Seeds of Exchange

NEW WEBSITE!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:50:24 GMT

Check out our new website: www.seedsofexchange.org. Also, my new e-mail: sarah@seedsofexchange.org. As I work out the remaining kinks, please drop me a note and let me know what I can add or change to make it better! :)

NEW WEBSITE!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:49:32 GMT

Seeds' Update & Uganda Trip Pictures

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:45:28 GMT

Greetings, dear friends and family! We hope that you are enjoying this season of autumn and fall. As with many seasons, our Soph makes this one even more fun…she LOVES going for leaf-crunching walks and is going to be a ballerina-tiger (her own creative combo) for Halloween tomorrow – fun days, to be sure!

The last time that I sent an update about Seeds of Exchange was in May, just before we left for our trip to Uganda, which was a most remarkable time! In this note, I’ll include a brief update as to our journey in the days since you’ve last heard from us and let you know what we will be doing with Seeds of Exchange in the coming months.

- Uganda! June, 2007 -

Our Sophia had more fun and did better than we could have ever imagined! She rested and enjoyed the nearly 20 hours of plane flights each way, was relaxed and fun during a 15-hour bus-ride during which our bus got a flat tire, and loved the food and rhythm of life in Uganda. I LOVED travelling with a larger team of folks (nearly 20 people from Denver) – Sophia had so many laps on which to sit and lots of aunties & uncles to entertain her! :) Soph and I delighted in spending most of our working days with my sister, Liz, and our dear friend, Sweta & her mom, Anju – we were in the Bar Ogal Pre-school or St. Jude’s Orphanage most of the time. Brandon spent days in several hospitals and returned home exhausted, overwhelmed, and in awe at the skill of the doctors and strength of the people of Uganda. But, the days went ever so quickly! Most assuredly, we returned home far more impacted than we ourselves impacted those we met and with whom we worked in Uganda. I have a journal full of musings, questions, struggles, delights, and experiences of our trip – and, after four months of being home, we are all still “unpacking” the richness and depth of our journey to Uganda. A few musings that stand out…

- One thing that I was struck by was the way in which life seemed to be a bit more cohesive and less fragmented…

- I felt more relaxed and able to go with the flow of life, which inevitably did not conform to the schedule for each day…

- I loved living in a community-context – traveling, working, eating each day with our team…

- My “work” was inextricably linked with Sophia – it didn’t begin when I had someone else to take care of her or she went down for a nap – this was very refreshing and wonderful…

- It struck me with fresh power that though I hoped to give and share a lot – I received far more than I gave, to be sure!…

- The message that we heard reiterated from our Ugandan brothers and sisters was that there were two vital things about us being there: first, our presence (particularly Sophia’s) extended to them a sense of hope, and second, they asked us to tell their stories when we got back home.

Indeed, their story needs to be told and heard. This is largely why we have decided to tell our family’s story via pictures, videos, and music. What an honor, indeed!

You can click here to view our slideshow from Uganda – if the link doesn’t work, try copying & pasting (www.seedsofexchange.phanfare.com/album/360391) it into your browser.

A few suggestions for viewing our slideshow:

- You can click on individual “chapters” of our story and then watch as a slideshow or start at the very beginning.

- At the bottom of each picture during the slideshow, there are arrows that you can use to skip to the next picture if you want to “move things along” a bit faster. :) This will be useful during some of the video clips, no doubt.

- Brandon’s pictures of his days in the hospital are not yet fully edited and don’t yet have captions on them – but, I thought I’d include them nonetheless. The stories are amazing! If you want me to send you an updated version when he gets his captions & stories in, let me know & I’ll do it.

