7 SIMPLE STEPS TO BEAUTIFUL, NATURALLY HEALTHY SKIN

I remember back in high school when I wanted to go to Beauty School. My parents would sing Grease's Beauty School Drop-Out to me (click here if you don't know what I'm talking about) and tell me that I could go to Beauty School after I graduated from college, with a degree. So, I went to college, tried to drop out a few times because I didn't enjoy it. But everyone kept telling me it would be different when I had my own classroom. Plus, my parents wouldn't let me quit. After 4.5 years of studying, I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education, got my own classroom...and still didn't like it! 14 years later at the age of 32, I finally got to go to Beauty School last weekend with my mom...and I absolutely loved it! This is right up my alley, just like I thought back at 18-years-old. Don't feel too bad for me, though. If I hadn't gone to college, I might not have ever met Ironman. So, college was super beneficial to me in the long run, for my M.R.S. degree.

Young Living's Beauty School was only 2 days, so we just covered the basics. One day, however, I'd love to go for much longer...like to get a 2 year certificate or something along those lines. But for now, I want to share what I've learned so far.

What’s ON you is IN you. What are you putting on you? Is it completely safe, non-toxic and actually good for you? Please take time to check every product and ingredient in your entire home using the EWG Skin Deep site or Think Dirty app. You’ll be shocked at what dangerous ingredients are lurking around! Beauty is not just how you look on the outside…it comes from what’s inside. If you are physically, emotionally and mentally putting “junk” in, that’s what will eventually be pushed out. The things we eat, drink, slather on, listen to, smell and watch all effect us on the inside, constantly helping us or harming us. I’m so thankful that Young Living takes time to ensure that their products are good and safe for us. I know it’s tempting to just use make up to cover up all the imperfections. But, instead, it would be better for us to take the time to address the problems so that we can enjoy naturally beautiful and healthy skin! So, skin 1st, then make up 2nd. Ok? Ready to get started?

What skin type do you have? Normal, dry, oily, combination or mature? No matter what type you have, Young Living has great products for you to enjoy your best complexion ever!

Getting pampered at Young Living's Beauty School!

Here are the 7 steps to beautiful skin, as mentioned at Beauty School:

Start with clean hands and in between each step, allow time for skin to dry.

1. CLEANSE: Wash your face daily, morning and night by going through all steps listed below. Start by cleansing…ART Gentle Cleanser and Orange Blossom Facial Wash are your two choices.

a. ART Gentle Cleanser won’t dry out skin and is suitable for all skin types, especially mature skin. It is formulated with orchid extract. Wet hands and face, squirt one pump cleanser in hand and massage onto face and neck in circular motions.

b. Orange Blossom Facial Wash is soap-free and is suitable for all skin types, especially younger skin. It is formulated with botanical extracts, minerals and fruit acids. Wet hands and face, squirt half a dime sized amount of cleanser in hand and massage onto face and neck in circular motions. This one is often a favorite for teenagers or adults with troubled skin.

2. EXFOLIATE: Our bodies naturally shed older cells, but as we age, the process is slower. Help keep skin fresh and bright by exfoliating with Satin Mint Facial Scrub a couple times per week. Do NOT over exfoliate, as this can aggravate skin. Although this is a scrub, it is also moisturizing, so it doesn’t leave your skin stripped of the healthy, natural oils. Wet face and neck and massage on skin in circular, massaging motion.

3. TONE: Balance the pH of your skin, remove left-over residue and close large pores by using ART Toner. Squirt small amount on cotton round and carefully swipe across face and neck.

4. RESTORE: Serums often contain ingredients that are able to penetrate the layers of skin faster, so it is important to use one before moisturizing. ART Renewal Serum nourishes and hydrates and contains unique botanical ingredients and complex blend of traditional Chinese extracts, like orchids. After cleansing (and exfoliating a few times a week) and toning, apply one pump of serum and tap over face and neck.

