what's next! part 2 (read this fifth, then you can read them in whatever order you want.)

so now that you know my longer-term plans, we still have to cover the short-term! ever since leaving my job at the church, i knew the ideal situation would be to find something that i really felt God was calling me to, fit my passions and interests, and could also pay the bills. at this point, after 2 full months of searching without much fruit, i'm at the point of settling for objective three: pay the bills! luckily, just when i felt like giving up, the Lord reminded me that he has been working things out all along.

some pieces are beginnig to come together, like babysitting gigs, temp agencies, and some tutoring. the interim job that i am most excited about, though, is being a sales rep for Acholi Beads. i have known about acholi beads for a while, and last year i met up with the founder, james, who has become a friend through relational tithe. for me, acholi beads combines several of my passions--proactive involvement in the conflict affecting hundreds of thousands of people in Uganda and central Africa; empowerment and life development training for survivors of injustice and oppression; and, of course, cute accessories.

acholi beads is a wholesale company that sells beautiful beaded jewelry handmade by refugee women in uganda. these women of the acholi tribe, victims of the 23-year conflict with the LRA, have been forced to flee their homes in northern uganda and re-settle in slum quarters in the ugandan capital of kampala. the opportunities for these women are very limited, and their "livelihood" is based on work in a local rock quarry--smashing rocks into gravel by hand. if they were lucky, they'd make $1/day. so not only were they spending their days pounding rocks, but their kids (and adopted orphans from their community) had no safe place to play. at the same time, these women have an amazing native craft of turning paper into beutiful beaded jewelry. so Acholi Beads has come alongside these women to give them a market in america. now the women have hope for their lives and have investment in a brighter future for themselves and their families.

it's not a charity--it's a Socially Proactive Business because it is a business whose success is directly linked to the alleviation of a social ill. our beadmakers make money by selling their wares to Acholi Beads. Acholi Beads makes money by selling the beads to stores. The stores make money by selling the beads to their customers. and all throughout, more and more people learn the story of the acholi women and spread the word about their amazing courage and strength.

think about how cool it is--customers get some amazing, beautiful, unique, handmade jewelry and women halfway across the world become more empowered to change their own lives! and think about what a cool gift that would be for the holidays--not only could you give some beautiful jewelry, but you'd give the additional gift of knowing that your purchase directly benefits a bead-maker in uganda. check out the beads online, tell your friends, and then order from me! (ordering directly from me will save you $1 per piece) there are also some pieces that aren't listed on the website, as well as a holiday gift set that has a matching necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings.

wear their beads and share their story!!