Love Finds A Way

I have so many thoughts spinning around in my head. Which should probably be a sign to me that I shouldn't write a blog post. I should probably wait until it is all neat and tidy and makes sense and would be an inspiring word for all ten of you who may read this. But, I'm throwing that idea out the window today. I need to get these words out.

As most of you may know, our family is in the adoption process. We have recently switched programs from Ethiopia to the China Waiting Child program. And my eyes are being pried right open to new needs in the world of international adoption.

(This is "Evan", He has a serious heart issue and needs a family. Would you please pray for this sweet boy? The Lord hears our prayers!)

I've been hearing and reading a lot lately on ethics in adoption. Lots of people are throwing up red flags and saying that maybe adoption isn't such a great thing. Especially international adoption. I hear things like this a lot..."Why would you choose to adopt internationally when there are so many children here that need homes?" I understand the sentiment behind this statement. I really do. There are many, many children here that need good, stable families. (And if you or someone you know has ever been interested in fostering or fostering to adopt, you should click here and gather information about it.) We have walked with some very good friends during their journey as foster parents. It is a hard work. But what I know about any sort of adoption/fostering is if The Lord is calling you to it, He will equip you for it. I know that's cliché. But it is the absolute truth. The only way I know to answer the questions as to where or why is that The Lord leads us exactly where we're supposed to go. Some might think that sounds crazy. But I think it has to do with a specific child, a specific child's needs, that can be met by a specific family.

But this is not a post about the differences in types of adoption. There are wonderful resources available for study on that topic. What this IS a post about is our calling as the Body of Christ to care for vulnerable children. Children here in our towns AND children there.

While I believe with all my heart that we need to push for more reform in the realm of international adoption, I absolutely do not believe, and you can never convince me otherwise, that seeking to adopt a vulnerable child is wrong. Or that we should wait until every single circumstance is in order before we proceed. Y'all. The reality is children die. Everyday. Because systems, people and families fail them. It takes on different skin here in the U.S. but it is true here as well.

I am one of the biggest advocates you could meet on keeping children with their birth families if at all possible. If there were a way to wipe out any and every case of poverty orphans then sign me up to advocate for that. It absolutely breaks my heart to know that some momma's have to abandon their babies because they couldn't feed another child. This is an injustice.

But you know what is also an injustice? Babies born with deformities who are discarded because they are seen as a curse to their families.

The reality of it is, sometimes children don't need to be with their birth families. They just don't. And I say that unapologetically. I am an adult adoptee.

Sometimes it's easy to talk about the theology of adoption ethics and forget that during all this talking and blog post writing that there are actually real children on the other side of those screens who are stuck. Children waiting for someone to take a chance on them, to step out in faith. I absolutely believe these conversations need to be had, don't get me wrong. I have grown so much because of them, but sometimes I just feel like it can be a distraction. Right this very minute, there is a little boy on the waiting child list in China who is listed as special needs. Do you know what his needs are? He was born premature and he has eczema. Also, he's a boy. This automatically qualifies him as special needs because so many families adopting internationally request girls. He's a real child. And he's a real orphan. There are so, so many children, in China in particular, who have special needs who need families to take a chance on them. Many born with cleft lip/palate and other correctable birth defects. Born beautiful. Their life matters. It matters to our Father who created each and every one of them (and each and every one of us) in His image. And if we are unified with God, through Jesus Christ, then those lives should matter to us as well. So should their birth parents lives. And your neighbors lives. And the children's lives in your own town who may live on "the other side of the tracks".

(This is "Jamie", she has albinism and is need of a family. Would you please pray for her?)

People talk a lot about the cost of adoption. It is true that adoptions (outside of foster care) do require large amounts of money. My guess is when people ask about the cost it is the money they are referring to. But sometimes I wonder, what's the real cost if we don't take up this fight? If we turn away from vulnerable children? I believe that cost is much higher.

(You know what else costs a lot of money? Tahoes. I see many of those.  I have nothing against Tahoes. We may need one one day to wag all our kids around! I just think sometimes maybe we need some perspective. )

My guess is that most of us see needs, but then get overwhelmed by the bigness of it all and lose hope that anything can make a difference. I get that. I've struggled with this too.