Please drop me a note or call me if you have any questions about our trip, the pictures, the work we did, etc. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but it is sometimes great fun to HEAR the words, too! :)

- Seeds of Exchange Markets & Community Gatherings -

I LOVE the markets that we host in our home, meeting and engaging with some remarkable folks in Denver, as well as connecting with many folks outside of Denver and sharing about the vision, work, and beautiful goods of SOE. However, throughout the summer and early fall, I have sensed with increasing clarity, that I need to put a “pause” on the markets for this holiday season. Thus, we will not be hosting any markets for the rest of this year. I know that it is not logical or strategic to do so in the season during which many people are most eager to buy gifts – but, I’m learning with increasing surety, that it is wise and essential to listen to these “nudgings” – for, great (and often unexpected) things come as a result of doing so. :)

However, if you want to purchase holiday cards, journals, and other gifts, you still can! Drop a note to my friend & sister, Christy Graham (Christy.Graham.1973@alum.bu.edu). She just returned to the U.S. from India, after living there for 12 years, and is endeavoring to develop a fair trade organization and partner with SOE during this season. She actually connected us with the artisans in India and she has some incredible stories about our friends there…so, if you have time, ask her to tell you some stories when you place your order. :) She’s received some new and cool products, as well. She, like me, is just getting this organization off the ground, so give her a bit of time to respond to your request. :)

I’ll keep you posted in the New Year as to what will be happening in terms of our SOE Markets & Community Gatherings.

- Cool Opportunities -

One thing that I plan to continue to do is to update our SOE website with opportunities this season to learn from, engage with, and give to some amazing folks. I am a student of fair trade and am seeking to have our lives become more compassionately responsive to and engaged with the lives of those in our community and world. If I come across things about which I think you may be interested, I’ll post them on our website. Also, there are so many amazing opportunities to engage with folks who are doing quite courageous and transformative work. A few such postings in the past month include:

Guide to Fair Trade – Order it for Free! Finding Fair Trade resources has never been easier! Want to know where to get the latest Fair Trade products…
Blankets for our brothers and sisters in Denver. As the weather is getting colder, blankets for our new arrivals from across the globe are increasingly important. At the moment, the African Community Center is really short on blankets and bedcovers…
East High School Papau New Guinea. The East High School Papau New Guinea involves a study of cultural awareness at East and culminates in a trip to Papa New Guinea during spring break in 2008 to help create and build a community center…
For the love of a sister. Gladness lives in our neighborhood and has a sister who lives in Tanzania. Gladness is putting together a very special fundraiser for her sister in Tanzania….

You can read more about each of these people and projects, and if you so desire, find out how to collaborate with them on our website - scroll down or click on archives.

We hope to continue to post opportunities such as these on our website – many folks have found them to be fantastic ways to give gifts in honor or celebration of those they love, such as birthdays, anniversaries, & memorials. The power of people, of community, of community coming together is just extraordinary!

- E-mail Communication -

During this season of “pause,” I’m minimizing the quantity of time that I’m spending on the computer as a bit of an experiment. Though there is so much that I love about technology and the opportunities it provides to connect us with one another (for example, I can wire money directly from the SOE bank account into the account of Malika in India with the click of a button!), it seems that it is often a time-vacuum, adding one more level of busyness to our already fragmented days. I’m wondering how it will work and feel to utilize this tool less often. :)

In general, I’m going to spend just one day each week checking and responding to e-mail. So, if you want to be in touch with me about a time-sensitive matter, give me a call instead of e-mailing me (303.355.5241 – home or 720.301.1510 – cell). I’ll not be checking e-mail at all during the month of December. If you are not able to call me and need to get in touch during December, please feel free to e-mail my husband, Brandon (drbrandon@stapletonpeds.com), and he will make sure that I get your message. :)

- In Closing -

I hope that you are being expanded, grown, delighted, challenged, loved, nourished, and rejuvenated in this season of life…that you have a few treasured companions with whom you can walk, run, or rest…

I’d like to share two readings that have come to mind during this season and as I’ve written this note to you…

The need to relinquish our certainty lies at the heart both of modern science and ancient spirituality…Ilya Prigogine tells us that, "The future is uncertain. . .but such uncertainty lies at the very heart of human creativity." It is uncertainty that creates the space for invention. We must let go, clear the space, leap into the void of not-knowing, if we want to discover anything new. -Margaret Wheatley

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under the sun.
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill and a time to heal ...
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance ...
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to lose and a time to seek;
A time to rend and a time to sew;
A time to keep silent and a time to speak;
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Friends, all for now – may you and those you love be abundantly filled with joy, peace, and love this day.

