Yami Cuffs

LoPa has Yami Cuffs remaining in inventory.  If you are interested in purchasing a Yami Cuff, like those pictured below and being given away by Team Alexander, email LoPa here.  The cost of the Yami Cuffs are $35.

If you are interested in a Korah t-shirt, email LoPa here indicating size and color.  The choices are black and charcoal grey.  Each have the same design, and the back reads, "I was hungry and you gave me food.  I was thirsty and you gave me drink...What you did to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me."  The cost of the Korah shirts are:  short sleeved- $25 and long sleeved- $30.  

LoPa gifts all proceeds to the care of the least of these at Korah, a community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia built on a dump.  You can watch a video of Korah here.  This is a picture of Korah:

  

On a Hope and a Dream

     My friend, Emily, didn't always dream of being a mom to 6 children.  Undoubtedly, she didn't know she would parent one with special needs or how those "special needs" would become special gifts that teach and reveal to her more of our LORD.  She didn't always aspire to relieve poverty in remote areas of the world.  However, God used the adoption of their 2 youngest sons as a springboard to bring her, and her family, a new hope and dream...  their roles in bringing HIS hope to a dying world.

     Emily and her family now campaign for funds to bring HOPE to Dube Bute, where her son Eaysu first lived.  You can read more about it here.  Team Alexander, as they call themselves, is holding a drawing with tons of free give-aways next week over here.  LoPa has donated this Leather Flower Cuff:

And this t-shirt:

By re-posting, twittering, or facebooking about their fundraising and drawing (let them know), you, too, will be entered to win these and other amazing FREE products.  To top it off, Team Alexander is offering you an opportunity to join in an event that will make a life-long, life-changing, re-writing the futures of young and old, gospel-sharing impact on the least of these in HIS name.  You can't beat that!  Seriously, check it out.  Let's make a change through a hope and dream He's given.

Change, Not for the Weak of Heart. Change, Good for the Soul.

Our family has seen its fair share of change this year.  Some good.  Some hard.  All in all, it has be a year of transformation. 

God blessed us with our fourth child this year.  Our son’s presence brought along an awareness of God’s call to take up the Gospel of Jesus to the world around us and in a new, profound manner, to crusade for Him and submit ourselves, our family, and our resources daily to His desires.   In turn, we fell in LOVE with Ethiopia, her people, and her culture in spite of her poverty.  Her hope gives us hope.  Thus, we’ve focused most of our giving (not just monetary), outside of the church, toward Ethiopia- impacting the poor, the broken, and the spiritually needy. 

Loss has also revamped our family.  After 36 years of knowing a safe, steady, untied family, my father’s presence disappeared.  Not to death.  Not to disease.  To divorce.  To isolation and abandonment.  The woman, my mother, who used to be my stability, seeks security from us.  Our family is flexing, changing, giving, and learning what it mean to surrender hopes, dreams, and even our history, to the foot of the throne.

Trans-cultural families stand out in the South, in deep East Texas.  Transforming our family tree solicited transmogrification.  Boom, normal to weird.  As easy as that.  As though a spell was cast and the once white, typical-suburbia family shifted to “those people we just never really knew.”  This is a cost we are glad to pay.  We’ve become comfortable with staring and questions.  We relish the difference because in it is the obedience that brings joy we could never have imagined.

We’ve learned a family of six doesn’t grace other families with “drop in” company often.   Six is difficult to accommodate with out planning.  Six can seem like sixteen.  Six can make you sick of cooking, cleaning, laundry, and dishes.  Six seems satisfactory, but eight sound exceptional! 

Change.  We’re ready for the next round.  Change!

Burdens

Climbing Entoto Mountain we saw this:

Elderly women collecting fallen Eucalyptus leaves from day break to day end, only stopping to carry their large loads down the side of a mountain on their contorted backs in hopes of collecting 3-5 Birr, the equivalent to $0.25/load.  Their lives are a meager existence.  But their joy is not lacking.

At the top of the mountain and on the front side, this was a common scene:

Children and adults without shoes, shoes so small their toes bleed and curl, with only one shoe they were fortunate enough to find on the side of the road, shoes breaking apart and held together by a string, are common place.  

