Welcome to the next stop on the Noonday Collection blog train!  How fun is this?  I have loved visiting some of my ambassador sisters blogs the past few weeks + hope you enjoyed Brandi’s post Friday + will head over to Jenna’s blog tomorrow!  [wow!  love getting to be sanwhiched in between two girls I admire + look up to so much!  seriously, if you haven’t been to their blogs…..today is your day!]

The day I went with Jessica + Joe to pick up their precious Jack in Rwanda was a day like no other.  A day full of joy and redemption.  Hands shaking and lots of praying while I was snapping away with my camera.  Capturing this fulfillment of Gods promise to them.  The days that followed [as I was trying to put a slideshow together to document this great moment] were full of spiritual attack.  I knew that God was up to something huge with this family when I suffered tremendously for just being a fly on the wall during this short trip.  You see, Noonday Collection was birthed out of their adoption of Jack.  God knew, He knew this plan He had for Jessica long before she knew, and He used their adoption to start this socially couscous company that now employs over 1,000 artisans in over 12 countries.  So, of coarse there would be spiritual opposition.  A rash that overtook my entire body, put me in bed, and eventually sent me to a Korean run clinic to get the biggest shot you’ve ever seen + some questionable medicine.  Also, my computer was stolen that week.  Stolen, yet returned.  You don’t mess with International Justice Mission.  Thankfully they took my external hard drive out + left it, along with the thousands of dollars I had in camera equipment.  But I knew that night as I laid in bed praying like I never have before to “we never walk alone” on repeat on my iphone, that God was up to something.

That trip, we also got to spend several days in Uganda with Jalia + Daniel and their team and that trip was also the time we sat down with the Rwandan artisans to tell them that we were sending them to sewing school!  It was then I met sweet Grace, who we sponsored to go to school, and really get to love these women!  Pictured below was our first meeting over tea + treats at Jennifers house in Kigali…how sweet are their faces!  They were so thrilled for this opportunity.

Me + Jessica with Jalia and her two: Zoe and Zac.  Caleb + his brother Bukenya.  Daniel + Jalia.

[the Rwandan sewing co op group!]

and look where Noonday is now!  I’ve had the opportunity since that trip to visit our artisans in Ethiopia and also back to Uganda this June.  These women [and men!] are real live people.  They have real stories.  They have families to take care of, mouths to feed, shoes to be bought, water to be drunk.  and by making these incredible items, they get a better chance at life.  these people, these artisans, they feel like family.  and we take care of our family.  So I’m excited to bring YOU into the story and let you be a part of giving life to the thousands of people all over the world that are affected by the work we do at Noonday.  You too can be a voice for the oppressed!  Every time you wear one of your items, you can pray for that country + people, you can tell the person behind you in line at Starbucks that your necklace was made with love in Uganda, or India, or Ethiopia.  Don’t you want to be a part of that?  I know I do, and I’m so blessed to be a part of the Noonday Collection team!

The Ethiopian Noonday team!

Berhanie + her son

Embemebet + her new son

Fesese Wok + her soon to be baby

I think one thing we can agree on, is these women are all moms.  just like you + me.  trying their best to provide for their families.  They have stories that most of us can’t even comprehend.  hurt, heartache, betrayal, death, starvation, persecution, disease.  yet, they still have HOPE.  this work that they do, it brings them LIFE.  I’ve sat in enough of these women’s homes + workshops to know that one thing.  This work gives them purpose, it gives them worth, it allows them to do what every mother wants to do – provide for her family.  I am a mom, and my hope is that I too can provide for my children and show them what hard work looks like.  This work, selling Noonday Collection, gives ME purpose.  It allows me to tell YOU these stories, so you know that when you buy one of their beautiful pieces, you are giving them life and purpose.  Everybody wins!

So today I am giving away 1 item – but the winner will get to chose what she gets!  I have picked 1 item from each African country that I’ve gotten to visit our artisans.  Winner can chose 1!

 click below to enter!  Giveaway goes thru FRIDAY the 20th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway