Gifting with a Purpose

Do you have trouble giving gifts to a person who has it all?! I know I do sometimes! I want to show that I care and love someone by giving them a gift on Christmas, but not sure what to give. I love this new concept of gifting with a purpose! What does this mean? When you purchase an Umweo bag (see story below), not only will you receive a bag that is hand made with material from Zambia, Africa, but ALL proceeds are sent to a mal-nutrition clinic in Zambia. It's a win, win! I personally love my Umweo bag when I travel. 

Please read my friend's blog post below about her story of how Umweo bags came about and how YOU can help. 

Umweo Bags is a non-profit organization (pulling together the final paperwork for being incorporated as a 501(c)3 as you read) that was started in 2010 by Ana Rich. While on a mission trip in Zambia, with her church - the Vineyard Church of New Orleans. Ana had the opportunity to visit a malnutrition clinic in the town of Kitwe. This clinic is a place where children in the community who are malnourished are brought, most often by their parents, to be given a chance at surviving in life. While at the clinic, children are cared for by nurses who do all that they can to provide care, nutrition, vitamins and food to these children; to nurse them back to health so that they may return home to their families, healthy. At the time that Ana was visiting the clinic, there were close to 15 children being cared for and nursed back to health.

Upon returning to New Orleans from her trip to Zambia, Africa, Ana had an overwhelming desire to help, to work to figure out how she could play a part in helping these children survive. While in Zambia, Ana had the opportunity to go to market one day. While there she purchased a handmade bag from one of the local merchants. It was this bag that enlarged Ana’s imagination as she considered ways that she could help those children who are clinging to life over 9000 miles away.

After weeks of thinking and praying, Ana pulled out her old sewing machine, though she had only minor sewing skills, and began to play around with fabric and designs to try and replicate the bag that she had purchased at market. Within a few days, Ana had finally landed on her own unique pattern for the purses. And thus Umweo Bags was born.

Umweo Bags are all made out of fabrics full of vibrant colors that in some way reflect the culture of Zambia. Bags are sold for $30 and every penny that is profit is now sent to the malnutrition clinic in Kitwe and is used to purchase the necessary food and vitamin supplements for the children. Over the last year and a half, Ana has empowered a number of other women in the community to also make bags and today, every Umweo Bag is handmade by Ana and 5 of her friends.

To date, Umweo Bags has sent $2,675 to the malnutrition clinic which in turn has allowed the clinic to purchase food. The clinic usually only has enough funding to purchase formula. However, children over 8 months old are in need of solid foods in order to get the nutrients they need to regain their health. The money that Umweo Bags sends to the clinic enables the clinic to purchase the necessary solids, such as, fruits, mealie meal, ground nuts for protein and more.


Here are some other sobering numbers:
· People travel anywhere from 10 miles to 150 miles in order to find help at the clinic
· Children stay anywhere from 7 days to 30 days at the clinic
· There is a dietician and 3 nurses that work at the clinic
· The clinic has anywhere from 12 children to 32 a time
· There are only 25 beds at the clinic


Since Umweo Bags partnered with the clinic in 2010, over 95 children have been nursed back to health and have returned to their homes nourished and healthy.

It is our heart at Umweo Bags to continue to provide as much as we can financially to this clinic to provide these children with the food and vitamins they need to survive - to provide life.

Here’s how you can help:
1. Like Umweo Bags Facebook page, click HERE
2. Share Umweo Bags page on Facebook, click HERE
3. Follow Umweo Bags on Twitter @umweobags

In addition to this, you may always purchase an Umweo Bag at www.umweobags.bigcartel.com or donate directly to Umweo Bags at www.umweobags.com
In an effort to raise awareness, friends of Umweo Bags will donate over $600 to this amazing cause if Umweo Bags receives over 250 likes on their Facebook page, along with receiving at least 60 shares on FB and 20 new followers on Twitter by December 25.  


Friends, thank you for your time and help,
Miche

Soaking it in...

As I sit here trying to find words to summarize my 2 week experience in Zambia, I'm speechless. It's very hard to put into words what an experience this was. You can find many details of the trip here.

This trip has really made, to me, a reality of how BIG the world is that we live in. This was the first time that I traveled across an ocean. I have been outside the country before, but only to different parts of Mexico. I really tried to soak in the culture as much as I could - I enjoyed the scenery for every long bus ride. Each time we passed a woman balancing goods on her head while having a child strapped to her back, I just stared in amazement. How do they do that? Seriously. THAT takes some skill. Skill that I'm pretty sure I do not have. Anyway, I also realized that being 9,000 miles away in a different continent/country/culture/language, people are all the same. We all have the same desires despite our circumstances and living conditions. I felt the same joy the children had. I felt the same hope that the sick had. I felt the same sorrow that a village had after losing a young man. I felt the same satisfaction from clean water. I felt the same encouragement a word from God gives. I felt the same love for a God who cares about people. It's incredibly hard to describe the feeling you get when you worship the same God with another culture. How awesome is that?! What a reminder of how big and great our God is! Check this out:



I learned some personal things during the 2 weeks, that I hope to make changes in my life. This trip has renewed my love for missions - unfortunately over the past few years, I began to loose my passion and selflessness.