Guide to Fair Trade...Oder it for Free!

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:54:35 GMT

This is a GREAT (and free) tool that is helpful to understand more about fair trade: The Guide to Fair Trade. Check it out! -Sarah D-T

Finding Fair Trade resources has never been easier! Want to know where to get the latest Fair Trade products? Need organizing material for your business or organization? Discover all the possibilities of Fair Trade in Co-op America’s new full color Guide to Fair Trade! Inside you'll find descriptions of dozens of national and international Fair Trade products.

Learn where to find them using our extensive directory of almost 200 Fair Trade businesses and organizations. Take action in the Fair Trade movement by following the step-by-step plan for mobilizing your organization and local producers. This Guide is perfect to educate yourself, help with your Fair Trade campaign, and spread to other Fair Traders. And best of all it’s FREE! You can download it or request free hard copies mailed directly to you. Order one for yourself or enough to pass out to other Fair Traders.

Make a Difference this Halloween with this Fair Trade Trick or Treat Kit

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:50:36 GMT

What a fantastic idea for this Halloween...check it out! For $15, it seems to be a cool way to inform our kids, neighbors, and ourselves! :) -Sarah D-T

The first of its kind, this Fair Trade Trick or Treat Kit has everything you need to make Halloween 2007 something special. Give more than candy this year...give knowledge about the importance of Fair Trade! First launched in 2005, our Fair Trade Trick or Treat Kit in 2007 includes:

A bag of Equal Exchange Fair Trade chocolate candy to hand out to Trick or Treaters (42 individual pieces)
A large stack of festive Halloween postcards for you to hand out
Traditional Papel Picado Mexican party streamers (see Fair Trade Trick or Treat Kit page for information...)
Trick or Treat Bag-A recycled Kraft handled bag decorated with our friendly Fair Trade ghost

Postcard Contents: A list of how you can help Fair Trade succeed, information about Fair Trade, contact information and a pre-written detachable postcard.

Attention: Due to popular demand, we will be shipping the chocolate minis out the week of October 22nd, for guaranteed delivery by October 31st.

Blankets for our brothers and sisters?

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:12:03 GMT

Erin Efaw is a dear and treasured friend of ours. She works with the African Community Center and she recently sent us this note. –Sarah D-T

As the weather is getting colder, blankets for our new arrivals from across the globe are increasingly important. At the moment, the African Community Center is really short on blankets and bedcovers.

If you have any extra on hand that you could donate, please take them Safari Seconds at 4th and Broadway, drop them off at my office at 1201 E. Colfax Avenue (at Colfax and Marion), or contact me (303-399-4500).

With Great Gratitude,

Erin Efaw
African Community Center
Denver, Colorado
303-399-4500

A bit about the African Community Center…

The African Community Center is Denver's newest Refugee Resettlement program which welcomes newcomers who have had to flee persecution within their home country. Many of our clients arrive in the United States with little but possess great hope about their lives in America.

The African Community center conducts educational and social service programs that help newcomers resettle in their new communities and acculturate, recover from past trauma, gain personal independence and economic self-sufficiency, and quickly become able participants and productive, contributing members of American society. In addition, our agency works with African community-based organizations to provide technical assistance in developing the leadership capacity to serve their respective communities.

Our community outreach also promotes awareness about refugee issues and the challenges faced by newcomers as they move through the resettlement and cultural adjustment process. The African Community Center engages newcomers and members of the wider community to enhance cross-cultural communication.

East High School Papua New Guinea Project

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:21:04 GMT

UPDATE (October 24, 2007) - I spoke with Elisha, the co-director of this program, and she said that the fundraiser below raised nearly $4,500! There is still a need for more funds for the team's program, so if you want to make a tax-deductible donation, kindly make your check out to the East Angel Foundation (in the memo, please write PNG Project) and send it to Elisha Roberts at 2605 E. 14th Ave., Denver, CO 80206. Also, the team is open and excited to hear ideas about fundraising opportunities - feel free to give Elisha a call (720.941.6238) with your thoughts. Thanks!

