JabuAfrica

When I was in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in October 2010, I remember hearing one of the mama’s at an orphanage for school age children say, “Here there are no holidays; No birthdays; No Christmas.”  In truth, there is often no breakfast or lunch—just one meal a day. This orphanage is on the outskirts of Kinshasa and is run by an altruistic college professor who had an enduring dream to run a safe home for older kids.  She is doing a fantastic job caring for the boys and girls in this home despite being in a country torn apart by the destruction of war, an 85% unemployment rate, and threatened today by violence due to speculation of an unfair election. One meal a day, a safe place to live, and the opportunity to attend school is a dream come true. As friends of JabuAfrica, you know that one of our current projects is rehabilitating a building in Kinshasa into a safe and loving home for babies and children who have nowhere to go.  I have been asked “Why? Aren’t there other places these kids can go?”  To answer that I will tell you about another orphanage I visited in the center of Kinshasa.  In this place with a swinging gate open to a busy, dusty road framed by open sewage drains, children are able to disappear without notice. There is no bathroom, and on the day I visited the children had not eaten for two days. The dormitory style bedrooms had bunk beds but no mattresses and very few blankets to protect them from deadly mosquitoes and the cooler nighttime air. I read this week about another orphanage in Kinshasa where men are allowed to abuse the children there for a price. The abuse happens any time of day and any time of night.  The story made me sick, and yet it motivates me even more to do all we can to get this facility built and ready to receive children and keep them from being placed in harmful circumstances.   Is it ok for our children to have every wish checked off their list for Christmas while another child goes without the most basic of needs? Because of your partnership, JabuAfrica was able to send the first check to buy the spades, shovels, wheel barrels and hammers to begin building the exterior wall.  Construction is set to begin in January.  We will be receiving pictures as items are bought and throughout the construction process.  We have the exciting opportunity to be a part of this project from its genesis.  Construction begins with the building of the outside wall, and then the rehab of the existing building will take place. The facility will be furnished with toilets and running water. Once the facility is running JabuAfrica will help to sponsor the 70+ babies and children that will be living there. They will be safe from abuse, loved, educated and given a future. Please consider JabuAfrica as you think through your year-end giving.  We are a registered non-profit and your gift is tax deductable.  Unlike many other organizations, 100% of your gift to JabuAfrica will go directly to our projects.  Please send gifts to JabuAfrica, 47 S. Pennsylvania St., Ste 700, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Thank you for your partnership and the important role you have in this story of hope and a future for many orphans in DRC. Sincerely yours, Sarah Castor

Today, on this election day in the DRC, I want to say thank you for all of those who came out last Monday to the JabuAfrica event at Triton Brewery.  I texted Sarah last Tuesday to give her my thanks for throwing such an awesome event; she seemed as excited as ever at the turnout.  So, a huge thank you to all!

A few highlights of the evening was meeting many new people, listening to the musical delights of Stasia Demos Mills and Tad Armstrong, seeing our crazy kids be involved in the event and playing, and most of all hearing the vision of the orphanage that JabuAfrica is working on in the DRC.

In turn, today is election day in the DRC.  Last night, my husband had the news on, and I asked him to call out to me if they reported on the elections in Congo while I whipped our Sunday traditional dinner:  banana pancakes.  I didn’t get a shout out, and therefore my disappointment ensued.  The lack of attention on issues in Africa from our US media is frustrating.

I ask that you lift up the people in Congo today, especially.  Reports are saying that there is violence, confusion, and anger.  It saddens my heart to think that innocent lives are being caught in the crossfire of fear.  I also pray that the person who does win the election does so honestly and more importantly, that he use all of his efforts to help the people in the DRC.

Thank you for all that you do, friends!

On November 21st, JabuAfrica will be hosting an event at Triton Brewery from 5 to 8 pm, and it’s just in time before the mad dash for Thanksgiving begins!  Special musical guest, Stasia Demos Mills along with Tad Armstrong will be lending a hand and will be sure to make it an evening you won’t want to miss.  Also, there will be some wonderful giveaways.  I’m thrilled to be able to kick off the holiday season with JabuAfrica friends and hope to see you there!

On another note, my pal, Sarah Castor, encouraged me to read the book Dancing in the Glory of Monsters by Jason Stearns.  The avid reader that I am, I quickly said yes.  This non fiction book unravels the conflict in Congo and the players involved in its complicated and tragic account.  Only three chapters in, I find myself making mental maps of the 5w’s as I begin to try to understand all those who are playing a hand in the conflict in the heart of Africa.  The more I read, the more I feel I must know to truly say that I am an advocate for peace and prosperity in Africa.  I will be journeying on through the book and invite you to join me in the upcoming weeks.

I am stricken with humility by the words of Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”  I am the first to admit that my understanding is more shallow than I would like for it to be with the conflict in Congo and the suffering that happens there and in Africa.  As an educator, I believe that education is key and the more information I have, the more I can speak about it.  So, I invite you to gain more knowledge in order to help more effectively and love with a fuller understanding.

