07-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

(click picture to enlarge...click twice for extra large...)

Formula One Life just got back from an intense first mission trip to Haiti... Continental flight attendants Mary Beth Lavin and Andrea Branas and American Airlines flight attendant Summers Doonan just returned from Port au Prince where they hand delivered over $2500.00 of formula and powdered milk (worth nearly $5000.00 in Haiti where formula is $43/can!) to two orphanages in need: Maison des Enfants de Dieu (see video below) and God's Littlest Angels with a combined 60 infants along with many more children of all ages. As always, the children were precious beyond words but literally crying out for more individual attention and love. Every toddler or child we held would cling to us and refuse to put their feet back on the ground when it came time to put them back down... which was not easy for us either!

To all our donors who made this trip possible, thank you for sending us to serve and hold in our arms some of God's 'littlest angels' ...who are some of our littlest and closest neighbors in need...

For more pictures from Haiti and information on how you can help, please visit: www.formulaonelife.org
www.forhisgloryoutreach.orgwww.glahaiti.org

Upcoming Mission to Haiti!

2010-06-29T19:25:00.001-07:00

We are now finalizing plans for a mission to Haiti July 13th! A team of Formula One Life flight attendants will be delivering formula and powdered milk to orphanages in need-- including the one featured in the video below and seen around the world following the tragic earthquake. Maison des Enfants has 24 infants in need of formula, right now... Please help us feed these precious infants by supporting our mission in any way you can... Please visit our website for ways you can help! Thank you and God bless...

Awesome News!!!

2010-06-14T19:55:00.001-07:00

I am so thrilled to share this incredible news with everyone-- Continental Airlines inflight magazine is doing an article on Formula One Life for their August edition!! I just got the call this weekend from the reporter writing the story! When I asked him how he heard about us, he traced an email link to my former Base Director in Newark who apparently forwarded news of our Ethiopia mission to the right people!! The impact her simple act of kindness could have is immeasurable... I was so amazed at the thought of how many passengers might read our story during the busiest travel month of the year (!) that I couldn't resist Googling Continental Magazine's readership ;)... Are you ready for this??? ...(drum roll please :) ...2.4 MILLION!!!! That's including Asia, India, Europe and all of the Americas!! Wow... Thank you everyone for all your amazing support which has led to this point of immeasurable blessing... God bless you all!!!

Ethiopia 2010...

2010-05-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

(click pictures to enlarge...click twice for extra large!)
(click picture to enlarge)(click picture to enlarge)

Formula One Life flight attendants just returned from an awesome mission accomplished in Ethiopia! Here are the pictures from our beautiful journey delivering $4000 worth of baby formula, powdered milk, baby supplies and financial donations to four orphanages in Addis Ababa (Kidane Mehret, Bethzatha, Miskaye and Kechene Assoc. of Light & Life for Orphans).

Formula One Life would like to extend heartfelt thanks and gratitude to our partnering organization, Brighton Their World, for their generous formula donations and financial support, and to the wonderful people of Ruhl's Rock-n-Ride, the Central Florida Kiwanis and all our wonderful donors whose contributions made this mission possible... Thank you!! What a blessing you all have been!!

www.formulaonelife.orgwww.brightontheirworld.org

Ruhl's Rock-n-Ride!!

2010-05-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

(click picture to enlarge)

Here are the first pictures from Ruhl's Rock-n-Ride for Formula One Life, May 8th in Lancaster & Lebanon County, PA! The ride through Amish Country was beautiful, the music was fabulous and the pork was absolutely gourmet!! But more than anything, the PEOPLE were out of this world kind & generous in every way... Our heartfelt and infinite thanks to Heather, Shawn, Freznel Lenz, Pastor Rob and all the wonderful people of Ruhl's Church, Bikers for Christ, White Oak Mills and EVERYONE who contributed their time, talent and treasure to this event for the love of orphans... God bless you all...

...and they're off!! ...now these are some seriously cool cats!! ;)

Rock-N-Ride for FOL in the news...!!