I would like to share a fun and remarkable project with which some kids from East High School in Denver are involved. The exciting part is that we can join in on the fun! See the details below. -Sarah D-T

You are invited...

Friday October 12, 2007

Strings Restaurant

1700 Humboldt Street - Denver - 80218

Help to fund the East High School Papau New Guinea Project!

From 5:30-7:00 p.m., there will be a silent auction and cocktails.

10% of all restaurant proceeds on October 12 will go towards this exciting endeavor!

*Call Strings at 303-831-7310 for a dinner reservation to help support the kids*

The East High School Papau New Guinea project is a community service effort spearheaded by East High School graduate Elisha Roberts and co-sponsored by teacher Matt Murphy. The project involves a study of cultural awareness at East and culminates in a trip to Papau New Guinea during spring break in 2008 to help create and build a community center.

Here is a description about the project from one of the students:

“This past spring I applied and was accepted into an exceptional program that will allow me to travel to one of the most unheard of places in the world, Papua New Guinea in the spring of 2008. A pilot program, it will eventually involve the exchanging of students, allowing us to see life outside of our cultures. While there, we will help create and build an Inter-cultural Community Center, which will be service to many village communities, giving them access to computers, internet, film, books and information from all over the world.

Not only will we be traveling to Papua New Guinea, but also reflect on our own community here at East; beginning to address some of the cultural differences that affect us here. Speaking on issues that may make us uncomfortable, but ones so vital to the advancement of us as a whole. We as a group will learn about power and privilege in society through discussions of our own educational and social experiences at East high in a multicultural / Anti- oppression training over the next year.”

Thank you for your help and support.

For the love of a sister...

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:09:08 GMT

October 16, 2007 - UPDATE! :) A fun update for the invitation below. As a fantastic demonstration of the POWER of community, Gladness ("Glady" is her nickname) generated around $3,500 to help her sister, Deli, care for her kids and obtain the anti-virals that she needs for treatment in Tanzania. Community rallied so powerfully behind and with Glady in support of Deli that she is now going to have these dinners on a regular basis. (It was SUCH a fun - and delicious! - evening!) If you're interested in collaborating further with Glady, feel free to call or e-mail her: (720) 941-0968 or msumanje@hotmail.com. There are pictures below of our dinner (the last 3 pictures - Glady is the beautiful woman in the pink shirt in the last picture) and of Deli and her kids, Sifa and France (the first 2 pictures).

Here is a note of thanks that Glady wrote to those who gave a gift to her sister...

It's a friend who reaches out
And the sun is bright again
And all the hearts sing and clap
For the light that has come back and its energy

Thank you for feeling my pain and my cry inside you

Thank you for making my sister and her son smile and feel the power of love

Thank you for making her feel united and not alone
Thank you for the togetherness of sisters and mothers and families

For now we can see hope and touch it with our hands
I am filling this paper with my hand and fingers
To mark my words to you
I want you to know that your help is a golden life
Which you have given to me and my sister and my nephew

We love you all

***

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.

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!

JUNE 2007 - SEEDS OF EXCHANGE UPDATE

Thu, 31 May 2007 04:25:00 GMT

In this newsletter…

Our “Seeds” are growing! (Thanks to YOUR help!)

We leave for Uganda this Friday, June 1!

***

Our “Seeds” are growing! (Thanks to YOU all!)

Last month, we invited you to join us in our partnership with the Hope Plumpy’Nut Cooperative in Uganda and the construction of the school in Pakistan with our friend, Nasreen. This has been SO fun to watch as it has unfolded! Together with the community dinners in Denver (there are still a few more to be had!) and generous donations to these remarkable projects, our SOE community has helped generate over $2,500!

