Obstacles and Miracles

Yesterday was a very intense day…both a stressful and good day at the same time… It started off at the internet café where I was to meet Ilea. She told me that we needed to discuss a couple of things and if I could show the new intern

around. What I thought would be a quick meeting turned into a day affair. We had to have a meeting with the women because of the stress that hunger and rent was bringing on them. When times get rough the mind set here is to quit…especially with the lack of confidence of being women in this society. Technically as KEZA we have established BURANGA as a business for the women that they can run themselves. We are not their bosses but are here to empower them and teach them how to create their own business. To them we are currently their only “buyer” of the goods they create…and at times its is difficult even for us to have enough to keep their mouths full and bring in an income large enough to pay their rent. Times are not always easy and as of right now with economy back home, the demand in the US is very slow and we currently do not have sufficient donors. It pains our hearts not to have enough in the past week to support them. To say the least there are HUGE miracles brewing…but have yet to be settled before we see results. We told the women in our meeting that we love them with all of our hearts and at times it is hard to trust us (which is the case for most Rwandans with expats) BUT we are working here for them for free even though it is hard to be believe and are working hard. At the same time Ilea introduced Alaina and me as being here to help them and teach them side by side how to spread their business throughout Kigali and teach them the skills necessary to do so. They got huge smiles across their faces and clapped saying I was their sister. It made me get choked up because here are these women who I have already bonded with, who have trusted me with their babies on my back, and are depending on me to help them feed their children. It is a huge responsibility but I am more then excited to change their lives and give them the foundation for their futures… in truth they are empowering me. The stress levels are very high here right now for all of us and I have decided to start fasting with the women. Like I said there has been such AMAZING things happening with potential opportunity for us in the past two weeks but have yet to show results. We told the women that they must stick together with us on this because the beautiful jewelry that they make will be worn by people all over soon enough and each will know their story. At the end of this intense meeting there was still tension, anger, hope and love. We all held hands and said a prayer…Ilea first and then one of the women stepped up. When she was praying you could feel everything coming from deep within her soul…and this time I really did cry. There are so many emotions right now among all of us and are trying to hold strong. I know some of you that may be following this Blog are

 feeling that your heart is being in pulled in one way or another, and I hate to do this but WE need your help in any way you can! First of all if you get a chance please check out www.keza.com (link on the right) and look at the wonderful jewelry. Not only would I rock this stuff everyday but just WAIT til you see the new lines! These products are unreal and I watch them being made by these wonderful women everyday. We have a warehouse in the states that is full of them but we just need someone who would be willing to sell them back at home. What I am proposing is that you throw a party… a KEZA Party haha. We will send you tons of necklaces on consignment (meaning you don’t need to buy them upfront, but sell what you can and send them b

ack!). All checks for donations and necklace purchases can be written out to KEZA and sent to:

P.O. BOx 681381 

Franklin, TN

37068-1381 USA

KEZA is a registered 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation

Tax ID #: 261341516