5. MOISTURIZE: This step is important for protecting and hydrating your skin and should be done as often as possible or needed. A dry face now is a wrinkled face later. Apply a small amount of moisturizer to face and neck and massage in with upward, sweeping strokes. Here are the moisturizing options available to you:

a. ART Light Moisturizer helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, while being lightweight. It is perfect for all skin types.

b. ART Intensive Moisturizier helps reduce the appearance or fine lines and wrinkles and is a heavier option for long-lasting hydration. It contains plant cells and is the perfect night cream. Good for all skin types, especially mature skin. If you were using and loving Sandalwood Moisture Cream or Bosweilla Wrinkle Cream, this is Young Living’s replacement product that’s even better! It’s like the two combined forces and made an even better moisturizer.

c. ART Sheerlume Brightening Cream, AKA “moisturizer with benefits”. Sheerlume helps give a younger complexion by brightening skin tone and reducing signs of age spots, skin dullness and rough texture. Definitely my favorite Young Living moisturizer so far, as I have gotten many compliments when I’ve consistently used this product!

6. REFINE: Help skin health by using a masque a few times a week (or up to every day) for at least 25 minutes each time you do so. Here are your three options:

a. ART Beauty Masque is an orchid based formula designed to hydrate skin and leave it more radiant. It is for all skin types.

b. ART Creme Masque is a luxurious cream and is ideal for a deep facial moisturizer, 25 minute masque or even an all night skin treatment. It is formulated with hyaluronic acid, but does not contain the orchid ingredient. It is for all skin types.

c. ART Chocolate Masque is formulated with Ecuadorian chocolate and infused with essential oils. This masque leaves skin soft and glowing and is an excellent one if you are looking for the antioxidants. It is for all skin types.

7. TARGETED SUPPORT

a. Wolfberry Eye Cream is conditioning, with wolfberry seed oil, and minimizes the appearance of fine lines.

b. Rose Ointment is a heavy moisturizer for dry, rough or chapped skin.

c. Young Living Lip Balms protect, moisturize and soften.

d. Essential Beauty Serum is the perfect moisturizing option for dry skin that needs an extra boost. Also, it can be use for any skin type for facial massage.

e. Mirah Shave Oil is so moisturizing that you can skip the body lotion after bathing. Also, it can be used as a hair oil for silky, smooth hair.

In addition to these steps for healthy, beautiful skin, don’t forget to get at least 10 minutes per day of full sun on your skin for vitamin D, but then use Young Living’s Mineral Sunscreen to ensure skin safety and beautifully aging skin for the rest of the day.

Also, don’t forget that nutrition plays a huge role in skin health. Do your best to reduce meat, dairy, gluten and sugar. The best diet is high in whole, plant-based foods such as veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds. Each time you put something in your mouth or on your body, you should be asking yourself, “Am I feeding disease or fighting it?” Make sure to take supplements like Young Living's Ningxia Red, Master Formula, Enzymes and Probiotic for optimal health. Oh, and don’t block your sweat! Your body sweats to eliminate toxins, which makes you cleaner on the inside and your skin more healthy on the outside. So, get Young Living's deodorant and be prepared for a bit of body detox as your body adjusts to natural deodorant!

Now that your skin health is in optimal condition, you are ready for make-up!

Although the lighting is slightly different, you can see how both of us have
improved skin from just November 2nd to the 5th...just 4 days!

I know this is a quick summary of what I took in over the two days of Beauty School, but I hope it helped you see where you may have gaps in your own beauty routine. If you live out of town and want to learn more, I'd love to do a live video/FaceTime to teach you! I may even be able to come to you if you'd like to learn in person and try each product. Or if you live in town, I'd love to get together, teach you and let you try each product. And don't forget, the more the merrier...gather some friends and let's make a girls night out of it!

Connect with me by phone (if you have my number) or by using the links to my FaceBook and Instagram found at the top of the page. Don't forget, you can also email me by clicking here! I can't wait to spend time with you and help you feel more confident in your skin through Young Living essential oils and products!

HOW WASHING MY HAIR MADE ME FEEL LIKE THE REAL DEAL

About two weeks ago, Lauren, the outreach coordinator for Maple Holistics, reached out to me and asked if she could send me some of their tea tree oil shampoo.  For FREE.  Not gonna lie, no one has ever sent me something free to review, so I wasn't sure what was happening!  However, I was interested (and quite gullible), took a look around their website and wrote Lauren back, hoping that this was for real.  Short story even shorter: within a few days, the tea tree oil shampoo was on it's way to my home with a tracking number!  What?!

