Hello again!

SO our next adventure is Mark & Rachel travelling to India & Nepal in a few weeks. We would like to give the orphanage we support in Nepal a month's rent (around $600) and the family we support in Nepal a similar amount. I have mentioned them earlier on our blog. This couple look after many elderly people in their home. My work (Peninsula Private) have also agreed to donate nursing/hospital supplies to both the orphanage and the elderly people, which is fantastic.

I have distributed 25 large boxes of Cadburys chocolate and lollies to a number of friends, who have agreed to help us raise this money. Thanks guys! If you would like to help out with a donation, please let me know either on facebook, or you can email me on nat@hasslefreesystems.com.

Thank you all SO much for all of your support!

Much love from Mark & Natalie :)

Rach & Beth with "Paddington"

"Girl's night IN" no 2

It's been a while! Life gets so busy doesn't it...

We had our 2nd "girl's night in" on Friday 8th of July. This time we were raising money and awareness for an organisation based in India called 'Freedom Firm' and their fight against the problem of sex trafficking in India and around the world. Freedom Firm are dedicated to the liberation of children enslaved in commercial sexual exploitation, to their effective rehabilitation, and to justice against those who have profited from their misery.




Left: A very young mum rescued by Freedom Firm



We shared a tantalizing supper, chatted a lot (as only girls can!) and many people purchased Indian goodies (hand made jewellery and hand painted Christmas tree decorations), knowing that 100% of the money was going straight to this amazing organisation.

Above: Some of the beautiful hand painted baubles Michael & Suzan brought back from India for us to sell on the night. 100% of money went to Freedom Firm.

There were gorgeous necklaces, earrings, bracelets & cards for sale on the night, all hand made by these rescued girls, who in turn receive a good salary from the sale of this jewelry.

Below: Hand made cards and jewellery hand made by the girls rescued by Freedom Firm.











My sister in law, Suzan, was here on the night. My brother, Michael, and Suzan work at an international boarding school in India called Hebron School, which is not far from Freedom Firm's operational base. They were in Australia visiting for a few weeks.


Left: My beautiful neices Emma (6) & Rebekah (aka "Bex", 4)



What a successful night we had! In just one night we raised over $600 for Freedom Firm...and that goes a LONG way over there. A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped on the night and to all that made the effort to come along.

What a privilege it is to live in this country of Australia. We are so financially blessed, which makes it so EASY to financially bless those that aren't. Let's not forget that our $30 takeaway meal can feed a whole orphanage for a week in some countries, or even more....

Much love,

Mark & Nat :)

Hello again!

Hi guys!

Well, it's been 4 months since we returned from our last trip to India (although it feels like a lot longer!). In this time, a lot has happened! Rachel is all grown up, has moved into a unit with a friend of hers and is in first year at Monash University. Nat has graduated from Uni and some very interesting future "possibilities" have arisen for us as a family...but more about that at a later date ;)

Last month we held our first "girl's night in". This time we were raising awareness & funds for TEAR Australia. This was actually the idea of a friend of mine from church, Lyndel (Langwarrin Vineyard Fellowship)....& it was such a success (we raised over $450)!

Chatting, eating & raising money for an awesome cause at our first "girls night in".

So, I have stolen Lyndel's idea (Thanks Lyndel!) & have decided to run similar events bi-monthly, raising awareness and funds for a different group each time....at the same time as catching up with the girlees, munching on yummy culinary delights or maybe even making a card (for a $2 donation) for a friend!

Nickie, Steph & Deb making Mother's Day cards at the last "girls night in"

The next "girls night in" will be on Friday 8th July at 7.30pm. We will be raising awareness and funds for Freedom Firm, and their fight against the problem of sex trafficking in India and around the world. Freedom Firm are dedicated to the liberation of children enslaved in commercial sexual exploitation, to their effective rehabilitation, and to justice against those who have profited from their misery. They do amazing work! Please let me (Nat) know if you can make it to this night, or alternatively you can RSVP on facebook.

At this time my brother Michael and sister in law, Suzan, will be visiting from India with their two beautiful girls, so hopefully, on this night I can persuade Suzan to tell us a little bit about their experience of working in India also.

Two days later Michael and Suzan will be talking about their work in India (they work at Hebron School in South India) at our church service, at 10am on Sunday 10th July. Feel free to come along if you're interested to hear some of their "story". You will find us at Langwarrin Park Primary School, which is located at Northgateway in Langwarrin (Mel Ref 136 A4).

We continue to support several other organisations, including a beautiful couple in Nepal that have dedicated their lives to caring for a number of elderly men and women that have been "dis-owned" by their families, an orphanage in Nepal, an orphanage in Ooty, South India and an aged care home in Coonoor, South India, which I have mentioned in some earlier posts. If you would like to contribute to any of these organizations, please let us know. We will be doing another chocolate fundraising drive in the next month or so, so if you would be willing to sell a box for us, that would be great :)

Melissa, Melinda and Richard, from 'Hope Trust' orphanage in Nepal.

Thanks to the MANY of you who helped us raise over $3000 last year. We were able to send over $1000 to the above orphanage, which goes a LONG way over there :)

Well, that's it for now. Thanks for taking a moment to check out our latest post :)

God Bless.

Much love,
Mark, Natalie and Bethany XXX

(As mentioned above, Rachel is now renting a unit with her friend!)

We're back :)

Well, actually, we got back a couple of weeks ago....but have been typically busy, so sorry for not updating our blog earlier!

What a fabulous trip we had! We had so many amazing moments, along with a couple of frustrating ones....including a bit of a visa issue, which meant that (at the last minute) Mark was unable to go to Nepal this time. We were able to give the money you all helped us raise to the two organizations in Nepal, which is good....but the cards & gifts that we were going to give them are still in India, waiting for a family from Nepal to take them up for us!

So, the money YOU helped us to give was as follows:

$1000 AUD (approx 73,000 Nepali rupees) to a beautiful family in Nepal that look after a number of elderly men and women in their own home. They have devoted their life to giving to others and we feel extremely blessed to be able to input into their ministry.

$1000 AUD (approx 73,000 Nepali rupees) to 'Hope Trust Orphanage' in Nepal. We have previously spoken about this orphanage in Nepal. What a blessing these children are. We spent a day or two with them in January, 2010 and their positive attitude to life made a huge impact on us as a family.


(Above) Two of the residents from 'Little Sisters of the Poor' in Coonoor, South India.

$650 AUD (approx 30,000 Indian rupees) to 'Little Sisters of the Poor' (above and below), in Coonoor, South India. I have mentioned this aged care home previously in our blog. Bethany and I spent an afternoon there being shown around and talking with the nuns and the residents (who ADORED Bethany!). We were SO blessed and encouraged to see their absolute devotion to the many elderly (many of them quite sick) men and women in their care.


(Above) This elderly resident at 'Little Sisters of the Poor' couldn't stop kissing and cuddling Beth!

$350 AUD (approx 16,000 Indian rupees) to an orphanage in Ooty, South India. I will give details of this orphanage and where the money has gone in a future blog, as I have left this money with a relative in India who will be purchasing equipment with it and getting back to me.

So, once again....a BIG THANK YOU to all of you that helped us to raise this money! We will post more photos over the next few weeks :)

....and watch this space for details of our next venture...

God Bless you all xxx