I believe in the goodness of people. I do. I believe that once we know something, it's hard to unknow it. It's just sometimes we can stay so distracted. A friend in Sierra Leone told my friend once, "the devil walks differently in America".....He keeps us busy. Slaves to our schedules and time. What we can produce. It's so hard for us (for me) to look up. To take notice. To really see. But when that happens....I can't unsee it. And this is why I'm here. This is why I can't stop telling people.

(This is baby "Luke" and he is in need of a sponsor to help cover the cost of his cleft repair that is scheduled for April. Click here for more information.)

I read this quote from Bob Goff recently, it says "I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I'm more afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter." I really don't want to succeed at things that aren't eternal.

Adoption is hard. It is messy. It isn't clean cut. It comes from brokenness, from heartache. Working with vulnerable children in any capacity is a tough work. It can be absolutely heart wrenching. But as a dear pastor once said ... "Sacrifice is the doorway to abundant Joy." In my personal experience, when you enter into the hurt, that is where you see the face of Jesus. Things never quite look like what we expect....when we open our hearts and lives to others in the hopes of offering refuge and healing to them....we find it is us that is offered grace. We find it is us who needed saving.

So this is my plea. This Valentine's Day.....a day when we celebrate love....I'm humbly asking anyone who reads this to consider a way you can be involved in the life of a vulnerable child if you're not already. I am including many links at the end of this post to explore any area that you feel lead to. It doesn't have to be adoption....though if it is something you've considered....I'd love to chat with you about that. There are hundreds of ways to act on behalf of a child. There are ways to help right where you are. I can promise you when you start praying and seeking The Lord's guidance....He absolutely will show you. Because he loves YOU and offers you the grace of joining in His work.

Consider sponsoring a child who needs surgery and extra healing through Love Without Boundaries
Watch this video clip of how you could get involved with this wonderful organization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3711ME5U0A

Any sort of child sponsorship program. We love the True Light Childcare Project that our dear friend runs. A donation of $30 a month helps cover a child's school fees and uniform costs in Ethiopia.
Also, The Raining Season, runs an orphanage in Sierra Leone called The Covering. They also offer a sponsorship program to help cover living costs for their children.

Become a CASA volunteer (court appointed special advocate) and help be a voice for a child who has been abused or neglected.

Sign up to help tutor at an after-school program. Here in Jackson there are two (that I know of!) great programs that are doing some amazing things. They are always needing volunteers!
The Roar Project is through RIFA
The Hub club is through ARM

Give financially to an organization like, Smile Train, that provides surgeries to cleft lip and palate babies and also trains doctors in how to perform these surgeries world wide.

Consider being a foster family.

Consider adoption. (This link is to our adoption agency, but there are many options.)

Consider helping a family overcome the financial hurdle to adopt. So many ways to do this.

If you're in Jackson, consider getting involved with BabyU. An early childhood education program and support group for new moms. BabyU is always in need of donations of diapers, wipes, etc.

Use your voice. Would you join me on Valentine's Day in praying for vulnerable children everywhere? Would you click this link , do a free registration and pull up actual children's photos who are waiting for a family and would you consider praying over them that day?
Or click here...These are photo listings of children in TN waiting for a family. Prayers are so powerful. And if nothing else, these children could use someone who prays over them.

If you've made it to the end of this, congratulations! I truly believe that love finds a way. Always. It always wins. I really want you to get front row seats to see that.

BBQ & Bowties to Help Stop Ebola

If you came to the Marketplace last fall, then you no doubt saw our manly mans booth, BBQ and Bowties. To read a little history behind the development of Dapper Dan (the renaissance man behind this business) you can read our feature on him and BBQ and Bowties last year.

But this year, I wanted to spend some time telling you a story about the families behind BBQ and Bowties and how they will be using 100% of their profits.

First, The BBQ and The Roberts Family. Meet Sam, Zach and Evan, who are the three boys of David and Angie.

David has been busy preparing all the sauces that will be for sale at the Marketplace.