Honestly, when I received the package, I was in shock.  I sat it on my bathroom counter and looked at it for a few days, wondering what in the world to do with it.  For the first time in my life, a company sent me something free for me to try and review.  Fairly often, I get companies asking me to write about them on my blog, but have never been sent anything as compensation, like money or free product.  Most companies want me to do them a favor without doing one for me.  And not only did Lauren actually send me the tea tree oil shampoo, but she sent me a full-sized bottle!  Needless to say, I was impressed with Lauren and Maple Holistics before I even washed my hair.

Let's get down to the real reason why we are here, the nitty-gritty, as Nacho Libre would say.  I'm going to share my honest review about the free product I was sent, the tea tree oil shampoo.  I washed my hair with it twice so far because I wanted to make sure I had time to wash, dry and style my hair and truly think through how I feel about it.  Maple Holisitics didn't send me any conditioner and I didn't want to mix brands and tamper my review, so the first wash was with the shampoo only and not followed up with conditioner.  What I liked about the shampoo was that it was thick, rich and creamy and lathered up fairly easily compared to many natural shampoo options.  However, I believe that the tea tree oil must be slightly drying because my hair was more tangly than normal.  It took extra time to comb through it after my shower, but had tons of volume (which was a plus).  So, if you have dry hair already, I might suggest you use one of their more moisturizing shampoo options, especially during the upcoming winter months.  This tea tree oil shampoo might be a good option for people with oily hair or during the summer months when it's hot and humid and everyone's hair is slightly oilier anyway.  The second time I washed my hair with the shampoo, I followed up with my own Young Living Copaiba Vanilla Moisturizing Conditioner.  This favorite conditioner of mine is super rich, thick and creamy and moisturizes really well, so of course, my hair felt like silk after that and was much easier to brush through!  Oh and one more thing, the shampoo has a light tea tree oil smell, but not so strong that it leaves me with headaches, so I was pleased.

When Lauren originally reached out to me, she wrote that Maple Holistics is high-quality, natural ingredients and cruelty free.  I did a little digging around to see what I could find to back that up.  While looking online, I found that the tea tree oil shampoo has these ingredients listed: aqua, jojoba oil, Botanical Keratin, Argan Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Lavender Oil and Rosemary Oil.  I was really impressed with such a short list!  My only concerns are these: I couldn't find any real information on the ingredient "botanical keratin" except on Maple Holistics own site and I don't know where the company sources their essential oils.  These are some of the reasons that I consistently choose Young Living oils and products.  I can always find information on ingredients and I know exactly where the essential oils are sourced (I've even been to the farms and helped plant!).  Fast forward to this morning, though, and I found myself a little disappointed.  When snapping the photo for this blog, I noticed the ingredients listed on the back of the bottle don't match the ingredients list found online.  There are about 15 extra ingredients!  I tried to look up the product on the EWG Skin Deep site, but couldn't find it.  I also tried to look it up on the Think Dirty App, but it wasn't there either.  This really surprises me for a company that's been around since 2001.  So, I took the time to type in each ingredient, one by one, on the (EWG Skin Deep site) to see if they are truly safe.  There were about three that couldn't be found, but the ingredients I did find, rated well.  So, I'm pretty happy with the ingredients I know and read about, but feel that not having a complete ingredients list online is a little deceiving.  I take time to research things before buying and want to have confidence that the company is giving me all the information up front.  On a more positive note, Maple Holistics has an easy to navigate website.  They seem to care a lot about health and educating people on good choices through their blog.  I was impressed that they even offer a free samples program and 100% money-back guarantee!

This is after my second wash!

So, what do I honestly think about the free tea tree oil shampoo that Lauren sent me from Maple Holistics?  I'm happy enough with it that I will be finishing the bottle, while following it up with my own favorite conditioner.  I would, however, suggest only using it consistently if you tend to have oilier hair, as it is slightly drying.  Also, I would recommend doing more research on the ingredient "Botanical Keratin" and the others that I wasn't able to find on the EWG site to make sure it's truly safe and non-toxic.  But, all in all, my first free product review was an excellent experience and I hope to get more opportunities in the future to do the same for other companies!