2010-04-28T19:18:00.000-07:00

Members of the band Freznel Lenz, who will play at the first Ruhl’s Rock ‘N’ Ride event, which will be held at the church, 4810 Elizabethtown Road, Manheim, on Saturday, May 8, include (from left) Leslie Raffensperger, Tom Nauman, Joseph Perrone, Heather Fury, Shawn Kreiner, and Drew Aument. The event, which will include a motorcycle ride, pig roast, and concert, will benefit Formula One Life, an organization that provides baby formula to orphanages in third world countries.

Thanks to all the wonderful people involved with the Rock-N-Ride fundraiser for Formula One Life, we made it onto the front page of The Merchandiser today!! And since the half the staff of Formula One Life is from Marietta-- this is big news!! Thank you Heather, Shawn and all our friends and neighbors in PA!! :)
www.ruhlsrocknride.blogspot.com
www.formulaonelife.org

The Birth of a Mission...

2010-04-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

The story of Formula One Life to the music of "How Much" by Mary Beth Lavin, Founder, Formula One Life. Vocals- Lydia Gott; Prod- Chuck Butler; Video Montage- Claire Lavin.

From conception to birth to a healthy, growing mission... Please join Formula One Life as we prepare for our next trip to Ethiopia May 12th-19th... Visit www.formulaonelife.org to send a bottle of love to a baby in need... Thank you!!

MILES FOR MISSIONS!

2010-04-08T08:26:00.001-07:00

Formula One Life would like to recognize one very generous Delta Airlines frequent flyer, Mr. George Kiriakos, for his amazingly kind donation of 65,000 miles! With this gift, we were able to purchase three revenue tickets for our missions! You see, although flight attendants can fly at largely discounted rates, those rates require stand by travel and come with a hefty price of "$tress!" --especially when traveling with heavy donation bags! So 'positive space' is a beautiful thing and a huge blessing!!

And as an awesome bonus to alleviate our 'weighted stress', Delta Airlines itself has increased our donation bag weight limits in a very commendable show of corporate care!

Our heartfelt thanks to Delta Airlines and to Mr. George Kiriakos-- for launching an awesome idea of "Miles for Missions!" (Please spread the word to your family and friends! Thank you!! :)
www.formulaonelife.org

Go Key Clubbers!

2010-03-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Formula One Life would like to thank the students of the Lake Nona H.S. Key Club who recently held a car wash fundraiser which resulted in a very generous donation for our upcoming mission to Ethiopia! Thank you Lake Nona Key Clubbers!!

Birthday Blessings...

2010-03-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Aureangelle and Auric who asked their party guests to donate to Formula One Life in lieu of birthday gifts for themselves... God bless precious children like these and the parents who raise them so beautifully...

A dear flight attendant friend in Puerto Rico threw a birthday party for her two children last weekend. She asked her children some time ago if they would like to share their celebration by donating to orphans in Ethiopia... In an amazing act of generosity at such young ages, Auri and Auric happily agreed and raised $200 for formula and powdered milk for the orphans we will be visiting this May in Ethiopia... Muchisimas gracias Auri & Auric, Mom & Dad :) and all their birthday guests who gave so generously out of the goodness of their hearts... God bless you all!

Rock'n'Ride for Formula One Life!

2010-03-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

Check out this sure to be awesome Rock'n'Ride benefit for Formula One Life organized by our good friends in PA! If you are in the Lancaster area on May 8th, please come out and join us for a 75 mile ride through the breathtakingly beautiful Amish country of Lancaster County... or you can just come for the pig roast and concert featuring Freznel Lenz! Whatever your preference, please join Team Formula One Life in our race to meet the needs of infant orphans around the world...
Thank you Heather, Shawn, wonderful people of Ruhl's Church and everyone who is contributing to this event!!
For more information please visit: www.ruhlsrocknride.blogspot.com
www.formulaonelife.org

Kiwanis Huggies and Kisses...