Not only does he make the sauce, but he also learned a bit of graphic design...ya know...just for the labels. Dave is one of those guys that just figures out how to do things. They wanted a farm table for their dining room this year....Dave: "I think I can build us one?". Totally nailed it.

On a much more serious note, while David has been busy preparing sauces, Angie...his wife...has also been very busy. Keeping us all in the loop on what is happening in Sierra Leone with the Ebola crisis.

You see....they are connected to this very real virus, in a very real way.

 

 

 

This is Malikie, who just turned 5...big boy! And sweet baby Abigail. And they live in Sierra Leone in the capital city of Freetown. The Roberts family sponsors these two through an organization called The Raining Season and they love them as if they were their own.

 

Malikie and Abigail live in an orphanage in Freetown called The Covering. The Covering is currently on lock down due to the Ebola crisis. They have had to stockpile food and supplies for the next six months and have changed their staff rotation schedules to minimize traffic flow in and out of the orphanage. So this means a few things: 1. They had to (and still are) having to raise a significant amount of funds to stockpile supplies. 2. Regular skyping sessions with these sweeties had to be put on hold due to lack of staff. 3. Extraordinary strength and grit is being required of the staff in Sierra Leone working a month on at a time (away from their families), and of the team in Nashville (where TRS is headquartered) who are laboring endlessly to raise funds and awareness about the realities of this crisis.

 

You see, The Roberts are what TRS calls a "forever family" with these two. Not only do they get to send money to cover some of their basic needs, gifts to them on their birthdays, etc.... they also get to Skype with them once a week. Or they did.

 

 

Ebola is currently changing a lot of things. And Angie has made it her mission to use the voice God has given her to fight for those babies in any way she can. She and David both had birthdays a few weeks ago, she called me and said "I have a GREAT idea for my birthday! Everyone can give to TRS!". I love it. She unashamedly asked everyone to give her a birthday present and give to www.helpstopeblola.com . I love this so much. Because when you have children that feel like yours on the other side of the world....you will do whatever is within your power to make sure they are cared for. I get this.

 

 

TRS has already been called on to see how they can be of help to the hundreds of children orphaned by Ebola. Please join them in prayer.

 

So when you purchase your bottle of BBQ sauce and you grill up some chicken....brush that sauce on knowing that your money helped provide supplies for this. And as you see your bottle sitting in the fridge....stop and

 



 Oswald Chambers said, "Prayer is not preparation for the greater work, prayer is the greater work". Don't let us think for one minute ANYTHING is too big. What I know is that by praying fervently for something, God does an amazing thing. He molds MY heart and shows me very specific ways to care for the hurting.

 

Second, The Bowties and The Smith family. Meet Ronnie and Allie and their sweet girls, Parker, Chloe and Lilly.

 

So, funny story. Last year, David made most of the bowties. Then as the marketplace got closer, he commissioned Allie to help him finish. Allie is another one of those people that can just do things. And if she doesn't know how to do something, she just figures it out. Where do these people come from?! Anyway, this year David approached Allie and said that he would "sell" her the rights to the Bowtie side of BBQ and Bowties for a batch of Ronnie's homemade muffins. Seriously guys. Do I have the best friends or what? Ronnie has been secretly plotting for years to be Jackson's one and only Muffin Man. Banker by day.....Muffin Man by night.....adding to our waistlines one muffin top at a time. So, Allie agreed and she has spent her summer sewing up bowties.

And THESE are bow ties for little guys.....

 

Totally adorable right?!?!

 

Well, the Smith family is also connected to The Covering in Sierra Leone. They sponsor these sweet boys...

 

 

 

The top picture is of Alford. Parker, the Smith's oldest daughter, made a special connection with Alford on a trip to Sierra Leone last summer. And she asked her mom if SHE could sponsor him. Parker is 14. So she babysits weekly and uses that money to sponsor Alford.

 

Santigie is the beautiful boy in the next picture. He has stolen the Smiths heart and they also love him like he is their own. They sponsor him also through TRS.

 

So as one can imagine, the news of Ebola reaching Freetown, has had both of these families on their knees, praying for this virus to not come into The Covering. So far, there has not been any cases there. Praise the Lord!