I've been blogging since 2008, for almost a decade now.  For years, I've wished to be a sponsored blogger and wondered how to do it.  Although I truly tried, nothing I was doing seemed to get anyone's attention, except the companies who wanted me to blog about them and their products for free.  So, I kinda gave up.  Why try so hard, only to fail?  So, although it was only a bottle of free shampoo, it was so much more to me.  As I stood in the shower and washed my hair, I thought about all my hard work over the last decade, was proud of myself for not quitting and felt like I was finally the real deal.  It's funny how sometimes the little things are really the biggest things.  So let me leave you with a little something that has nothing really to do with shampoo.  If you want something, don't quit.  Keep working at it until you get it.  Even if it takes you 5 years, 20 years, 48 years.  It's worth it.  Those years are going to pass anyway.  You might as well work towards a dream.

9 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU'RE OVERWHELMED

Life has seasons that come and go.  Some are happy and restful.  Others can be stressful and busy.  Right now, Ironman and I are in the stressful, busy season and it leaves me feeling overwhelmed almost all the time.  We are trying to wrap up our home renovations, after 2.5 years of living in this Fixer Upper.  The list of to-do's is now pretty short, but we feel burned out and just ready to be done. Although I'm not the one doing most of the construction, it's still draining to have it constantly going on around me.  Sub-contractors coming and going almost daily.  Ironman working nights and weekends.  Me, trying to keep the house tidy and clean.  It's been a vicious cycle and we're tired.  But just because we're tired, doesn't mean we can kick back.  So, we keep pushing forward, checking things off the final list and looking forward to the day when the renovations are done.  This lifestyle has left me overwhelmed, especially in the last 6 months.  In case you are also struggling with feeling overwhelmed, here are the 9 things that truly help me feel more calm and grounded.

1.  GET OUTSIDE.  Simply stepping outside into the sunshine and fresh air makes such a difference.  I'll often sit on my front porch swing to read or table to work and I find I'm much more productive.  Going on a walk is another of my favorite things.  I don't listen to music and usually don't bring my phone.  It's just me, listening to my breath and my steps.  Something about the exercise gives me a fresh start and I come back home with a better attitude and more energy.  Plus, walking is always a great way to catch up with a friend, while you're both getting in a work out.  How often do you get outdoors?

2.  DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY.  I love a slow morning when I can take a bath.  I pour in some epsom salt with essential oils while the tub in filling, dry brush my entire body until I feel tingly and then step in for about 30 minutes.  My water bottle and kindle always come with me and I'll lay in there, drink 32 oz and read a few chapters in my latest book.  It's an amazing way to start the day.  Walking is something I enjoy.  Organizing.  Blogging.  Reading.  Watching a good movie on Netflix.  Going out for coffee with a friend.  There's always something that I can choose to do for fun.  What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

3.  PRIORITIZE.  Learning to say no has been a huge thing in my life.  Ironman would always tell me that I needed to learn to say no.  It took years.  I don't know why it was so hard, but for the most part, I'm good at saying no now.  Since I like for people to like me and be happy and I like to do things right, I end up piling on the responsibilities (whether they are real or made up in my own mind).  I'll often find myself agonizing over something that I need to do, but when I really think about it, I wonder "Why do I even need to do this and why am I worried about it?".  Many times, it's all made up in my head and it's not something that I need to spend time on or worry about.  Do you have things on your list you could erase?

4.  LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.  Creating a list of priorities really ties into the big picture.  I can made a million tasks for myself that I believe I'm "supposed" to be doing.  I can make sure that everyone likes me and is happy.  It doesn't take long to make myself busy doing all the "right" things.  But, who made the rules?  No one.  I'm making up rules for myself, killing myself to try to do everything perfect and then, come to find out, many of these things don't even matter in the long run.  Sure, I can't sit around doing nothing my entire life.  But, it's important that I choose to spend my time on things that truly matter in my own big picture.  Are you spending your time and energy on things that truly matter?