2010-03-13T16:53:00.000-08:00

Central FL Kiwanis' fifth collection for Formula One Life and the infant orphans of Haiti, Guatemala and Ethiopia... pictured here: Avalon Kiwanis with Pres. Dave Schmitt, Lt. Gov. Gene Leonard and Governor Donna with her precious twin grandchildren Bella and Noah...

I had a dream a few months ago in which I saw huge packs of "Huggies" falling from the sky and bouncing on the ground all around me. :) Today when I walked into the Central FL Kiwanis Zone Rally and saw a huge collection of diapers everywhere, I immediately remembered my dream... and thanked God for these 'Huggies' from heaven by the hands of these amazing Kiwanians.

The theme of today's meeting was "Celebrate what's RIGHT with the World" ...I know one thing that is very right with the world: The Kiwanis Organization... indeed they are truly "serving the children of the world..."

www.formulaonelife.org
www.avalonkiwanis.org
www.floridakiwanis.com

2010-03-12T18:53:00.000-08:00

My niece, Melinda, helping out with inventory!

If you know how much formula costs, you know this is quite a valuable contribution, but more importantly we hope you know how much it is worth beyond the dollars and cents to the infants who need it... To all the Kiwanis Kids from Stone Lakes and Seminole Middle School who took part in this collection, thank you for being such inspiring humanitarians at such young ages!

501(c)3 approved and more K-Kids!!

2010-03-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Stone Lakes Elementary K-Kids with donations from their formula drive...

Yesterday was an amazingly blessed day!! It started with the news that we were approved for our 501(c)3!! And the way we found out was amazing in and of itself! The brother of my childhood friend's colleague who is a high powered CPA in NYC called the IRS to check our status and found out to all our surprise that we were approved in record time (a month and a half)!!

Then I got two calls from two different Kiwanis clubs at two different schools asking me to come pick up the collections from their formula drives! I could only do one, so it was Stone Lakes Elementary, and what an impressive group of K-Kids! I believe I met the future President (currently the K-Kids Pres. :) His name is Ben. Thank you, Ben, Ms. Jaworski, Dr. Kennerly and all the Stone Lakes K-Kids for your awesome collection of formula for infant orphans... May you be doubly blessed in return!

Amor Del Nino...

2010-02-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

I just got back yesterday from a layover in Guatemala where I delivered a suitcase of formula to Shyrel Osborn, Director of Amor Del Nino (Love the Child) orphanage. In the last week alone, Amor received a 1-day old baby girl straight from the hospital and a baby boy from the arms of a policeman who found him abandoned on the street (both pictured above). In Sheryl's words, the policeman cried when he handed the baby boy over to her, saying "I don't know how a mother can abandon her baby on the street, but I thank God HE made a plan for him to arrive here..."

Amor now has a total of 19 infants (though not all are pictured since a photo shoot is hard to coordinate around varying sleep schedules!). Formula in Guatemala is very expensive since it is imported, and Amor Del Nino spends an average of $1400 per month on formula alone. Pictured here are the 20 cans I was able to fit in my suitcase. Thank you Formula One Life donors for your ongoing support which enables us to continue supporting amazing orphanages like Amor Del Nino...
www.lovethechild.org
www.formulaonelife.org

Timber Lakes K-Kids for Haiti!

2010-02-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

Today we dropped off a truckload of formula, baby food and diapers to Clean the World (shipping to Haiti) from the Kiwanis K-Kids at Timber Lakes Elementary... The donations from these children are just so inspiring us to keep doing what we're doing... Thank you Kiwanis K-Kids, Timber Lakes Elementary and Clean the World for such beautiful teamwork!!
www.formulaonelife.org
www.avalonkiwanis.org
www.cleantheworld.org

Darling Daisies Give to Haiti...

2010-02-21T18:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our good friend, Matt Torrez, who recommended our mission to a friend in Virginia, a local girl scout troop of "Daisies" there donated the proceeds from their recent bake sale to "Formula One Life" for the children of Haiti! God bless support from friends and the darling "Daisies" of the world!

2010-02-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

We recently came across this picture and caption on Clean The World's Facebook page!