 

The news of Ebola seems so overwhelming. Thousands of people have died, hundreds of children have lost parents. When I hear of these things, my stomach drops and my heart aches. And I can also feel paralyzed. It seems so helpless. But these families.....they have not been paralyzed. They have worked tirelessly to learn everything they can about Ebola, where it is, how it spreads and what is going on with the government in Sierra Leone. They have shared stories of pure, gut wrenching heart ache of momma's not being able to hold their sick babies, but also stories of extreme hope. Stories of people working around the clock, on the ground to help each other. A lot of times risking their lives. I heard a song lyric as I was driving just today that said...

 

"The darker the night, the brighter the light of Your everlasting love."

 

We hold to that truth.

 

So help these families join the fight. Come to their booth at the Marketplace this weekend. Buy some sauce or a Bowtie or just give. Every penny they raise will be going to a campaign started by TRS called Help Stop Ebola. Let us take up this burden with them and help fight for these sweet children, their staff and the beautiful people who are battling this awful virus Every. Single. Day.

 

 





Garner Blue

I am so excited to share with you about this next vendor! Lisa Garner, creative mind behind Garner Blue, is seriously one of the coolest people I know. I remember knowing of Lisa before I actually met her and I knew I wanted to be friends with her. She is so sincere, so thoughtful, and so creative. Anytime I chat with Lisa, I always leave the conversation feeling refreshed.

One of the things Lisa is passionate about is helping others find their creative niche. This is one of the things I absolutely love about her. Last year, I ran into her in the aisles of Goodwill and we stopped and chatted about this idea I had for the A New Thing marketplace. She may not even realize this, but that single conversation was just the encouragement I needed to take the next steps to make this dream a reality.

I sent a little questionnaire out to Lisa and I'm just going to post here what her responses were to those questions. Sort of like an interview! I feel these answers gives such a glimpse into her heart. So grab a cup of coffee or tea and read about this sweet friend who has a love of creative processes and people....

Can you tell me the story behind your business?

 "Well, ask any of my friends and they will tell you I’ve been making/sewing/creating so many things for awhile-- but I normally would try out a new skill and then get bored. Or like in the case of felt food-- go overboard and make an entire grocery bag’s worth of items and get burned out and be done with it. But, in the Summer of 2013 I found myself preparing for a CAMP weekend getaway, a collaborative effort with kindred Keely Beasley. Curating Artisans Method and Provisions (CAMP)—one element of the weekend is a series of Method Workshops and I was preparing to teach the basics of dying with indigo. The more I dyed in preparation for the weekend, the more fascinated I became with the simple beauty in the process of binding, dipping, dipping again (and again) and then the reveal of the final pattern. So, right before last Christmas season I thought it would be fun to dye a few scarves and offer them for people to purchase as Christmas gifts. But, I had to start right and that meant thinking through logo and all branding/packaging details. I loved that part! I also had to think about where I was sourcing my materials from, business basics and several other logistical things. After that first batch I just wanted to keep going with indigo. I think part of what keeps it interesting is that each dye vat and each pattern created is in some way a bit of a surprise. Also, at this point I’ve expanded to cloth napkins, wall hangings, a stuffed animal, pillows and even jewelry but the constant is the indigo."

Does your business support any initiatives/use any percentage of profits for anything? If so, please explain.

 "Honestly, the business primarily supports my desire to create, but throughout this process I’ve learned that one of the things I care a ton about is encouraging that same desire in others. So, I’ve connected with IOI and am working directly with a couple in Ethiopia that weave one type of my woven cotton scarves. I love knowing that when I buy these natural cotton scarves to dye here in Jackson, the money is going directly to them and that it helps to support their craft and their livelihood in Ethiopia."

 

 

Why are you passionate about your products/business?

 

"I’m passionate about it because it allows me to create-- everything from my logo and all branding to creating the pattern for my BlueBelly animals to textile design with the actual indigo dying. It’s all interesting to me-- it keeps me on my toes learning and making."

 



 What inspires you?

" I’m inspired when I see people around me thinking about making something and actually doing it. Practically, i’m inspired by patterns and textures in nature, and vintage textiles."