5.  ASK FOR HELP.  There's nothing wrong with asking for help.  Chances are you have a friend, parent, spouse or sibling or who be there for you in a second.  It's easy to feel isolated and alone when you feel overwhelmed.  I tend to have a million things on my mind that I think that I "should" be doing, but then clam up and get nothing done.  Once you make your priorities list and see what you actually truly need to do, reach out and ask someone to help you.  I bet they would love that!  It can even be a housekeeper or nanny, depending on what you need help with and who's available.  When's the last time you asked for help?

6.  GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK.  No one is perfect, so neither will you be.  You're not going to make everyone happy.  Not everyone will like you.  You aren't going to do everything perfect.  Sometimes you'll forget something or show up late or somehow fail.  That's ok!  You're human.  Stop putting so much on your plate.  Choose the important things and do your best.  I'd much rather do my best in a few things than spread myself thin in a lot of things.  Plus, I'm a much nicer person to be around when I don't feel like a chicken running around with her head cut off.  Are you being too hard on yourself?

7.  UNPLUG.  Turn off Netflix.  Step away from the laptop.  Put away your phone.  Feel the tension immediately drop from your shoulders.  I don't know what it is about technology, but it really contributes to my anxiety.  I feel pulled in like a magnet and out of control.  I honestly think this is why I love to get outside so much and go camping with Ironman.  There is nothing but nature and dirt and a campfire and us and it's wonderful.  I feel like I can breathe easier, dream bigger and find myself smiling much more.  Crazy as it sounds, I even feel more in love with Ironman.  Maybe it's not that I'm more in love, but it's so quiet around us that I'm reminded of how much I love him and how grateful I am for him.  Do you take time to unplug?

8.  GET INSPIRED.  So now that I just talked about unplugging, I'm doing a 180.  Sometimes it helps me to forget about how overwhelmed I am by being inspired by others.  Watch a good documentary.  Browse quotes on Pinterest.  Google a topic you're interested in.  Read an educational or business book.  Listen to a podcast.  Talk to someone you look up to and ask them "How do you do it?".  Even with my blog, I find that when I am in a slump it helps me to find ways to get inspired so that I can get out another new post.  What or who inspires you?

9.  PRACTICE MINIMALISM.  When every where you turn is a mess, you're going to be overwhelmed.  Make simpler meals so that dinnertime isn't so daunting.  Adopt a Capsule Wardrobe so you aren't always saying "I have nothing to wear" as you stare at your jam-packed closet.  Donate unused toys so that the kids play areas aren't out of control.  Get rid of the clutter in your home so that cleaning takes less time.  Your environment has a huge impact on your daily life.  Is your home causing you to be stressed out all of the time?

Are you overwhelmed in life right now?  I know I am, but I also know that taking myself through these 9 steps really does make a difference for me.  Maybe they can help you too!  If you have other methods to deal with feeling overwhelmed, I'd love to hear in the comments below.

HOW I LOST 20+ POUNDS AND DROPPED A PANTS SIZE

Growing up, I was always skinny.  I never dieted and pretty much ate whatever I wanted.  I hated the gym and "exercise", but was involved in sports and dance because I enjoyed that I was with my friends outside of school hours.  However, everything changed once I graduated high school.  We moved back to the USA (enjoyed a lot of Little Ceasar's and Krispy Kreme) and I immediately put on about 20 pounds.  I wasn't on any sports teams and wasn't taking dance classes, so my workouts came to a complete stop.  After getting married at 22, I found myself eating more often and bigger portions because I was eating when and what my husband was eating.  On top of that, my 20s were really difficult years for me, full of anxiety and depression and I ended up doing a lot of emotional eating.  Before I knew it, my 20s were gone, I had put on another 30 pounds, I was constantly exhausted and really didn't feel like myself anymore. 