We knew to expect this.  That's why we were prepared to deliver the 30 pair of Crocs we purchased in the states:

What we didn't know was God had a better plan.  A plan that involved the Spirit inclining our ears to hear, our hearts to listen, and our hands to obey.

These women, carrying their load of fallen wood, crossed our paths:  

We stopped together to share bread when they asked if we would like to try to carry their loads, their burdens.  The 140+ lb. weight, which explained why many are crippled in their later life,  deterred us from taking more that 10 steps as the twigs from the wood dug into our backs.

Realizing the true weight of these women's burdens was from the Lord.  He quickly paralleled in my heart the burden of hurt I try to carry for Ethiopia, her needs, and my inability to shoulder it on my own.  

With my head hung down to hide my tears, I noticed the feet of these women...bleeding from shoes too small and with a shoes filleted at the toes to accommodate growth...I felt the Spirit direct me to remove both my shoes and the shoes of the woman next to me, to clean her feet, and place my shoes on her feet.  I didn't take notice of the 2 men watching us from a far (in a picture above).  Shortly after, these men and many others began to follow us, talking loudly and gathering others.  A bit worried, but absorbed more in what had passed, our friends soon told us what the crowd was saying, "Their are billionaires in Ethiopia, who have never done this.  Surely the Lord reigns and Jesus lives if He has sent these women to serve and sacrifice for us."  My heart was wrenched, but thrilled.  1.) Because the Spirit directed my steps.  2.) Because we could NEVER have scripted affecting those around us in this manner for HIM. 3.) Because the testimony left behind was of HIM, not us!  We walked down the mountain barefoot but rejoicing because He brought glory to himself in the midst of me.

On my first trip to Ethiopia, I left carrying a mighty burden.  A burden that almost strangled me in my sleep, in my dreams, in my daily life, as I cooked, as I shopped, as I lived.  God knew the burden I was trying to carry was too heavy to assume on my own.  He had never intended this.  He used this trip to rivet me to my soul and teach me that He alone can bear the oppressions of the world; but His plan for me, for believers, does involve sharing in the burdens of those hurting, in need, starving, and dying.

LoPa LLC.'s Premier

As three moms, who fell in love with Ethiopia, we were compelled to find a way to empower the giftedness of the Ethiopian people.  While in country, each of us understood the artisans we met had true gifting; but we also realized they lacked an audience for their products.  Thus, after thought, prayer, and dreaming, the inception of LoPa occurred.  LoPa has been kept under wraps for about 7 months as we've worked out details.  Finally, after our return trip to Ethiopia to network and purchase for the local artisans, our micro-enterprise business is preparing for the first show.

The idea behind LoPa is to network with gifted artisans and artists, who lack a rostrum, purchase their products to sell in the USA, and then donate the proceeds to humanitarian relief in Ethiopia to create life change for the country we love.  LoPa sells stand alone product and art, which don't require the story of the artisan for promotion...their story is the bonus.  Each artisan we promote is Ethiopian, gifted in their venue, and committed to quality products.  None of LoPa's product are from a factory.  Each product boasts the handiwork of the locals.

Upon our last trip, LoPa was able to select our humanitarian relief organization, which was more difficult than one might realize.  Two of us visited Korah with group.  Korah is the city dump, which has been forged into a community of 75,000 people for the poorest of the poor.  It is said that Korah is the most densely populated Kebeles (neighborhoods) for prostitution (mostly children), brothels, and "bars".  Korah draws from the lepers, those infected with HIV and living with full-blown AIDS (most without meds), child prostitutes, orphans, the starving and dying elderly beggars, and families, who know nothing else and struggle through starvation each and every day.

The smell of Korah proclaims to visitors you have arrived.  Smoldering trash mountains loom in the horizon.  Trash rivers stand between the homes and the working part of the dump.  Birds of prey constantly circle above searching for dying flesh that is too common at Korah.  Each night the people of Korah must stand watch for the hyenas that feed from the dump and the parishioners of Korah.  The scenes from Slum Dog Millionaire come close to expressing the sentiments of Korah- but only close.  The hopelessness of seeing a mother feed the baby strapped to her back from the putrescent food she finds foraging through trash juxtaposes the smile and kindness she offers as she engages you.  There are no words to explain the sentiments of the heart or the impact of visiting Korah.  I cannot imagine the impact of living in Korah.