I would like to share a few stories from a handful of the friends that we have raised funds for…

…Malika and Meena, the two women who were the recipients of our second and third Seeds of Exchange collaborations have paid their loans back (half of the money they received was this no-interest loan and the other half was a pure gift!). Their loan repayment together totaled $500! They are therefore empowering these two projects and themselves by giving a gift of grace and hope to others!
…Little Quinn, Jon, Ben, & Hannah…There were donations from kids in two families who shared with Seeds of Exchange their pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters that accumulated to a total of $44.63 – this is such a treasured gift from these dear ones!
…And there was a generous amount of money that came from my dear family as a gift in memory of my dear Gram Ellie Tracy. Talk about a remarkable and honorable gift! VERY cool, aye?
…Over $800 has been raised by friends who helped put together 2 community dinners in Denver with Sister Nasreen of Pakistan. These gatherings were treasured times for families (the kids LOVED hearing about the kids’ lives in Pakistan!) and friends to come together and learn through the power of story about Sister Nasreen and her work with women and children in Pakistan. Shannon, one of the hosts of the community meals, found some great books to pass on to you guys.

A cookbook: Jasmine in her Hair: Culture and Cuisine from Pakistan, by Huma Siddiqui. From this cookbook, she made (and folks LOVED) samosas (savory potato-wrapped pastries), raita (yogurt sauce), and sooji halwa (semolina dessert). They also read these two books to the kids: Everybody Cooks Rice, by Norah Dooley and Silly Chicken, by Rukhsana Khan.

Again, the diverse and amazing ways in which these folks have come together helps to demonstrate the dynamic power that we all have when we give out of what we have been given – be it small penny jars, honorable memorials, or extending the table of our homes to others.

***

We leave for Uganda this Friday, June 1!

After many, many shots, and dutifully going through our long to-do list of preparations, we will be heading off on this great adventure! We hope to share (internet connection permitting) our stories & pictures, expanding perspectives & experiences, and people we meet along the way with you. So, when you hop online, if you have a moment, go to our website and see if there is anything new from us!

Before we get into the details of our trip, we want to say that we hope that this will be more than just one family’s adventure of service in Uganda. It is our great dream that this serves as a bridge to connect us more deeply to each of you and invites all of us to embrace life – in its ordinary and extraordinary seasons – with hope, peace, and love for each other. May we invite one another into a posture of asking how we can each thoughtfully and meaningfully engage with life as we are beckoned and called to live it each moment and each day.

***

What will we do?

Click here for a map of Uganda with its districts to get us started. We will be in the district of Gulu.

Why are we going? Our work with Seeds of Exchange has continued to expand and enrich our family’s lives. At our SOE February Community Gathering, Kaitlin & Audrey, our two dear and brilliant teenage-neighbors, honored us by sharing a bit about a passionate project of theirs. Their middle-school class had watched the film, Invisible Children and they wanted to do something in response to the recent practice that the rebel group has utilized in abducting young Ugandan children and forcing them to become child soldiers.

The power of story and community is that these dear young women were catalysts for us to consider joining Marcellina Otii and her team of 12 folks from Denver go to Uganda. We are going with a group composed of remarkable humanitarian activists…lawyers, teachers, sisters (nuns) :), and civil servants.

What are we going to do? Most of the rest of the team has been undergoing training themselves for the past year in order to facilitate trauma & conflict training for Ugandan leaders. This is a critical piece of the continuing great need for healing and restoration for the people of northern Uganda – it has been a very violent and painful 20 years. The culture and the people have been greatly and profoundly devastated.

When able, we will help and learn from what the rest of the team will be doing. However, though we have some ideas of what we will do, we humbly acknowledge that this trip is very short, and we know we will receive much more than we will give. We will share more about this once we get there, for much of it will unfold upon our arrival in Uganda. In brief, here is what we plan to do…

…MEDICAL WORK in clinics, hospitals, and in the internally displaced people’s (IDP)/refugee camps.
…PLUMPY’NUT. Working with the Hope Plumpy’Nut Cooperative development.
…KIDS. Playing and working with the kids at the orphanage and partnering to put on the Peace Jam event on Saturday (details about this fun gathering to come).

We hope to do as much as possible as a family, for we believe that part of our work is to learn how to do this together, not as separate (albeit passionate) individuals. It takes patience and willingness to move more slowly, but we believe it is truly part of our work.