I'm still soaking it all in...

Learning how to love one another all the same,
-Miche

Zambia Blog Spot

I am now less than 24 hours until departure! Nervousness has definitely set in. I will not be blogging on my site until I get back; however, you keep up with the teams trip through the Team's Zambia website here: www.renewzambia.blogspot.com

I will actually be the one updating the site, and I'm very excited about it!

Here's a few facts about Zambia:

There are about 11.5 million people that call Zambia home.

It is one of the world's poorest nations, but is rich in culture, traditions, crafts, and stories.

Victoria Falls (one of the 7 natural Wonders of the World) is located in Southern Zambia.

Life expectancy is 38 years - due to no access to clean water, hunger, Malaria, and AIDS.

Doctors in Zambia is 14,000 patients to 1 doctor, compared to 600 patients to 1 doctor in Europe and North America.

85% of Zambians are Christians - main branches being Catholic and Protestant.

Zambians are football (soccer) crazy! :)

Zambians, just like me and you, like movies, TV, radio, (these are more common in urban areas) and socializing in restaurants and family homes.

West Bank = Zambia?!?

During my preparations for Zambia, I have already learned something that I can take with me and apply it to my life now. Crazy to think that God would call me to go to Zambia, and before I even go there, He has already taught me something that I can use right here in New Orleans. Amazing.

This story begins 3 years ago. I was a recent graduate searching for THE career job. Unfortunately budget cuts were beginning - not as extreme as the current situation - so not many colleges were hiring. I was going to be married in a few months, and we had agreed upon moving to the New Orleans area. This decision was mainly based because of job opportunities. But deep down at this time, I really didn't want to move to New Orleans. Where I grew up (about 1 hour south west of New Orleans), all I knew of New Orleans was that it was a dirty place full of crime. This is all I heard on the news - nothing but negative. Yes, I did visit New Orleans every now and then with friends or family to either shop or to do touristy type stuff, but even through some of the fun stuff I would see the negative - homeless people, smells, dirty streets, etc. So I developed this negative judgment on the entire city. I'm very happy to say that after moving here, this judgment has begun to fade away. I now am beginning to see the beauty of this city, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

I applied for a teaching position at Delgado Community College. I had no idea that Delgado had 3 different campuses (actually more now). I thought I was applying for a City Park Campus position, when low and behold it was actually a West Bank position. Now this bayou girl, had only been to the West Bank once in her life - to go camping at Bayou Signet as a teenager. I had no idea what the West Bank was. Again, assumptions and judgments were told to me (before I even knew I got the job!), but this time, I decided to ignore them all and experience it for myself. I received a full time teaching position and was VERY excited about starting my dream career job. As Fall '08 quickly approached, I had set exceptions as a college teacher. I thought all my students would be so motivated to learn. After all, they are paying to learn and wanting to be here since they chose to come to college. Boy, did I have a wake up call. Was that the case? No. Or at least not for ALL of my students. I remember feeling a "culture shock." I knew this was different from what I experienced as a college and grad student. Whatever I was feeling I didn't let it get in my way of beginning my journey of being that teacher who cares about my students (or at least trying to be). Remember that teacher that had an impact on your life? That's my inspiration. Not much of this was accomplished my first semester, or first year for that matter. But I knew God was beginning to work in my heart and softened it for these students.

During these past three years, I've been slowly starting to let these expectations and assumptions of students (that I don't even know!) fade. Just like the judgments I had on the city. I've started to slowly let myself learn the culture of the area that I am teaching in, and the culture of my students. You see, in these past 3 years, I've had the opportunity to listen to a few of my students current story. And it's amazing. It's amazing that they are in school trying to receive an education, in order to provide more for their family despite all these obstacles in their life. To think about how much I tortured this one student about being late every now and then, only to find out that this student WALKED to school everyday (you know like the stories that your grandparents would tell?) - and THIS particular day it was raining. Sitting in my class, wet, and I complained that he was 10 min late? Now, I'm not saying that I let my students off the hook because of their current situations - I do hold them responsible for their work like every one else - but my heart was not in the right place. Am I being that teacher who inspires and cares?!

All this to say, as I am currently learning to not make assumptions of Zambia (a place I've never visited), and to be open and learn their culture so that we can meet their needs. - I realized, I should have done this all along with New Orleans. Yes, I did somewhat start this process slowly without realizing it.

But now I get it.
Now I can be more conscious of it.
Now I can make more of a point of understanding where my students are coming from in order to meet their needs.

How can one do all of this through teaching math? - By showing them love. By giving them encouragement. By showing them to have confidence in themselves.

So now I challenge you. Do you have assumptions made of a particular area or a person? I challenge you to learn their story or culture and see life through their eyes. - Not for you to change your own culture or feel sorry for someone, but to understand one another and maybe have the opportunity to share a little love.

Zambia is 10 days away for me. No telling what God has left to teach this little hard headed bayou girl, but I can tell you that I'm trying to be open to it.

-Miche