Earthquake Relief Effort
Shawn Seipler with Mary Beth Lavin from Formula One Life, who has donated countless boxes of baby formula to the relief efforts in Haiti.

A thousand thanks to Clean the World for their outstanding role in getting countless life saving supplies to Haiti!
www.formulaonelife.org
www.cleantheworld.org

Total Haiti shipments...

2010-01-31T17:23:00.000-08:00

Four shipments to Haiti totaling over $2500 in formula and donations... and still a fifth shipment is in the works as Avalon Park's Soho Office is parterning with FOL offering 10% off all printing orders if you bring in a can of formula! (support SOHO! :)

Many thanks, again, to all our wonderful donors who have sent so many bottles of love to Haiti... and many thanks to our amazing friends at Clean the World for delivering them!!
www.formulaonelife.org
www.orlando1.sohooffice.com
www.cleantheworld.org

Haiti shipment #4...

2010-01-29T10:50:00.001-08:00

Shipment #4 is ready to go! Our continuing gratitude to all our donors and most notably the Avalon Park Kiwanis for their generous contributions of Nestle and Enfamil liquid formula, Pediasure, diapers and wipes! Incidentally, for those of you who may not know just how much this stuff is worth-- besides being invaluable to the babies in need-- please take a stroll down the baby aisle the next time you visit a grocery store! These donors have spent a pretty penny indeed on these items... God bless all the many, giving hearts out there...
www.formulaonelife.org
www.avalonkiwanis.org

Shipment #3 to Haiti...

2010-01-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

Kiwanis of south Florida with their collections for Haiti...
Boxed up and ready to go...

Our third Formula One Life+ shipment to Haiti went out on Monday-- thanks in great part to the Kiwanis of south Florida in partnership with our local Avalon Kiwanis who collected formula and diapers, too! A fourth shipment is now in the works as donations continue to come in... Our infinite gratitude to the FL Kiwanis and the many donors without whom this mission would not be possible...
www.formulaonelife.org
www.cleantheworld.org
www.avalonkiwanis.org

Formula One Life to Haiti: Shipment #2

2010-01-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

Today as we prepared our second formula shipment to Haiti, we received a very special delivery! The Wenatchee Free Methodist Church in Washington heard about Formula One Life teaming up with Clean the World in our Haiti relief efforts and donated 10 Sawyer water filter kits which remove dangerous bacteria such as cholera, typhoid, salmonella, dysentery and E. Coli. These kits cost $60 each! Our heartfelt thanks to the parishioners of Wenatchee Free Methodist Church! What an invaluable gift for the people of Haiti... God bless you and all our Formula One Life donors who have given so generously to our Haiti mission!

First Formula Shipment to Haiti!

2010-01-20T18:13:00.001-08:00

Shawn Seipler, Exec. Dir. of Clean the World, receiving our first shipment of formula for Haiti...

This just in!! Please read the awesome news I just got from Shawn this morning, Jan. 21st:

...Thank you and your entire network for the wonderful donations of powder and liquid formula...Want to let you know that the powder formula is getting on a plane today!! Our driver is picking it up and delivering to a hospital so it should be in use by this evening!
Great work. More to come soon!

Shawn Seipler, Executive Director
Clean the World

Thanks to the generosity of Formula One Life donors and our amazing neighbors at Clean the World who are coordinating CARE flights (Corporate Aviators Responding to Emergencies) from Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale as well as cruise shipments from Miami, we were able to send our first formula shipment to Haiti, today! This partnership was a match made in heaven, as Clean the World has enabled us to also send powdered formula along with their 250,000 bottles of water and teams of physicians! Shawn explained the routing and distribution to me as follows: All of the CARE flights leaving Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale as well as cruise ships from Miami are going to Cap-Haitien where distribution is running more efficiently than Port Au Prince. From there the donations are taken to hospitals, orphanages and Clean the World warehouses in the northern part of the island which are being used as distribution centers. Shawn says the Haitian people are migrating en masse to the north to get out of Port Au Prince and are receiving aid and supplies from these warehouses. As an added blessing, Shawn appointed the majority of our formula as medical supplies so most of it will be accompanied by physicians and in good hands to ensure it reaches the infants in need.

