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Ah, summer has melded into fall, and the kids all made it back to school. I took a short break from blogging to savor the last moments of summer. Spend time with my kids. Regroup with inspiration. Welcome the fall with open arms.

There’s lots of news. Some I can part with right now, other tidbits will have to wait until the timing is right.

I am happy to announce that Father Mugagga recently said bon voyage and headed overseas to Uganda. He will be visiting St. Elizabeth Girl’s Academy while spending time in his homeland.

It’s always a pleasure to meet up with Father Mugagga following one of his trips. I relish in his stories. I ogle over the photos. The floodgates open, and I cry with joy knowing our work is making a difference in the life of a girl.

A large piece of my heart belongs to Uganda. One day, I hope you will join me, and experience the life-changing trip to visit our girls.

It’s great to be blogging again! There is so much more to share, so stay-tuned.

Peace, love and welcome back!

Cristen

Meet Josephine

She’s independent. By this I mean she’s got her own sense of style, and let it shine during picture day. Looking through the handful of student pictures I receive each year, the photos contained white socks or no socks. But not Josephine, our little Josephine rocked the red socks. She did not care what everyone else wore. She did not conform. She expressed her independence that day. She made a statement.

You can’t teach independence. But you can create a path through your actions of encouragement, guidance and faith. For Josephine, there is a long, tough road of education in front of her, but she is already on the path to self-dependence.

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” – Coco Chanel

Rock those RED socks Josephine girl!

Peace, love and independence,

Cristen

 

An appropriate topic for today, as America celebrates Independence Day. Let’s break down the dictionary definition of Independence.

 

in·de·pen·dence noun ˌin-də-ˈpen-dən(t)s

 

: freedom from outside control or support: the state of being independent

 

: the time when a country or region gains political freedom from outside control

 

Related to INDEPENDENCE

 

Synonyms
self–sufficiency, self-dependence, self-reliance, self-subsistence, self-support

 

Antonyms
dependence (also dependance), reliance

 

 

Related Words

autonomy, freedom, self-determination; potency, power, resilience, strength

 

As we pull out the grills, meet up with family and friends, relax by the pool in the name of independence, we need to remember the 200 girls at St. Elizabeth Girls’ Academy.  America celebrates 238 years of independence. Our girls are going through what our forefathers went through, a fight for their freedom, a fight for the right to be self-reliant.

 

A toast to our girls: We honor your fight. We support your efforts to better your situation. Cheers to your education, stay resilient and continue to follow your path to INDEPENDENCE.

Happy 4th!

 

Peace, love and freedom,
Cristen

 

Meet Maria. She loves to play outside.

She dreams of college, a career, and a family of her own one-day. She wants to learn…devour all the knowledge she can. When it comes time to hit the playground Maria laughs and giggles with her best buddies. She longs for adventure and freedom.

So do my three daughters. They giggle with their friends. They play sports. They are diligent and smart girls in school. They have many luxury’s that in another world thousands of miles away, Maria does not.

The difference? My daughter’s live in the United States surrounded by a loving family. Maria, at 10 years old, is an orphan. She has the loving hugs of the orphanage family, not loving hugs of a mom with her unconditional praises.

As a mother, I see no difference between Maria and my daughters. Inspiration, dreams and giggles, they are all girls at heart.

Peace, Love & Hope

Cristen

 

 

Education changes lives and opens doors. “If you educate a woman, you educate a nation.” Education is transformational in the lives of our girls, and statistics don’t lie.

• When 10% more girls go to school a country’s GDP increases on average by 3%.

• Educate a girl and she will reinvest 90% of her income into her family.

• 90% of the girls in our program achieve their dreams – a self-sufficient life.

This month we are honoring the girls at St. Elizabeth Girls’ Academy with a graduation celebration. Graduation means starting a new chapter in life, the next step to independence.

Our girls wanted to change their lives, they did; and now we celebrate the next phase of their journey. The momentous occasion of graduation reminds them of their strength to succeed. Hope for Hearts provides a hand-up to these girls with funding to support educational and vocation training.

With your support, and the support of other caring individuals, Hope for Hearts feeds, houses, and provides basic medical care. Most importantly our strength to give educates her. Thanks to your hand-up, our girls thrive and become the wonderful productive members of society they want to be.

Please send your most generous gift to ensure that more girls entering our program receive the same quality care. Her life will be changed for the better as a result of your financial gift.

Your gift creates opportunities to change a girl’s world; her faith will change the whole world.

Peace and Love,Cristen

Together, we can provide a hand-up in the life of a girl. #investingirls.

Mail: St. Elizabeth Girls’ Academy
P.O. Box 82500
Las Vegas, NV 89180
Call: 702-412-6571

Click here to schedule your tax-deductible gift.

$25 provides two girls a month of meals

$120 purchases a sewing machine

$240 – one girl, one year of education

$625 feeds 50 girls for a month

$1,200 sponsors five girls for the entire year