the back story: my friend jen lemen. do you know her? she’s the woman who writes the words that fall straight into our hearts. the words that challenge our hopes to hope a little bit more more. to love more deeply. to seek more truthfully.
jen and i became friends before her trip to africa, but our friendship really took off in the weeks upon her return home when her life tilted off center a bit the way our lives do when we return home from extraordinary, unexplainable and life altering experiences. although she has fully re-entered life back home in the states, she remains deeply committed to her friends she met in africa. after a zillion conversations (we talk several times a week), i know this for sure: jen is a soul warrior. she has been tireless in her raising awareness, her spirit lifting, her prayers, and her problem solving for many, many sweet souls in africa.
so this is the part where i need you.
meet esteria. she is a genocide survivor, and mother to 11 children (all but four have died). she lives in a tiny village in rwanda, and she spends her days caring for two young grandchildren who have been orphaned by AIDS. she has a special place in jen’s life, not just because jen spent a lot of time with her during her trip to africa, but because she is odette’s mother (odette is also a genocide survivor living as a refugee in the states and is dear dear friend of jen’s). jen tells me esteria is strong. brave. and a testament to love.
esteria’s mud house (pictured above) has been in a serious state of disrepair since a rainstorm blew in the roof last november. and this year’s rainy season has almost completely demolished what’s left. bottom line: esteria and the two grandchildren she is caring for deserve a home that can withstand the rain. a home with a concrete foundation and a strong roof. a home that can not only safely house their family, but one that can house their hopes, dreams, and future.
with the right funds and labor, she can have this new home very, very quickly. i believe that if we all donate just $5 (or more if you’d like), then we can do something extraordinary: we can give this family a home that was not only built with open hearts, but with open hands that held a hope so wide it made one woman’s dream of a safe home in africa come true.
please donate. i am giving away a 11×14 painting that i made in italy to one lucky person who donates any amount (i don’t have a photo of the painting as it’s currently packed away in a box, but i assure you it’s a beauty and my favorite from all of my italy creations). after you donate, please come back here and leave a comment. i will announce the winner next week. please only leave a comment if you’ve donated. thank you, thank you, thank you. as i begin this thanksgiving week, my heart is huge with a hope that we can do this…you + me. i know this will touch lives in ways we could have never imagined….
edited to add: more of esteria’s harrowing life journey here.
edited to add: many of you have asked if you can spread the word about this on your blogs…YES, please do! jen and i would so appreciate that.
Thank you Kelly Rae, I was able to donate! It worked like a charm. Thanks for doing this. I admire Jen so much!!!
I love your work and your inspiration. I am having some rough times myself. Monday I had $30.00 dallors for food and gas for the week for both my husband and I. The phone is ringing off the hook. We put it in God’s hands. It is Friday my husband got his check we now have food and gas money and can pay a few bills. I have my own little group of homeless people here who sleep under the over passes and bridges. I always take blankets and pillows and food to them. They are so apprecitive. I had a blanket one time and was talking to someone and this man walked up and said Ms what are you going to do with that . I said give it away. He may I have it? I said sure. He was sleeping only on a sheet. It hurts my heart to see people living in the world like this. When the president has a house large enough for a army and is never there. Keep up the good work every little bit helps.
Glad I stumbled across this before the donations were closed – where else can someone in NZ donate to someone in Rwanda via an artist in the US…
dude! i realized i didn’t leave a comment after donating… is it unfair that i want this italy painting?!
xo
Thank you for letting me be a small part in this-God bless this project.
karin
my heart swells
Hi Kelly Rae, Love your blog and am really loving your book. Thanks for the opportunity to donate to such a worthy cause. Hope the family is safe and sound with a roof over their heads soon.
Eileen
my heart swells
hi Kelly
thanks for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this. what a lovely thing to do. you have a big heart.
Sandra
Just found your blog today and made a donation. What a wonderful thing you are doing. Thanks for giving me a chance to help. x
So glad you left the donation option open. Wanted to do this before now but forgot til I read your post today. So happy for those folks!! Awesome response to their needs 🙂
LisaE
Of course! Yes! I love how every little bit counts.
Simone
I hope it isn’t too late to join in. I just contributed, but under a different email address that what I’m posting under. BTW, it’s my first time here, via Jen Lemen, via Shutter Sisters.
what a touching story..just donated to the cause
I was born in Africa but have spent my whole (peaceful) life in in Europe. We have so much to be grateful for. Thanks Kelly Rae, for reminding me….just made my small donation to a big cause….