With this in mind, we have decided to travel with our Sophia, who is just 2 years old. As are most two year olds, she is very independent and strong-minded, and doesn’t take kindly to being told what to do. Thus, we know that at any given time, Brandon will be in charge of being with our Sophia while I “work” and vice-versa. It will mean that our work, our “doings”, will be lessened in some ways – and expanded in others. She will, no doubt, be a bridge to our work with other children, will lighten the load of the team, and will remind us that we are BEings in our DOings.

***

Our Itinerary

Friday & Saturday, June 1 & 2…we’re off to Uganda! After arriving in London shortly after noon on Saturday, the 2^nd, we’ll head to our dear friend, Sweta’s sister’s house for the night…what fun! We’ll eat delicious Indian food, Soph will play with Sweta’s niece, Monica (who is 3), and we’ll have some time to explore London, hopefully minimizing our jet-lag by walking around a bit!

Sunday-Monday, June 3-4…Mid-afternoon, we’ll head back to the airport and board our flight for Uganda, where we’ll arrive at about 8 a.m. on Monday, the 4^th. We’ll have the afternoon & evening to explore Kampala (although, I wonder how energized we’ll feel at this point…Hmmmm!). We’ll be staying at the Namirembe Guest House.

Tuesday, June 5, we’ll hop on a bus and head north for 6 hours to Gulu, where we’ll be staying for most of our time in Uganda. We will be staying in the St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor grounds at a guesthouse. Background about the hospital and Gulu can be found at the St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor website.

...Almost one fifth of the population of Uganda lives in this area. Northern Uganda has undergone almost twenty years of civil strife and has therefore not benefited from the social and economic growth that has characterized the rest of the country. Gulu district has an estimated population of nearly 500,000 and a surface area of more than 7,000 miles. The only large town is Gulu, which is residence of the Minister for the North and of the Region Military Command.”

I found the following information from the writing of a doctor who was staying in the same guesthouse as we will be.

...Gulu is “230 miles north of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and not far from the border with Sudan. This distance is an important 230 miles, as stark contrasts exists between the Uganda of the South and the Uganda of the North. The South boasts of progressive economic development, a great reduction in HIV prevalence, and a peaceful countryside. The North shudders under the history of an 18-year war, nearly 2 million people crowded into internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps without adequate education, food or and healthcare, the continued spread of HIV, farmland vacated and unused to stem malnutrition ravaging children here, and [the history of] thousands of kids who must commute nightly into safer spaces for sleeping for fear of abduction into a rebel army.”

Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday, June 6-8, we’ll be doing our medical work and spending time with kids at the orphanage and surrounding schools. More stories and details to come!

Saturday, June 9, is the Peace Jam. Oh, we are excited about this! The goal is to increase awareness about coping with the impact of war-induced trauma and to introduce peaceful ways of re-integrating kids into their communities. Building their capacity for regaining peace is a vital part of the rehabilitation of the children and youth of this region. The music concert will focus on peace themes, the arts, and radio telecasts of the children’s voices for peace. This event will bring together thousands of kids – it will be an amazing event in which we are honored to be a part!

Sunday, June 10, is a day of rest. We will be free to sleep and read (Sophia permitting!), walk, explore Gulu…whatever we need to do to recharge for the next week.

Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday, June 11-13…Likely more medical days, fun with kids, & Plumpy’Nut support work. (We’ll tell ya more when we’re there!)

Wednesday & Thursday, June 13 & 14…We may head out from Gulu for a grand adventure. We’ll take a boatride on the River Nile and spend the night in the National Park, catching a short safari the following morning. The “Motel Six” is composed of thatch-roofed huts and the animals roam free around them. (Fun…and, just a bit scary? Mom & Dad…yes, we’ll keep a CLOSE hold on our Sophia!)

Thursday-Sunday, June 14-17…Back to Kampala, where we’ll have a day to explore the capital city before our early morning departure on Saturday, June 16. Our flight returns late in the day on Sunday, June 17.