Pictured here is $1000 worth of formula from our wonderful donors and REACH In Action which contributed 45 cans of Nestle Good Start! We anticipate sending another shipment very soon as Florida Kiwanis Clubs hold formula drives across the state in support of our Formula One Life+ mission to Haiti. Our heartfelt thanks to all the beautiful people who have helped and continue to help make this mission possible for the infant orphans of Haiti...
www.formulaonelife.org
www.cleantheworld.org
www.reachinaction.com
www.avalonkiwanis.org

FORMULA DONATIONS URGENTLY NEEDED...

2010-01-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

Formula One Life+ is teaming up with the Brighton Kennedy Foundation (www.BrightonKennedy.org) to collect urgently needed formula for Haiti to be sent asap on CARE flights (Corporate Aviators Responding in Emergencies) out of Orlando chartered by our amazing neighbors at Clean the World (www.cleantheworld.org) We are currently in need of liquid, ready to feed bottles of formula and financial donations to purchase that formula. Please visit formulaonelife.org to make an invaluable donation for formula to be sent in the coming days to the infant orphans in Haiti... Thank you!

Haitian Orphanage Still Without Aid

2010-01-17T17:53:00.000-08:00

Haitian Orphanage Still Without Aid

Click here to see Fox News video on Haitian infant orphans in dire need of formula... Please go to www.formulaonelife.org to help!

Formula One Life/Kiwanis/REACH out to Haiti...

2010-01-14T21:22:00.000-08:00

At the DCM Central FL Kiwanis meeting with Lt. Gov. Gene Leonard, Avalon Park Pres. Dave Schmitt and Paul Iandoli

This evening, we presented our "Formula One Life+" mission for Haiti to the district leaders of Kiwanis Clubs across Central Florida. We felt very blessed by the response we received and will be teaming up in the coming days with a number of local Kiwanis clubs collecting liquid, ready to feed bottles of formula (due to the limited clean water supply in Haiti), non-perishable food items and first aid supplies. We will also be partnering with the organization REACH in Action (reachinaction.com) which will be donating from their food pantry/resale shop in Altamonte Springs. Formula One Life flight attendants will be carrying the donations to Haiti when ground operations there permit. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti... Please contact us if you have liquid formula, food or medical supplies to donate. Thank you.

Formula One Life Hero!

2010-01-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

Summers and me with Dave Schmitt- President of the Kiwanis Club in Avalon Park- who invited us to speak at the Kiwanis breakfast at Eastside Bistro on Jan. 7th. So far, Dave has arranged formula drives for us at Timber Creek H.S., Lake Nona H.S., Avalon Middle School and Stone Lakes Elementary and has even sent word out to Kiwanis Clubs across the state in an effort to help us raise enough formula for our upcoming mission to Ethiopia in March. I nominate Dave Schmitt as our first, official Formula One Life HERO!! Thank you, Dave!!

"I Wanna Feed the Hungry Children..."

2010-01-08T15:07:00.000-08:00

My friend, Amanda, is in Ethiopia right now leading a "Visiting Orphans" mission team with Britt Nicole on it... I just saw Amanda's post on Facebook that Britt taught the orphans to sing her hit song, "Set the World On Fire." I can only IMAGINE what a sight and sound that was to witness! I can't wait to see and share that video, but until then, here is a great live performance of Britt singing "Set the World on Fire." What awesome inspiration for our own upcoming trip to Ethiopia in March!
"I wanna feed the hungry children... reach across the farthest land... tell the broken there is healing and mercy in the Father's hands..." Britt Nicole, Set the World on Fire

Never forget...