This is so what the season is all about. Thank you Kelly for giving us the opportunity to build a dream!
Love being part of anything Jen and Africa. 🙂
am forwarding your blog on to all my pals …hoping a few of them will also donate $$. this is so ‘eat, pray, live.’ 🙂
What a great idea and especially during this Thanksgiving season.
And I wanted to let you know that after I made my donation, I placed a blurb about this on my blog using the photos from yours. I hope you don’t mind.
Happy Holidays!
Just pushed the paypal button. This is a wonderful opportunity for many people with a small donation to do something meaningful and deeply gratifying. There are millions of people in Odette’s mum’s situation and imagine if this could be done for everyone. A little bit donated by many goes a long way. Thanks for the opportunity to help.I hope that if there is anything left over it can be used for some of her neighbors.
You guys rock!!
Cheers, Shelagh
This is a wonderful opportunity you have created Kelly Rae, and it will be wonderful to see this family warm and cozy for winter!!!!
Blessings on them and you!!
Abigail
happy to help out a good cause!
Very happy and honoured to have been able to help – thank-you! alexa
just donated, Kelly Rae!
warmly,
gem
http://www.dropletsofdevotion.blogspot.com/
you are doing an amazing thing! thank you so much for letting me be a part of it. happy weekend!
I made a donation..I hope this brave lady and her family can have a better future.
mwquilt
Hi Kelly,
You are such a special person.
Best wishes.
Hugs Laura.
Kelly Rae you are an inspiration to us all. Thank you for ASKING to help. I can’t give a lot because my husband is out of work, but I gave what I could. Thank you again for sharing your life with us.
Paula;)
Thanks for connecting us to something so important and meaningful. Will Jen being going back to see Odette and her family?
Thank you for letting me be a part of something so wonderful.
Done!
*Fingers crossed*
That was the perfect Black Friday, post-Thanksgiving activity! Thank you for organizing this for Odetta. That was a thrill to be part of. Happy Holidays to all! 😉
xoxo
Kim
I just donated.
What an amazing way to help improve the lives of people many of us will never meet, but whom we are connected to through this huge outpouring of love.
What a beautiful gift for this family.
Thank you for doing this!
–Kelly
I love Jen Lemen and I now I love you too! I donated. I am always happy to help Jen and Odette in any way I can.
Esteria and family, <3 May your new home be filled with love and joy, laughter and song, family and friends. Many blessings to you!
love,
Kopila Valley Children's Home in Nepal
Just donated! Thank you for bringing this opportunity to all of us. A wonderful way to end Thanksgiving.
jill
thanks for doing this!
I love what you’ve done here. I’ve been to Africa, so I have a special heart for the brave women of that country.
i feel so honored to be a part of this amazing community!
thank you so much for the invitation…
for allowing me to help out in some small way.
it fills my heart
with great HOPE.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
kelly rae, I love jen and i love the story of odette and her family and I thought that today was the perfect day to start helping. I can’t wait to see what our little donations put together can do for Esteria.
Thankful for women like you.
julie
Oh my, look at how many people have come to give here.
Happy thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you Kelly Rae! I saw the story and couldn’t wait to do my little bit to help on this day when we all have so much to be thankful for. Thanks for your blog and sharing your journey! My heart is singing!
Kelly,
I found your blog through Jen’s, where I’m following Esteria’s and Odette’s story… So I’m really grateful to have another opportunity to help – thanks a lot for doing this!
And it is awesome to see so many people donating and helping – you have a wonderful community of readers :-))
Greetings form Germany, Dani.ela
It feels good to help a sister.
We are all family!
Elaine from Canada
Hi! I have also donated. Just wanted to let you know that I bought your book several weeks back and it was sooooo inspiring! You are absolutely amazing.
Stregata
Thanks for having such a big heart and sharing this opportunity to contribute with us. I donated, I wish it could have been more.
Laurie
Well of course I donated! How could I not? I heart Jen and Odette!
Jordan read Esteria’s story. He wants me to type this comment: “I want to give her $5 to help her get her house better than the way it was before.” So there you go.
We are trying to send more contributors your way, Kelly Rae:
http://karenmaehr.blogspot.com/2008/11/house-that-love-will-build.html
Thanks for thinking up this fantastic way that we can contribute to another families happiness! It is very inspiring reading the comments here, and also about Odette and her family. I am looking forward to reading about the outcome of all our simple little acts.
With much Thanksgiving!
I so appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this effort!