I want to share this story and opportunity to help a friend and sister of ours in Denver and HER sister in Tanzania.

A dear friend of mine in our neighborhood, Peg, is partnering to help a good friend of hers, Gladness.  Gladness lives in our neighborhood and has a sister who lives in Tanzania.  Gladness is putting together a very special community-dinner-fundraiser for her sister in Tanzania.  Not only is the story pretty amazing as is, but there is a pretty cool small-world factor that makes it even more fun!  Gladness is married to one of my favorite and most treasured, challenging, and dynamic professors at University of Denver.  He really became a mentor of mine while I was in school and his influence in my thinking about Africa, international development, and culture has continued to be imprinted in my thinking.  So, it makes me even more excited to share this story and community-opportunity with you. 

The details for the dinner gathering are below – so, check ‘em out!  Again, the impact of community coming together and sharing what they are able to is always quite extraordinary!  If a group of us share what we can – whether it is $1…or $100, it is powerful – together, we can impact our community and world.  And, it seems we are always gifted with more than we give – for, we will be powerfully impacted through the ways in which we engage with, learn from, and share with one another.

If you cannot make the dinner and you would like to pitch in some funds to help, you can just write a check to Gladness Msumanje.  You can send it to me (2095 Cherry Street, Denver, Colorado - 80207) and I’ll bring it to the dinner on the 29^th, or you can mail it directly to Gladness:  3208 Niagara, Denver, Colorado - 80207.

Feel free to pass this invitation onto your friends – the more, the merrier, aye?

A few musings to share with you in closing…have a most fantastic day, friends!

 “When we approach others with gentle reverence, we bring gifts and share theirs with us.”
-Paula Ripple, Growing Strong at Broken Places

“To show great love for God and our neighbor we need not do great things. It is how much love we put in the doing that makes our offering something beautiful for God.”
-Mother Teresa, A Gift for God

 ***

 Join us…

 Gladness Msumanje’s 28 year old sister, Delphena is newly diagnosed with AIDS.Delphena is divorced.  Her ex-husband is not supporting the family.  Their 4 year old son, France, is HIV positive. Delphena and France both live in Arusha, Tanzania.  Delphena is also raising her younger sister’s 7 year old daughter. 

The household of 3 live on the income that Delphena makes working in the city market selling fish and potatoes.  She makes about $10 a day.
Gladness is paying Delphena and her children’s rent but Delphena still needs help meeting the expenses of daily living and medical costs.
Delphena is on antivirals supplied by the government for a nominal fee.  There is no other assistance available to her other than her siblings.  Gladness & Delphena’s mother died in February of this year.  Gladness is 3^rd born of 8 children.  Delphena is the 5^th born.

 As you might know, the little one, could develop AIDS if he is not well-nourished. Food is expensive. The health of this young family is essential in keeping them from opportunistic infections.

Want to hear more about this young family?  Want to help?

 Gladness is having a fundraiser dinner on:

 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2007 AT 3:30 P.M.

at

 
1251 Marshall Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80232
RSVP to Gladness:  720-941-0968

Gladness will share more about Delphena’s story and the situation in Tanzania.  She will be cooking delicious African fare for dinner.
Each of us is asked to bring a dish to share to augment the meal and to plan on making a financial donation….any amount will help.
Come, be a part of this most remarkable afternoon!