2010-01-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

(for widescreen version on YouTube, click play then click on video)

I came across this recently made video from Hannah's Hope, Guatemala, where we stayed on our last misson trip in November... Tears filled my eyes when I saw the familiar faces of our little friends, Alex, Miguel, Efraim, Carlitos... Alex who never stops smiling in spite of being quadriplegic... and Efraim who cannot see, speak or hear but lights up at the slightest touch from a loving hand caressing his face.... One of the caregivers pictured in this video broke down in tears when talking to me about the 'special needs' children... Her heart was so heavy for them and the overwhelming needs they have... I pray these children feel truly touched by the hands of God through those who care for them so lovingly...

The scriptural lyrics of this favorite hymn echo within me...
"I will never forget you, my people... I have carved you on the palm of my hand... I will never forget you, I will not leave you orphaned... I will never forget my own..." (Isaiah 49:15)

Avalon Aglow Fundraiser!

2009-12-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Summers and me at our second official Formula One Life fundraiser for our upcoming mission to Ethiopia! In light of meeting some wonderful people who offered to help in various ways-- including the President of the Kiwanis Club who has offered to do formula drives with us at the local schools!-- I would say it was indeed a successful night! Our heartfelt thanks to the following people- without whom we could not have done it:
Mel Ramos for his invaluable 'base support' on many levels and Jay Stevenson- for the booth set-up! Stephanie Hodson- for donating our wonderful table space on behalf of Avalon Park Group... and a very special thanks to Andrew Lazeration-- for bringing in an untold number of donations from friends and co-workers at the Orange Co. Sheriff's Office... Many thanks to all who gave!!

Formula One Life in Guatemala, Nov. 2009

2009-11-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

(click on picture to enlarge)

Andrea, Summers, my mother and I just got back from our wonderful first trip to Guatemala where we delivered over 700 lbs. of baby formula, powdered milk, garden seeds, toys and crafts to the precious infants and children of Hannah's Hope, Casa de Sion, Casa Angelina and Amor del Nino...
(scroll down for more pictures and video from this trip)

2009-11-22T06:55:00.000-08:00

(click on picture to enlarge)

Orphans of Casa Angelina singing the heartbreaking words of a lullaby (translated):

Streets bathed in moonlight, the cradle of my youth, I come to sing to my beloved, the silvery moon of my youth... moon of my youth, you brought light to me in my nights of sorrow over a dark colored woman who abandoned me...

And We're Off...!

2009-11-15T20:20:00.000-08:00

The first Team Formula One Life (including Andrea with 3 suitcases full in NJ!) raised over 500 lbs. of formula for the infant orphans in Guatemala plus hundreds of dollars worth of powdered milk for the older orphans and enough garden seeds to grow groceries for years! Our heartfelt thanks to all those who gave... The babies will be drinking up your blessing very soon... :)

Get Ready, Get Set...!

2009-11-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

Summers and me on our first Formula One Life spree! Notice the empty shelf space behind us- we cleaned them out of the WalMart brand, and it still isn't nearly enough-- off to another WalMart for another cart full! ;) Three days to...Go!

Remembering Ethiopia... Ready for Guatemala...

2009-10-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

We are less than a week away from our first team mission trip to Guatemala and are still in need of formula and financial donations... Please visit formulaonelife.org (or simply click on the title of this post) to help meet the needs of Guatemalan orphans through "Formula One Life." Thank you and God bless...

First Fundraiser at Avalon Park's Oktoberfest!

2009-10-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

"I have a dream...!" :)

Summers- my fellow flight attendant ambassador!

...ready for the first donation!

Handing out flyers and working hard to drum up donations...

...mission accomplished! We raised over $600 in financial and material donations and made invaluable contacts with some wonderful people who offered their services to help our cause... God bless everyone who gave! Thank you!!

2009-09-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

One of the angels at "Amor Del Nino" in Guatemala...

Dear friends and family,

Most of you have seen the pictures from my first "Formula One Life" trip to Ethiopia this past Summer. It was indeed a heartwarming success and blessing to many infant orphans thanks to the generosity of so many of you. Since then, " Formula One Life" has grown into an organization well on its’ way to becoming an official 501c(3) non-profit, as attention from international adoption and sponsorship agencies has us planning future trips to orphanages around the world well into 2010!