Fall 2016 vs. Fall 2017
Photos by Emily Lynn Christopher at Just Because Blog

It was about a year and a half ago now that I began to work out and eat better and I can't believe how incredibly different I feel.  It wasn't that I just wanted to be skinny...I felt like I lost myself somehow and just wanted to feel like "Emily" again.  I wanted to feel my best and began making changes towards that goal.  It's been a gradual process and I didn't do all this cold turkey.  But, since May 4th, 2016, here are the 10 changes I've slowly adopted:

1.  Stop the caffeine.  Although I may not drink soda but a few times a year, I did tend to have coffee a couple times a week.  Unfortunately, it brings on the jitters and leads to anxiety filled days, so it was good to get the caffeine out of my system.

2.  Kick the sugar.  I LOVE sugar and wish I could live on Cinnamon Sugar Pop-Tarts.  But, the affect is basically the same as caffeine...speeds up my heart and leaves me feeling all flustered.  Since sugar is clearly a problem for me, I've cut way back.

3.  Quit the alcohol.  I like beer, I love wine and I adore all the sugary girly drinks.  But, just like caffeine and sugar, it leaves me not feeling so great.  It's so crazy that all the things that I consider "my treats", leave me feeling the worst!  I thought it would be hard to give up, but I've only had wine once since May this year and I don't miss it.

4.  Exercise daily.  Daily exercise helps me feel better emotionally and sleep better at night...and those are huge.  Plus, it's helped me feel stronger and have more energy.  However, one big thing for me is I've had to learn to work out alone instead of relying on others to be my constant work out buddies.  But the biggest thing is I've had to make the decision that I will work out every single day whether I want to or not.  

5.  Take supplements.  I've been taking Young Living's Ningxia Red and Master Formula daily and can tell a huge difference in my digestion, energy, hair and skin when I take them!  I try to eat well, but it makes me feel better knowing that I'm covering all my necessary antioxidants and vitamins each day.

At 21-years-old, I was around 120-130 pounds and really felt great!

6.  Sleep.  Cutting out caffeine, sugar and alcohol really makes a difference in my sleep.  Going to bed and waking up each day at the same time helps too.  Count in a hard workout that day and my diffuser going with Peace&Calming blend that night and I sleep like a rock.

7.  Cut out toxins.  Did you know how dangerous the toxins in your toiletries, makeup, food, drinks and cleaning supplies can be?  Even candles, air-fresheners and things like that are harmful.  Now that I've detoxed from these types of chemicals, just being around them for a short time will give me headaches and is further proof that they should be avoided at all costs.  Your entire body, inside and outside, can be negatively affected by toxins.  Plus, I've learned that a lot of fat is full of stored toxins.  Sounds dangerous to me.  So, getting rid of anything toxic and replacing it with a healthy alternative has been high on my list.

8.  Eat well.  I hate diets.  I see people deprive themselves, lose weight, go off the diet, gorge on all the food they missed and then gain back all the weight they lost.  Diets are not sustainable.  What I had to learn, though, was how the food I ate really effected how I felt.  There are things I love to eat, but now don't because I realized how bad they made me feel.  I have learned to choose foods that help me feel good, which happen to be whole, plant-based vegan foods.  And I've also learned to eat when I'm hungry and don't eat when I'm not hungry.  It's not a difficult concept...who knew it would take me 32 years to get it?!  Oh yea, and drink more water, right momma?  Haha.

9.  Minimize stress.  Stress really affects me in every way.  I'm easily anxious and depressed, but since I know that about myself, I can try to make good choices.  One thing is not allowing myself to get too busy.  I have to have some space and alone time each day and so I am careful to plan my calendar accordingly and don't schedule things back to back.

10.  Wrap up looming projects.  Talking about stress, one big thing that I want to do is finish our home.  As you know, if you follow this blog, we are living in a fixer upper and have been for the past two and a half years.  Weekly, if not daily, we have sub-contractors over here working on projects.  Along with the workers, comes the dirt and dust and mess.  With all the nails and staples and plaster chips and who knows what else laying around, I know that living in this environment has really added to my stress.  I'm so happy that we are on the home stretch now and hope we don't take on another project this large again (not going to say "never" because then it's bound to happen).