Tell me a bit about yourself (give me a bit of insight into your everyday life and your creative process):

"I have a full time job that I started back in the Spring at theCO (check into it if you haven’t already!) and I’m loving working to help stir a creative/tech/entrepreneurial culture here in West TN. So--lately a lot of brainpower has been spent on that. Most weekends are Garner Blue times-- split between dying, sewing, packaging and more. Everything is done out of our little brick house-- my husband Joe is amazingly supportive and offers a bunch of creative insight (he’s the one that thought of using old cassette tapes as a resist to create a unique pattern). And our little pup Lou often curls up at my feet while I sew away."

Will you be offering any specials or incentives during the marketplace?

"I’ll be debuting my Garner Blue earrings -- using dye fabrics and woods I’m actually still working through some of the designs, but I’m excited :)"

So listen. Believe me when I tell you that you do not want to miss meeting Lisa and seeing her amazing products! Make sure to check out her booth!

The Marketplace is only FOUR days away!!!

Fig Paper Company

I asked one of my closest friends, Angie, to write this blog about Fig Paper. I wanted to hear it from someone else's perspective. You see, Fig Paper is very dear to my heart. And it's a project I've been working on for awhile. But honestly, I have doubt as a constant companion. I want to walk confidently in this vision the Lord has given me, but I also sometimes feel like I'm just a dreamer and my head is up in the clouds. And I second guess everything. I asked Angie to write this because I couldn't form actual words to communicate what this is. I'm thankful for what she wrote. Sometimes you need the right word at the right time, even by her putting together this blog post....it has encouraged my heart to "Be strong and do the work."......

From Angie:
When I walked into the A New Thing Marketplace last year tears welled up in my eyes. “I can see it now,” I thought. I had heard about this vision for months and had watched Marcie labor through the brainstorming process, endless planning and crunch time-last minute tasks. It struck me that I was just now seeing what she had seen the entire time. I knew the Marketplace was going to be awesome, because Marcie only does things that are awesome. But, when I walked into the building and saw this gathering of people who had come to share their stories I was more than impressed, I was overwhelmed. Because it was clear to me in that moment this was not of her.

 

Turns out, the Marketplace was only the beginning....

As I wrote last year on this blog, Marcie hears from the Lord. And she listens. So, it’s really nothing unusual for Marcie to call up one day out of the blue and be like, “Hey, I was praying this morning and the Lord told me to start a non profit paper making business based in Ethiopia that will create a sustainable income for women there and will weave together a lasting bond of sisterhood between Ethiopian and American women as Gospel partners.” That is the newest vision the Lord has given Marcie, but it didn’t really come together like that. Not all of it in one moment. It was like this, “Hey, I think the Lord wants me to learn how to make paper.”

Not only does Marcie hear from the Lord and listen, but she also waits. If you only knew how much waiting the Lord has required of this woman. But she has been given a gift of great faith, so that when God tells her that she needs to learn to make paper, she takes that one instruction and follows it. And He leads her down an unbelievable road of answers revealed, until one day she can finally see it… Fig Paper Company.

 

Now she is able to look back at the path that brought her here and marvel at The Lord’s providence in orchestrating this plan of Fig Paper Company. In preparation for writing this story I asked Marcie to send me a bulleted list of the events she sees that led to the development of Fig. I can think of no better way for you to see how this process unfolded than to simply copy and paste her thoughts here because this is how the Lord speaks to us, through scripture we are soaking in, notes we scribble in journals, unlikely meetings, seemingly insignificant conversations, and (oh yeah) mission trips to Ethiopia: 

I have filled in a little to provide context, but here's Marcie's list:

2013:

• God kept this verse before me… 1 Thes. 4:11 "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you”
• Hosted a Spring sale at my house, which ended up leading to A New Thing Fall marketplace

2014:

