147 Million Orphans

I just bought my first 2 t-shirts which means I will feed a child for 4 weeks with my purchase! This site was started by my sister's best friend, Suzanne, and another friend of hers. (Rumor has it Katherine Heigel has even started purchasing items from this site!) :)

They have t-shirts, to hoodies, to hats, to bags, to jewelry. The jewelry is all hand made by women in Africa.
The beads are made from recycled magazines. And Amazima Ministries is training the women in the Karamajong tribe to make necklaces for the website. They buy their beads, sell them, & then send a portion of the proceeds back to a feeding program for their children.

What a great way to get some Christmas shopping done! Cute items AND feeding the hungry. Everyone wins.

Visit Now!!!
www.147millionorphans.com


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

My Heart Is Full

My heart is so full right now. I am always speechless and overwhelmed when I read the blogs on Amazima.org

Katie, who started this ministry is younger than I and she is living in Africa running an orphanage and feeding the hungry. Her story is so inspiring and every time I read it, I realize that we have an immense capacity to change the world. Sometimes it feels overwhelming and doesn't seem like "there is much that I can do" But when I read Katie's story, I am so uplifted, and I know that there IS so much I can do.

I know that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing right now. I am working as hard as I possibly can to achieve my dreams. And though I am swamped and enveloped in my own personal journey, I know I am soon coming to a place where I can do so much MORE. I can't wait for that time. I get nervous excitement in my belly when I think of all that is coming.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for coming to shows. Thank you for listening. Together, we're gonna spread a whole lotta peace, love, and fiddle.

~natalie

From JJ's BBQ to Africa

Something about a giant baked potato with the best pulled pork BBQ I know of just makes the world make sense to me. I LOVE the Pulled Pork Potatoes from JJ's in Columbia. And ummm.... most anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with their fruit tea as well. I even have the recipe and use it frequently at Thanksgiving, Christmas... you know... days when JJ's isn't open. :)-

After loading up on JJ's today, Jessie finally got to catch me up on the videos I had yet to see from The Raining Season's trip to Sierra Leone. It amazing what perspective does. It's heartbreaking, inspiring, uplifting, and overwhelming all at the same time to watch the footage from their trip. These children and these people have been left with so little. Their country is in ruin after a brutal civil war. Children who are suffering can't get the medical attention they need because there's always someone who is worse off. It is hard to watch. But it is beautiful to see something being done.

I am so inspired by the work the Raining Season is doing. And they are helping people brick by brick, drop by drop, and grain by grain. The people of Sierra Leone are so grateful. Seeing an entire people that know nothing but poverty, who are thankful for a bowl of rice each day, and seem so happy.... It's beautiful.

After talking and watching the footage with Jessie, I was heading back to my apartment with a quick pit stop for my sister. I went to her best friend's house to pick something up for her. Now, Stephanie's best friend Suzanne. Wow. I know her first 2 children. But I hadn't really gotten to spend time with or meet the rest of her kids. There have been 4 additions since the last time I saw her!!! How crazy is that? I had the best time talking with and getting to actually spend time with her children. Children just fill my heart. They LOVED Cinnamon and let me bring her in. They were having a ball chasing her around the house! (Not sure how Cinnamon felt, but she's pretty good at holding her own. With 7 nieces and nephews... she's gotten pretty used to it!)

This is Caleb, Annabelle, Michael, MillerAnne, Joshua, Grace, and Mallory (Mallory is "technically" a neighbor, but let's face it - she's family!)



Suzanne is such a beautiful person. She is actually going to Uganda very soon. And her 2 oldest children who are around 10 and 12 are going with her. I have just spent the last 30 minutes reading and looking at the blogs of Amazima Ministries. Amazima is what inspired Suzanne to make her trip to Africa.
Katie is a 21 year old girl who first went to Uganda at 18. She fell in love with the people, and her heart was broken as she saw so may children just sitting idly on the side of the road. She started this foundation which has grown tremendously over the last few years. Her stories are so moving. And I encourage everyone to at least read some of her stories. It will impact your day in a beautiful way.

I spent part of my night catching up on some accounting, and I found a movie about Coco Chanel which sounded like a good working/listening movie. Boy was I wrong!!! I was having trouble focusing on my work because she was such a captivating woman.

At one point in the movie, they are discussing how frustrating it is that men seem to have so many advantages (this is the early 1900's) Her friend says,"That's just the way the world is. Not like you can change the world." Coco replied with "Why not?"

Beautiful.

Here's to whatever your light is in the world - music, fashion, mission work, cooking....

Peace, Love, Fiddle, and doing what we can to change the world