10 years later, 31-years-old and 169 pounds...my heaviest.
I felt constantly exhausted and uncomfortable in my own skin

The past year and a half has been all about getting rid of the things that made me feel worse and adding in the things that help me feel better.  It's not just about diet and exercise, but even my schedule, relationships, work, free time, hobbies and other small things that felt like big things because of how they affected me so heavily.  I've come a long way and feel like a different person...a lot like the old "Emily".  Sure, I miss some foods and would sometimes love to slack off and just wing it, but I don't want to go back to where I was a year and a half ago.  I want to continue moving forward towards better health and feeling my best!

4 BURN VICTIMS AND THEIR SURVIVAL STORIES

As the holidays approach, I'm reminded once again of my mom's accident, how God saved her and how she has impacted so many lives through her non-profit, Burn Care International.  For over a decade, she has traveled all over the world and worked to improve the lives of burn victims through effective rehabilitation, helping over 10,000 victims!  This time of year marks a season of giving and I hope that you will take a moment to read these stories below and consider giving a tax-deductible donation to Burn Care International before the end of 2017.

A little patient name Emily, with her
pressure garment on.

Harold Torrez Araoz -   "The gas explosion happened when I was at work.  At first, I didn't feel any pain, but I felt so hot.  I pulled off my clothes and noticed that the burned skin had turned white.  My brother ran in to see what happened and ended up not really helping me because he went into shock.  I told him to call our parents and tell them what happened.  The Ambulance came to pick me up and took me to a hospital in Vinto, since I was working 15 kilometers outside of town.  They didn't know what to do with me there, so I was taken to another hospital.  I got there and waited and waited and no one attended me, so I finally went to a 3rd hospital, where I was finally seen.  The accident happened at 2:15 on a Wednesday afternoon and I didn't get taken care of at the hospital until 6pm that night.  (Click the link to read more of Harold's story.)

Maciel Fernandez Peredo - "I was burned three years ago, when I was 15 years old.  I was out of town with my family, celebrating Carnival.  We had a fire going and my mom took a bottle of alcohol and poured it onto the fire.  Instantly, the flames leapt towards me!  My arms were on fire and my mom ran at me to help me.  However, she ended up pouring more alcohol on me by accident and then my chest and face caught fire.  My father grabbed the alcohol bottle and threw it and then he pushed my mother away from me.  (Click the link to read more of Maciel's story.)

Alejandra Cruz Romero - Alejandra's story, told by her mother: "Six years ago, when Alejandra was three years old, she fell backwards into boiling water.  I took her immediately to Univalle Hospital and she stayed there for one week.  They didn't know how to care for her burns properly and she got worse and worse as time went on.  She developed an infection and her body kept swelling more and more.  By the time I took her out of that hospital her 2nd Degree burns had turned into 3rd Degree and her skin was coming off all over her back as if there was nothing holding it there.  (Click the link to read more of Alejandra's story.)

Javier

Javier Abel Espinoza - "Two years ago, when I was 32, I was burned in an electrical explosion.  My wife was 2 months pregnant and I took up a second job to make some extra money for us.  It was only the second night on the new job that I had the accident.  When the accident happened, I was sitting down on the floor, facing the piece of machinery.  The electrical currents were too strong and caused the explosion.  I guess from the surprise, I sucked in a breath, which caused me to also suck in the fire.  I passed out and came in and out of unconsciousness while I waited on the ambulance to take me to the hospital.  (Click the link to read more of Javier's story.)

As you can see, burns aren't just for a certain age, gender, race, etc.  Victims are men and women, young and old and all over the world.  Some are burned much worse than others, but every accident is terrible and traumatic.  Many victims are scarred for life in every way, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too.  It's so important for them to receive good care so that they can properly heal and get back to their life.

   By supporting BCI, you will be providing material, thread, zippers and foam for the Pressure Garments and Suits, silicon for the difficult scars, essential oils and creams for itching skin, salaries for Juana and Maria (the workers) and basic supplies for the Burn Clinic.  

     Please CLICK HERE to visit BCI's website to learn more about our important ministry.

-You can DONATE ONLINE by scrolling to the bottom of the website, click the "DONATE" button.  

-Or you can MAIL A CHECK to:
Burn Care International
419 Woodland Drive
Florence, SC 29501

  All donations are tax-deductible and will change a burn victim's life!