There is a slight possibility that my sister, Liz, Sophia, and I will stay in Uganda an extra 2-3 weeks. We’re waiting until we get to Gulu and we all get a sense of whether or not this seems like a wise idea – we also need to be able to change our plane tickets, which may not be an option. So, it’s an adventure and a mystery! (We'll keep ya posted...keep checking back here!)

Exciting Happenings in May!

Mon, 21 May 2007 15:07:40 GMT

May 2007 - Seeds of Exchange Update

What Fun! A Pakistani Family Dinner Invite

GREAT Gift Ideas (mothers in Uganda & kids in Pakistan)

We are going to Uganda in June!

What Fun! A Pakistani Dinner Invite…

Join us…

…eat deliciously simple Pakistani food,

…hear a bit about the this remarkable school-construction project,

…meet some cool folks in the city,

…look at & purchase some beautiful shawls made by women in Pakistan, &

… enjoy a fantastic afternoon/evening!

Join us for a delicious & simple Pakistani meal that will help raise funds for a fantastic project of a dear friend of ours from Pakistan. Sister Nasreen is absolutely one of the most remarkable women I have ever met in my LIFE.

She is in Denver for about a month, working on her doctoral dissertation, connecting with friends in the States, & is hoping to raise some money for the construction of an elementary school in Pakistan. She & her organization have obtained the land (VERY difficult in Pakistan) have hired & trained the teachers & now need to raise a bit more money (about $20,000) for the construction of the school.

Cost: $20 per person (kids are free! )
(Please make your tax-deductible check payable to Sisters of Loretto.)
Here are the date & location options from which you can choose. If you want to join, just click on the host’s e-mail to RSVP.

If you cannot make one of these mealtimes, but you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the project, that would be wonderful! See details below…

Christine & Dave Vazquez – Northwest Denver
Tuesday, May 15, from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Maximum dinner guests: 6 – Due to space-limitations, no kids, please.
RSVP to Christine (VTifosi@cs.com or 720.489.7607) by Friday, May 11

Adrienne, Jason, & Quinn Shimkos - Central Denver
Wednesday, May 23, from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Maximum dinner guests: 12 - Kids are welcome.
RSVP to Adrienne (Shimkos@hotmail.com or 303.355.1342) by Sunday, May 20

Neena, Dano, & Solace Massey - Highlands Ranch
Saturday, May 26, from 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Maximum luncheon guests: 15 - Kids are welcome.
RSVP to Neena (neenamassey@yahoo.com or 720.297.2666) by Wednesday, May 23

Shannon Campbell & Cindy Fall – Northwest Denver
Sunday, May 27, from 1-2:30 p.m.
Maximum luncheon guests: 15 - Kids are welcome.
RSVP to Shannon (shanjimcampbell@comcast.net or 303.284.3283) by Wednesday, May 23

Here is a bit of background about the organization that Sister Nasreen works with in Pakistan and that is building the school. SOIL stands for “Social Organization for Integral Life”. SOIL works to improve the living standard of families in their community.

Restoring women’s self-worth & confidence, we make them able to earn their living through skillful activities. In the most desperate cases, we try to be the voice of the voiceless. Furthermore, we are determined to create a defense mechanism against the dangers to human health. Lectures, seminars & dramas are conducted in this regard. We struggle to fortify human life by providing the necessary know-how before disasters take place. Education is an essential piece of empowering, building hope in, & opportunities for the young generation & future leaders of our country.

We do not fly for people. Instead, we love to fly with them. Our mission is to help people realize that they can do it!

GREAT Gift Ideas (mothers in Uganda & kids in Pakistan)

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

We all have such a great number of things to celebrate in one another’s lives. Right now, Mother’s Day & Father’s Day are just around the corner, & no doubt you have birthdays, anniversaries, & graduations that you plan to honor. As your celebratory gift, how about honoring them by partnering with us in collaboration with several dear friends in their endeavors. You can join us in our work in Uganda with the Hope Plumpy’nut Cooperative or with Sister Nasreen in the school construction project in Pakistan. Both are important and dynamic projects with which we are honored and proud to be working.