Thus, LoPa has decided to couple our efforts with two NGOs on the ground in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who are introducing a long-term feeding program and scholarship program in Korah.  LoPa will donate the proceeds directly to Korah's relief.  Come help us help those desperate, but hopeful for change, at Korah by attending the first LoPa show on December 8th and 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Paula Brookshire will host the show at 5925 Brixworth Drive in Tyler, TX.  She can be reached at 903-372-9866.  You can also check out our merchandise on our facebook page:  LoPa Art.

Busy with Business

Yesterday, we visited the Artisan Bazaar/Market, which was scheduled for the following weekend and one of the primary reasons for our travel.  This is the best place for us to network with local artisans.  I am so grateful for God’s provision in placing the correct vendors in our paths and coordinating our times.  We were able to network and establish the relationships needed with a variety of local artisans.  The Ethiopian artisans are very gifted.  One artist in particular, Yami, has extraordinary handmade leather products.  Unmatched to say the least.

Today, we visited a Rasta Free Art Village.  The art was interesting.  The people were more interesting.  Kind.  Gentle. Soft spoken.  The majority of the sculptures boast up-cycled items.  Literally, the artists collect trash and construct sculptures from toilets to trains and on to animals.  It is very eclectic.  The Rasta artists are peaceful community, and they nurture their land.  In the midst of the busy, bustling Addis, the Rasta Free Art Village is an oasis.  Two of the artists, who paint in the village, produced paintings worth the flight to Ethiopia.

Next, we met with Aklilu, one of our favored artists.  His paintings bedeck my kitchen and family room.  His colors and shapes captivate the eye.  This young man’s working conditions are nicer than many, but Americans would be offended if asked to work in his studio.  But Aklilu.  Ahhh.  What creative genius.  We accrued many pieces from Aklilu.  You won’t want to miss these pieces.

After visiting a gamut of artists, our day’s highlight was visiting our friend/brother/driver’s home.  Modest, but appreciated, Solomon rents a two room space.  His bedroom and sitting boost his confidence in hosting us.  He is most proud of his outdoor cooking space and private toilet.  Being allowed into Soli’s home felt like an initiation of sorts and left me feeling more connected to him than ever.  The car ride back to BeJoe hosted my first real cry in Ethiopia this trip (first of many, I am sure).  Rectifying my love for Ethiopia, its people, my son’s culture, my habesha family, the joy it holds, and my love for my family and friends in the states is impossible.  In the meantime, I am trying to simply embrace each moment of each day.  

Bet Negn

The flight to Addis felt shorter than before.  Maybe it was my preoccupation with a darling 14 month old.  Maybe it was because I knew my Habesha Betasub (Ethiopian Family) waited in anticipation to embrace after a six month interlude. Whatever the case, Genet, Marta, Aster, Blein, Mimi, and, of course, our darling Solomon welcomed us at the airport with open arms.  Post arrival and Visas, we could see our betasub past baggage claims, through Customs, and behind the gates.  We could NOT get to them quickly enough.  Customs did not appreciate our expectancy to reach our friends. With an extra tip, the bag porter proved persuadable to push our bags to the front of the line; and before we knew it, we were united.  I cannot express how full and complete my heart felt finally, minus Josh, Hunter, and Tiger.

On our first trip to Addis, the unfamiliar smells and sounds shook my base.  Everything seemed unfamiliar.  The smokey haze of Addis welcomed us with familiarity this time around.  Every site, every road marker, every acquaintance added another level of comfort.  And then, BeJoe, the guesthouse where we stay…ahhh, BeJoe.  Three dozen roses from Solomon added a bit of glitz to our lovely rooms.  The BeJoe girls stayed and visited with us into the wee hours of the morning.  Gift delivery ensued.  We passed out pictures and cards from all of our BeJoe friends in America.  The girls LOVED the updates.  At 3:30, we finally headed to bed.  Peaceful sleep restored the tired eyes, and we have been running hard since.  Jet lagg and all my heart and mouth can finally say, "Bet Negn" or "I am home."