I hope to see you on the 21st and bring the kiddos!

Much love,

Kathy, friend of JabuAfrica

I briefly mentioned Heather Givans, owner of Crimson Tate and artist extraordinaire, on my last post.  I was so inspired by what she was doing to help JabuAfrica, that I took the opportunity to go to her fabric store on Mass Ave and get to know her a little better as well as dig a little deeper about how her connection with JabuAfrica came about.  First of all, if you haven’t been in the store, you need to go.  It’s eye candy for a color junky like me.  Her fabrics are beautiful, and although I can barely thread a needle, her store inspires me to want to learn more.  Thankfully she has sewing classes, which I did sign my eight year old daughter up for; she’s the real artist in our family!

Sitting with Heather at her rectangle table amidst fabric swatches, cupcakes, and her mom, I felt right at home.  She was gracious enough to share her story of how her connection to Africa began and led to her natural involvement with JabuAfrica.  It all began back in Heather and Sarah’s college days at Purdue, where they became friends.  Heather always had a desire to visit two places:  Africa and India, so when the opportunity arose for her to take a trip to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, she jumped on it along with Sarah!  She spent the majority of her time in Africa in a remote village named Vihiga in Kenya.  There, she was hosted by a family whose home consisted of three huts constructed with a thatched roof and mud walls.  Heather’s enthusiasm for doing anything to help the family and be involved in their daily lives was palpable as she described her experience; she was ready and willing to do anything they needed and would allow her to do.  The family had a book stall in the nearby market where they sold paper, pens, and some books.  Their spirits were well and alive amidst their difficult way of life, and they were very accommodating to her as their guest.

Heather told me about a couple she befriended in Vihiga named Joseph and Zapora.  During Heather’s time there, Zapora suffered a miscarriage.  Unfortunately, there were no medical resources for Zapora as she endured this tragedy physically.  Heather described how she would ask Zapora what she could do to help, but Zapora knew that her only choice was to endure all of this just as she was.  In an effort to help subside her physical pain, let alone the emotional side, Zapora would break off chunks from the mud walls of her home because she knew that iron was strong in the mud and would help her body recover.  That was the best remedy she had available to her.

Heather said that her experience in Kenya made her realize that, “you should go to the end of yourself in your world to live.”  There’s much that we can all take from that.  We all are living in our own circumstances, and it is up to us to not only make the best of it but to go as far as you can go to live it fully.

The JabuAfrica selection of fabrics displayed at Crimson Tate

Jumping to 2011, Heather’s desire to help JabuAfrica came about when she first opened Crimson Tate this past August.  She said she would frequently see this one particular woman pass by the store on her way to the trustee’s office, and one day the woman came in and expressed her love of fabric.  They began a conversation about how the woman was from West Africa, and she was currently doing all that she could to bring her husband to the US too.  The woman offered to bring Heather some textiles that she had from Africa, and it was then that Heather realized she could link her love of beautiful fabrics to further JabuAfrica’s mission.  So, she ordered fabrics from a manufacturer in Africa and there began her JabuAfrica display!

In speaking with Heather, it’s apparent that she’s passionate about her store being more than a store and that what she does is, “bigger than ordering fabric from Africa.”  Her shop is a place for constant conversation and where ideas and inspiration organically come alive.  First hand, I felt this as I sat with her.  I wanted to stay and talk and create something.  It was obvious to me that what she does and the tools she uses and ultimately shares, has a story behind it as well as having the power to tell a new one.  I was and am inspired.

Heather Givans with my budding artist, Alex

Besides playing referree to three small boys, ahem, I have had the incredible opportunity to be in conversation with a few amazing people who have a true heart for Africa. Currently, we are in the process of discerning what projects are the best fit for JabuAfrica. Stay tuned, I will let you know in about two weeks the specifics of our first project. Believe me, IT’S AWESOME and i am thrilled we are going to be a part of it!

We are blownaway excited by the responses we have recieved from you all! Thank you for your excitement and encouragement in this journey. Having kids I don’t make promises too often, fearful of not being able to carry through but in this case…well, I can promise you this adventure will be worth your time and sacrifice. What can you do to help? Tell your friends! Tell your kids! Make this your family project! Share JabuAfrica on Facebook! We are so excited to have you come beside us!

Woohoo! You are here! Now what?

JabuAfrica was born out of a simple conversation between my husband and I while driving in the car with three little boys in the backseat. We wanted to step out of our ordinary lives and into something that was bigger than ourselves – and we wanted to invite others to join us. It’s a bit frightening to step out with such a big mission BUT we won’t be standing alone. So, thank YOU! Let us not be silent. Let’s not be still. Let your heart be broken, your life shaken up… join us in this adventure making lives better for children in DRC, South Africa and Ethiopia.

This is just the beginning…your invitation to a better story.

“God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.” – Bono