My very first blog post. I have written so many first drafts for this over the past three years. It has always been on my mind to add a blog in this space but I just couldn’t figure out where to begin. I know now that God had plans for this post to be something better than I could dream up. Many of you have been around here for years but only a few close friends know what Auburn Hoops is really about. You thought it was just embroidery hoops, didn’t you?
Obviously, embroidery hoops are our specialty, they are THE product. However, they are not our driving purpose. To explain to you what Auburn Hoops has been about for the past 3+ years, I’m going to have to share a little story.
Auburn Hoops was born by God’s providence. Brandon and I were never seeking to have a full-fledged business. We just had our first born child and I was content with my little etsy shop keeping me busy while transitioning to my new life as a stay at home mom. Through a chain of events and Brandon’s gift for innovation and engineering, we invented what is now known as the Auburn Hoop. We knew we had something unique and it lead us to getting a patent and sharing it with the crafty world.
There is one major detail that I have left out of our story when I have shared previously though. It wasn’t time for me to share it yet. I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever share it but now feels right. I want you to all know the heart of Auburn Hoops.
Around the same time we opened Auburn Hoops, God put it on our hearts that this business was not for us. That as much as I wanted the income to go towards our family expenses, they were not mine to spend. This business is a gift and the spare time that I have to work on it while being a stay at home mom is a gift. After praying and lots of discussions we decided that when Auburn Hoops hit the three year mark we would take what we could from profits and give it to Asia's Hope, a ministry in Cambodia that we care deeply about.
This ministry is absolutely amazing and the work they are doing in Cambodia is so good. Asia’s hope offers “’family-style, residential orphan care’ for orphaned and vulnerable children who cannot be safely reunited with their biological relatives,” in Cambodia, Thailand, and India. They have 34 homes and they each have house parents that love these orphaned children as their own.
Our heart to partner with Asia's Hope started about 5 years ago when we were blessed to begin supporting a young man named Caleb who came to Asia’s Hope Cambodia with his brother after their mother was no longer able to care for them. We write letters regularly and video call a few times a year and have fallen in love with this sweet young man. He is a part of our family and someday I hope to see him face to face. Until then, many friends have had the opportunity to visit and have given him hugs for us. Caleb is such a bright and caring young man who loves the Lord deeply. We have been so blessed to get to see him grow up over the past five years. I could share more of his story but I wouldn’t do it justice so I’ll let his brother Joshua tell you how God has provided for them.
Isn't Joshua the sweetest? Their story is so amazing and is the reason we choose to partner with Asia's Hope. Auburn Hoops third birthday was in August of 2020 and we had the amazing opportunity to mail a check for $10k to Asia’s Hope ministry! Praise God!
I want to explain why we withheld this huge detail for so long. First, we weren’t sure if we would ever share publicly. Even now, I have edited this blog countless times to be sure that no part of it glorifies us or Auburn Hoops. Like I said before this business was a gift, and we didn’t want to take any credit for what God was doing through it.
Second, it was heavy on my heart that this was going to be a work of God. I had big ambitions and large numbers in my head. I thought maybe we could have motivated more sales because people would want to support the cause. But I didn’t want anyone to have the ability (myself included) to say “look what we did.” I didn’t even tell those who help us run Auburn Hoops. I wanted to say without a shadow of a doubt that this was a work of God. And it is!
I’ll be honest, we didn’t reach the large numbers that I had in my head but I think that was God’s way of humbling me and making sure I knew that it wasn’t my own doing. From the beginning $20k was a number that kept coming to mind. We didn’t reach that goal but again, God did! When we went to make our donation we were told that there was a donor that was matching our gift! Our gift of $10k was doubled to $20k!!! I can’t make this up. I am truly astounded to look back and see how God answered the prayers that He laid upon our hearts.
That is why I'm sharing now. I want everyone to see God's faithfulness on display. He is working in the hearts of His people and He cares deeply. Most of all, He answers prayer! He prompted my heart to pray while sanding, shipping, and embroidering and He answered in ways I never expected. I'm in awe.
We want to thank you for your support over the past three years. I would love if you could take the time to pray for Asia’s Hope when you see an Auburn Hoop. If you would like to learn more about Asia's Hope and how to pray here is their website!
To God be the glory!
-Chelsea
Okay, just one more video because these children are the most fun loving kids that love the Lord and love to dance! I dare you to watch this video and not smile.
Cambodia Highlight from The Chapel on Vimeo.
5 comments
This is so amazing! Thank you for sharing such a deep and meaningful piece of your hearts. As if I needed another reason to purchase your hoops. Thank you guys for being such a bright light in these dark days. Bless you all!
This is beautiful!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. 💛
This is a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness and blessing as you kept your eyes on Him while living the dream he placed on your heart. I am very inspired to keep purchasing from you and sharing your story. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story!