• trip to Ethiopia with Indigenous Outreach International
• made connection with caregivers there, specifically the mom of the boy we sponsor through Indeginous Outreach Interntational’s TLC program
• flying home from Ethiopia, began dreaming of a way to connect women
• kept feeling the weight of the Mother Theresa quote "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other”
• Commit to pray about whatever the Lord is stirring within
• March 26 journal entry "research making homemade paper" 
• March 30: The Lord gives me this verse: 1 Chron. 28:9-10 "Be strong and do the work" 
• Go to Thistle Farms and hear about social enterprise
• Begin really dreaming about what could happen if we could connect to each other through a shared trade. Wrote this in April: "Women/Mommas/Life givers who advocate for each other....one collective voice...when our sisters suffer, we suffer. When they rejoice we rejoice. Let's empower women to care for their children, to lay down their lives/open their hearts to the full potential of their created beings!”
• 4-15-14: I made a list of people I needed to meet with
• Design/start up: Talked with Courtney (who is now helping Marcie with design and paper making with Fig). She randomly sits next to me at a dinner we attended together. I ask her if she knows how to make paper. She says no. The next week her teacher told her "Courtney, I really think you need to learn how to make paper. I know a woman in Nashville who teaches workshops." Courtney let me know.
• All we know is we are learning to make paper. Our dream is to be able to take this craft to women associated with the TLC program in Ethiopia. We have made many plans, but it is the Lord who is directing us
• Side note: I used to own a stationery business, somehow I think that could have been the groundwork for this....maybe I've been preparing for years for this and I didn't even know?

Can I just say - I love the “side note." It’s just a little afterthought - "Oh yeah, and I used to own a stationery business." La de da... 

Here’s the official purpose of Fig Paper Company, as stated in their business plan…

We are a developing social enterprise that seeks to connect women through shared trade to mutually benefit the communities in which they live. Our goal is to help provide a sustainable income by working to develop consumer products that can be sold to a global market. This social enterprise exists to connect women around the world, women who advocate for each other, who can share in the joys and hardships of life. We seek to provide jobs, dignity and purpose. As they work with their hands to make paper, package products, ship packages, or take orders they are giving to their communities and providing encouragement to each other.

 

These are pictures of Marcie and Courtney making the first pieces of Fig Paper. Imagine if these images captured Ethiopian women, strong and doing the work. 

 

This is where it all comes together. This year a portion of the proceeds from each vendor's booth, the Marketplace ticket sales, and profits from the Fig Paper Company booth will all go to support this newly developing social enterprise! I know you want to be a part of this, quite literally from the ground up. Courtney and Marcie (and sometimes her little five year old boy!) are busy as bees making paper to sell at the Marketplace. It's beautiful paper. 

 

And it's beautiful because of the hands that craft it and the God who set those hands in motion for this work.

That's the beauty of the A New Thing Marketplace, too. Every piece of merchandise sold represents a person and the beauty of his/her story. The dollars (YOUR dollars!) that purchase these goods will go on and on to bring new life where it is needed most. Fig Paper Company is a perfect representation of the heartbeat of the Marketplace. All things new. Taking what was or might be wasted or discarded, raising its value, making a new creation. The Gospel story told by a simple piece of paper.
 

 

   

 

Kinship

I want to share with you about a collection of vendors who will be represented at the Marketplace who have seemed to grasp the idea that we each belong to one another.

The idea that "There is no us/them. There are humans fighting for each other, humans more aware of each other, humans believing God wasn't playing games when he called us His family, effectively binding us together despite the barriers that always made us think we were meant to stay apart." (Father Greg Boyle)

Imagine for a moment what it might be like to be a stranger. To be in a place where you don't know anyone. Don't know how to communicate with anyone. Don't know how to get around anywhere. To be totally misplaced.

According to Jonathan Sacks, chief rabbi of Great Britain, "the Hebrew Bible in one verse commands, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' but in no fewer than 36 places commands us to 'love the stranger'."

In Barbara Brown Taylor's book, An Altar in the World, she asks the question "why?". "Why should we love the stranger"..... "Because we have been strangers ourselves, the Bible says. Because if we have never been strangers, then that is because we have never left home......You shall love the stranger first of all because you know what it is to be a stranger yourself. Second of all, you shall love the stranger because the stranger shows you God."

We are so thankful that there are ministries like Ekata Designs who take the calling to love the stranger very seriously.