I would be happy to e-mail you an insert to include in a greeting card if you will be giving a donation in honor or celebration of someone. Please send me an e-mail with their name & the occasion that you are celebrating. If you would please mail your tax-deductible donation by Monday, May 28, I will be share the final collection of funds with our partners shortly thereafter.

The funds you give will be doubled. Seeds of Exchange will match each donation, to a maximum of $1,000. So, your $1 will become $2! And, those dollars WILL make a difference, my friends! What we have found in this past year of remarkable work is that there is POWER in communities coming together: collaborating, exchanging, giving, receiving…we have seen such extraordinary things happen! The gift of giving need not be available only to the “rich” – we can give what we have available & feel moved to give today & join hands with others who are also doing the same thing…together, we can make a difference!

Donation Details.

Uganda’s Hope Plumpy’nut Cooperative. Please make your checks, which are tax-deductible, out to: Friends for Peace in Africa.

Pakistan’s School Construction project. Please make your checks, which are tax-deductible, out to: Sisters of Loretto.

Kindly mail them to us at: Seeds of Exchange, 2095 Cherry Street, Denver, CO 80207.

Here are some details of our remarkable collaboration with The Hope Plumpy’Nut Cooperative…

I got to know Marcellina Otii several years ago when she & her daughter, Ageno, shared their stories (& delicious cooking!) with Reverie. She has become a dear friend & elder to our family in the recent years. I esteem & am inspired by her vision & way she navigates her full life as a mother, wife, an educator and the current chair of Friends for Peace in Africa as well as the chair for Team Africa in Denver.

She & her husband, Albert, are returning to their country of Uganda this June with a team of committed friends & family. Several of their fantastic projects are referenced below, but the primary focus that we would like to share with you is their development of the Hope Plumpy’Nut Cooperative. (This is the project to which any funds we receive will be directed.)

The Hope Plumpy’Nut Cooperative is designed to work alongside UNICEF, NGOs & other local non-profits to fight the after-effects of the 20-year civil war in Uganda. This self-sustaining micro-enterprise program offers an innovative approach to combating the enormous challenge of unemployment among the 1.6 million refugees in northern Uganda.

While providing employment opportunities, the cooperative also creates a consistent demand for locally-produced peanuts. The finished product is then sold in Kampala to NGOs working to fight malnutrition all over Africa. A portion of the proceeds are reinvested in the project, with the employees taking home the remainder – often the first salary they have ever earned.

What is Plumpy’nut? It is said to be “Africa’s Miracle Food.” Plumpy'nut, more commonly known as Plumpy, is a peanut-based food for use in famine relief which was formulated by André Briend, a French scientist in 1999. It is a high protein & high energy peanut-based paste in a foil wrapper that can be distributed to children at home rather than in specialist feeding stations & can be eaten without any preparation. It tastes like a slightly sweeter kind of peanut butter.

Beyond their work developing the Hope Plumpy’Nut Cooperative, they are impassioned in their efforts to engage in “capacity building” of local leaders, & facilitating four days of trauma & conflict training. They will also sponsor an event called the Peace Jam, to which they will invite the children in the community to come, eat, play, relax, & dialogue through art about their experiences as child soldiers, orphans, caretakers for their siblings… There has been over 20 years of violent civil war – the children, women, men, & elders of Uganda have been profoundly wounded. But, Marcellina, Albert, & their team are looking to do their part in bringing hope, healing, & peace to these dear people.

We are going to Uganda in June!

I’ll send more information in the coming weeks, but in brief, I want to share with you that our family will be going to Uganda in June with our dear friend, Marcellina and a team of remarkable people from Denver. Indeed, we are deeply honored and privileged to be a part of this team!

Brandon will do some pediatric-medical work in the clinics and refugee camps and Sophia and I will spend lots of time with kids, the Plumpy’nut cooperative, and will do our best to share with you the different perspectives that each of us have during our days of travel and life in Uganda.

‘Tis an adventure! We hope to bring you along with us, share our stories, and see how our lives might, collectively & reciprocally impact one other through this extraordinary journey.