In the immediate future, we have been called to Guatemala-- which is in more need than ever on account of the country’s current food shortage. The President of Guatemala has declared a state of national calamity as the country’s poor of all ages face malnourishment and a rising number of hunger related deaths. Compounding the hunger crisis is the orphan crisis- only worsening since the country’s adoption program was shut down last year. After contacting a handful of orphanages in Guatemala last week to determine their formula needs, these are only some of the replies I received within hours:

"Wow! This is an answer to prayer! We have a number of infants, and spend about $1400/MONTH ON FORMULA IF WE DO NOT GET IT DONATED. THIS WOULD BE A HUGE BLESSING! Thank you!" (Amor del Nino)

"We service about 20 infants with formula and have more mothers asking us everyday...We could use a lot as we have many mothers without milk because of the food crisis. We started the formula program after the baby of one of our workers died because the mom had no milk. Thank you so much for this offer." (Casa de Sion)

"Yes, we need support... At the moment we are looking after 30 children (and infants), and our goal is to duplicate that next year... Thank you very much for your offer..." (Hannah’s Hope)

It is overwhelming to contemplate the amount of need in Guatemala, right now. But as Mother Theresa said, "...we can only do small things with great love."

What smaller thing than a can of baby formula could better translate into great love... bottles of love, in fact.

I will be going to Guatemala along with three other women this November on the next "Formula One Life" mission. Our goal is to fill as many suitcases as possible with cans of powdered formula. By donating a can of formula or the cost of one can, you will literally be feeding infant orphans in need. We will also be bringing powdered milk for the older orphans and garden seeds as a harvest offering during our own Thanksgiving season.

On a final note, today is my birthday, and I have only one birthday wish: that you might consider helping us help the children of Guatemala... by doing one small thing with great love...

Please visit our website to donate a bottle of love to a baby in need: formulaonelife.org

Thank you and God bless...

Mary Beth

formulaonelife.org

"Feed my lambs..."

2009-09-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

"Take care of my sheep... Feed my sheep." It bears repeating afterall, since Jesus, himself, said it three times to Simon Peter after asking him "Do you love me?" (John 21:15-17)

"Formula One Life" is headed to Guatemala this November to feed some of the littlest lambs by delivering baby formula to orphanages in dire need on account of the country's severe food shortage. Compounding the hunger crisis is the orphan crisis- only worsening since the country shut down its' adoption program some time ago. After contacting three different orphanages today, I received three prompt replies within hours... Here are some excerpts from those replies:

"Wow! This is an answer to prayer! We have a number of infants, and spend about $1400/MONTH ON FORMULA IF WE DO NOT GET IT DONATED. THIS WOULD BE A HUGE BLESSING! Thank you!" (Amor del Nino)

"We service about 20 infants with formula and have more mothers asking us everyday... We could use a lot as we have many mothers without milk because of the food crisis. We started the formula program after the baby of one of our workers died because the mom had no milk. Thank you so much for this offer." (Casa de Sion)

"Yes, we need support... At the moment we are looking after 30 children, and our goal is to duplicate that next year... Thank you very much for your offer." (Hannah’s Hope)

Please hear the urgency in these petitions from Guatemala and consider being a vital ingredient in this "Formula One Life" mission. A can of baby formula-- or enough to cover the cost of one-- will truly become a bottle of love for a baby in need.

Please contact me at formulaonelife.mary@gmail.com or visit formulaonelife.org to make a donation...

My heartfelt thanks,

Mary Beth

"Formula One Life" in the news...!

2009-08-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's surprise...!

2009-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to find this in my e-mail! What a sweet surprise and beautiful memory from Ethiopia... I'm hoping it will plant a seed in your heart to sponsor one of these precious children... ICCM (Int'l Childcare Ministries) runs a wonderful sponsorship program!

"FORMULA ONE LIFE" MISSION: ETHIOPIA!