Ekata is on the ground in Memphis, TN working diligently to teach refugee women how to make beautiful jewelry, a small step to helping them become independent in their new life.

This is an excerpt from their website:

"Ekata Designs currently works with Refugees from Bhutan.  These women are ethnically Nepali, but for the past few generations they have lived in southern Bhutan.  In the 1980s and 90s the Bhutanese government began to discriminate and threaten these southern Bhutanese.  Fearing for their lives many fled to refugee camps in Nepal. After spending up to 20 years in these camps without being accepted into Nepal and unable to return to Bhutan, many families were relocated to the United States with hope for a new life.  Yet life in America is not without challenges.  Overcoming trauma from the past, learning a new language and culture, finding a job and becoming self-sufficient is a difficult process.

The Bible says that God defends the cause of the fatherless, widows and strangers in the land.  As followers of God, we are instructed to love the strangers living among us and to fear the Lord (Deut 10:18).  Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a refugee from Somalia, once said: “There are times when silence becomes an accomplice to injustice.” Ekata Designs was started to break the silence surrounding the plight of refugees and empower them to succeed in their new life.  We are privileged to work with several strong, beautiful, and talented refugee women in Memphis, TN teaching them to make and sell high quality jewelry. This is a small step in helping them become self-supported."

 





Aren't these jewelry designs beautiful!!! I have only seen them online, I can not wait to see them in person! And you should totally click here and see the beautiful faces and read the stories of the women who handcrafted these pieces. And I can't help but wonder if the women behind Ekata, the founders and the artisans, have somehow both learned a little something about strangers becoming friends, learning of their Kinship. How taking the time to be with one another regardless of background or even the ability to speak the same language has allowed them to witness in each other Jesus on earth. I am so excited that these women will be selling their wares at the Marketplace this year.

The next vendor I want to tell you about has learned that she has sisters on the other side of the globe. Her name is Tara and her motto is "Do for one what you wish you could do for all" (Andy Stanley). Tara founded No.41. No.41 uses fashion to provide sustainable employment and empower vulnerable women in Rwanda to create change for themselves and their community.

 

 

From their website: "No.41 started on a whim and a prayer in March 2012, with the intent of teaching young women from the Noel Orphanage in Gisenyi, Rwanda (ages 18-25) not only to sew, a culturally relevant trade that would always sustain them, but to give back to their community through a feeding program supporting local schools.

The first No.41 bag was sold in May 2012 and today we employ 20 women from the orphanage, as well as 10 from the surrounding village. We have 8 mamas better caring for their 12 children and 19 of our young women are now enrolled in university. In February 2013, No.41 opened our first feeding program, providing a hot, healthy lunch to 900+ students and teachers, daily.

No.41 is about empowering young women. Our goal is not to give them the world, but to show them that God has already given them everything they need to go out there and take it. When you join with us, you are truly changing the world FOR ONE"

 

Do you see the picture of those cute bags up there? The purchase of one of those bags provides not only sustainable income to the woman who crafted it, but it also provides 240 meals to a secondary student in Rwanda.

For $75 you get an adorable tote bag AND you provide:

FOR ONE CHILD, FOR ONE MEAL, FOR ONE YEAR

 

 

 

Maybe every lady on your Christmas list would want one?

 

And also check out these adorable aprons....



The purchase of one of these kitchen essentials will provide 68 lunches to one child! Talk about gifts that give! Every time you cook you can think about a child who is offered a free lunch because of your purchase. That is how you begin to change the world FOR ONE.

This ministry is doing amazing things. Not only are they providing the sustainable income to their employees, but it is the employees who have started the food program in their community. Sisters helping sisters helping sisters. I love it.

If you haven't heard of our next vendor then you are in for a treat! Noonday collection works with artisans all over the world... working to help provide sustainable income to it's artisans...helping to make all of us a little cuter....and also helps to raise funds for adoptive families. So many things.

Noonday is sold through a network of folks called Ambassadors. We had the fabulous, Rebecca Daniels, represent Noonday last year. You can read our write up here. This year, Alecia West, who is our very own noonday representative right here in Jackson, TN will be at the Marketplace to share all about how Noonday is using fashion and design to help brothers and sisters in other parts of our world gain sustainable employment.