2009-08-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

First "Formula One Life" mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. '09. Delivered 120 lbs. of baby formula, diapers, medicine, shoes, toys and $500 cash to Hannah's Hope (All God's Children Int'l), Bethzatha Orphanage & the Kechene Center (sponsored children). On behalf of all the orphans and sponsored children who were blessed by this mission, I would like to thank the donors who made this first "Formula One Life" mission possible... Your love has traveled farther and deeper than you know.... Ameseganalo ("thank you" in Amharic) and God bless you!!
~Mary Beth
(click collage to enlarge)

Powder Power and the Growing Tower...!

2009-07-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

I felt I owed it to all my donors to rebuild the tower with the 30 extra cans of formula that came in overnight from my wonderful pastor and church! (It’s ok– I’m getting into the Playskool mentality for my trip! ;-)

The grand can total is now 50!! And because I simply cannot carry anymore by myself (not to mention weight limitations!) I will have a very generous cash donation to give on top of all this! A thousand thank you's to all of you who contributed to this mission!! God bless you again and again!!

Get ready... get set...!!

2009-07-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

In three days I will be on my way to Ethiopia on my first "Formula One Life" mission... delivering baby formula to infant orphans... and some desperately needed shoes to both orphans and poor children in need. God has blessed this mission far beyond my expectations--raising up such generous donors that I will have a surplus to give as a cash gift to the orphanage, as well! God bless and reward all of the people who are making this trip possible... Thank you for sending me to serve such precious children!!

...and this is not everything! My pastor has a suitcase of formula waiting in his garage! :-)

Donors bought 20 economy size cans of formula SO FAR (it's still coming!), 250 diapers & 700 wipes (orphanage requested items) while other baby items were donated by a dear friend, and the shoes I bought myself from Goodwill & WalMart for $2-$4 a pair...

Me, formula and diapers... just slightly out of my element! ;-)

Thank you, so much, everyone, for your prayers and support!!

"My Very Own Room" (click here to listen)

2009-06-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Dear family and friends,

I hope this letter finds you enjoying a beautiful Summer wherever you are...

I wanted to share with you my new song on adoption (click title above) as well as an opportunity to feed infant orphans in Ethiopia. I am going to Addis Ababa this Summer to deliver suitcases of baby formula to infants in need... It is a mission I am calling “Formula One Life.”

The story behind the mission...
The urgent cry came to my ears through a recent letter I received from a dear friend who runs an orphanage in Addis Ababa. I met Almaz on a mission trip to Ethiopia a few years ago- at which time she was living a comfortable life in the U.S. Within months, however, Almaz- a native Ethiopian herself, left behind all her American comforts to return to her homeland to become the director of Hannah’s Hope, a transitional home for orphans in Addis Ababa.

In her letter, Almaz wrote of a dire need for baby formula. Because baby formula is not produced anywhere in Ethiopia, its' low supply and high demand had caused it to become a price gouged commodity on the black market... and Almaz had no choice but to pay the price. I immediately wrote a check, but sadly, I knew it was only a temporary solution...

That is when I realized what I had to do: Using my flight benefits as a flight attendant, I would carry suitcases of formula to Ethiopia myself and recruit other flight attendants to do the same...

My hope is that this will be the first of many trips for years to come, as other flight attendants join me in serving the weakest among us...

Will you please consider joining me in feeding these infants...? I would like to fill at least three suitcases with cans of powdered formula to deliver by the end of July... You can be a blessing to this mission by donating any small amount in one of three ways: 1) by giving a can of formula, 2) by sending a check for one can of formula, or 3) by purchasing my online album, “Songs of the Vine” featuring my new song on adoption, “My Very Own Room.”
All of the proceeds from these sales will go directly to purchasing formula. You can also make a very valuable contribution of prayer... so please don’t hold back!

Finally, I would be honored if you would listen to “My Very Own Room.” It is the true story of my experience at one Ethiopian orphanage in 2006...

My deepest, heartfelt thanks to you... for sending a bottle of love to a baby in need...

God bless,

Mary Beth
www.marybethlavin.com