 

And do you know how Noonday was founded?! Jessica Honegger, founder, had a home show to sell items she had found on a recent trip to Rwanda. Her family was in the adoption process to bring home a child from Rwanda and she thought this would be a great way to raise some funds. The rest is history!

 

A small glimpse into how these products are made:

 

 

 

Y'all. I love Noonday. A Lot. Their products are so unique and so beautiful. True story....I never really wore jewelry at all until I started buying Noonday products. Now...look at me!

 

Big earrings and all! All of that is Noonday. And hey.....I loaned out that adorable belt up there....so you know who you are....I need that back!

In all seriousness, I feel like we have been given the unique gift of affluence here in the west. We can use our money, our influence and our abilities to join arms with our Family here and across the globe.  I want to be a person that turns away from valuing things and seeks ways to value people. In my personal life, over the past two years, I have learned so much about how we don't make decisions in a vacuum. The way I choose to spend my time, my money and my voice can have negative or positive effects. All of those things were never really mine to begin with. I am FAR from perfect but I long to embrace my kinship with humanity. Will you choose to join me?

Let's Talk Food

We desire for the Marketplace to be not just a place where you can purchase one of a kind items, but also an experience.

We want you to grab your girlfriends, or a date, or your neighbor and come downtown to shop, sip on some coffee and spend some time sharing a meal together and chatting about life.

We are so excited that the folks from ComeUnity Café will be providing their yummy menu for our shoppers.

Have you heard about ComeUnity Café and their vision? Their tagline is: to LOVE, to FEED, to DIGNIFY. From their website:

"We exist to build community by providing nutritious and delicious food made with as much organically, locally and sustainable grown ingredients as possible to all people of Jackson regardless of their ability to pay."

 

ComeUnity café is one of my favorites. Not only is their food ALWAYS delicious, but the atmosphere promotes true community and abundant joy! It's a great lunch spot in Jackson, and I feel so thankful for Amy and her vision to make this dream a reality. We are so excited they will be a part of the Marketplace this year!

Also at the Marketplace this year you'll have the opportunity to buy raw, fresh pressed juice from the sweet people of Pour Me Some Juice!

 

 

Tiffany, mastermind behind Pour Me Some Juice, happens to also be a dear friend of mine and my neighbor! In 2012, Tiffany and her husband, Lowe, were pursuing the adoption of a sweet little boy from South Korea. During that time, Tiffany had an idea to juice for a few people as a way to raise money for their adoption. A few people, turned into a few more people and Tiffany realized that there was a real demand for raw juice that possessed so many health benefits. Not to mention her juice is amazing!!! Seriously. I had no idea raw kale could EVER taste good. But Tiffany's juice is SO good! And since this started as a way to help bring their sweet Paul home, they want to use this business to help bring more children home to their forever families. Ten percent of all of PMSJ's profits go to orphan care. Our family happened to be a recipient of a some of those profits and we are so grateful! 

 

 

This family is such a blessing and we are so thankful for their hearts that are poured out over everything they do. Recently they opened their juice and smoothie bar in downtown Jackson inside the Lift center. If you are in the area, you should totally check them out. My personal favorite is the Almond Joy Smoothie.....it's like dessert. But healthy. So that's a total win.

 

And last, but certainly not least, we will be offering delicious Ethiopian coffee by the cup from our friends at Indigenous Outreach International.  Click here  to read our post from last year about this ministry that is very close to my heart. They will also have a booth...you'll hear more about that later!

 

The profits from every cup of coffee that is bought and enjoyed at the Marketplace will go to support what this ministry does. I got to travel with IOI in January of this year to see first hand the work that is being done in Ethiopia. I wrote about my experience here. A part of my heart is in Ethiopia, so I'm asking you to buy as many cups of coffee as you can possibly drink :)

 

So grab a car full of friends and come out to eat, shop and enjoy one another! Come hear about the amazing things the Lord is doing in our city and around our world and take some time out to just be with one another. We want you to leave the Marketplace with a few things checked off your shopping list, a belly full and a heart fully refreshed.