Group of children at St Elizabeths Girl School

In just a few days we’ll be celebrating not only the start of a new year, but a new decade. 2020 will be a momentous year, and I hope it brings you vision, clarity, peace, and strength. I hope you can stand strong to face the obstacles in your way. I hope you can find the strength to do the things you think you can’t, and continue doing the things you know you can.

Group of children at St Elizabeths Girl School

I find this to be the number one lesson I have learned from the kids we serve in our orphanages and schools. Life is hard. It’s not always smiles. These kids came from some of the toughest places imaginable. Homeless, hungry, lacking education or family support. Through all their hardships, they stood strong in the face of adversity, and they envisioned a better life for themselves. They did not give up. They will not give up.

There are many children in our schools that are now happy to be in a home with a roof over their heads, a new familial bond with our staff and friends made at the school. They can once again begin to smile. But it’s not all smiles all the time. They still have memories of where they came from. They still face struggles learning the unknown. And while they may cry tears of sadness or frustration, they are really watering the seeds you’re planting for their future.

With your donation, you can help provide the seeds of knowledge to these children. Instead of crying alone on the streets, they can cry in the comfort and loving arms of our nuns, teachers and counselors. They can feel loved, supported, and most of all safe. They can let the tears out, then with amazing resilience that only a kid can have, they pick themselves up, go back to the books, and stand strong to build a better future for themselves.

As everyone is finalizing their New Year’s resolutions, I find myself thinking about mine. Taking a lesson from our kids, I resolve to stand strong. I resolve to stand strong in all that I do. I resolve to stand strong for others who need the hand up, by continuing to continue raising money and fighting for orphaned children in Uganda.

Will you resolve to stand strong with me? Stand strong for yourself and for the less fortunate.

Wishing you peace and happiness in the new year,
Cristen Lyn

As you’re busy bustling about preparing for the holidays, please keep our kids in mind. Whether it’s as simple as signing up for Amazon Smile, making a donation on Giving Tuesday, or purchasing a handmade Kambulago as a gift, supporting Hope for Hearts this holiday season is as easy as 1… 2… 3!

  1. Shop Amazon Smile
    Whether you’re planning on participating in Cyber Monday, or simply purchasing items online at Amazon, if you haven’t already signed up for Amazon Smile, you should. It’s easy. Simply sign up at smile.amazon.com, select Hope for Hearts as your charity of choice, then do all your amazon shopping from smile.amazon.com, and a portion of the proceeds will go back to our organization. The best part about this program is that there’s no fee for you to sign up, and a portion of the proceeds from products you’d be buying anyway will go back to our organization. So why not put the money to even better use?
  2. Giving Tuesday
    After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday comes our favorite shopping holiday – Giving Tuesday. It is a day to show your gratitude for all that you have by giving back to the local community. All donations are tax-deductible, making it a great, easy way to give your year-end contributions to a worthy cause. You can participate by making a donation to support our children online at https://hope4hearts.org/donate.
  3. Kambulagos (necklaces)
    Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer or small gift to give a teacher, colleague, etc.? But one of our handmade kambulagos (necklaces). They’re the gift that keeps on giving! We purchase the kambulagos from women in Uganda who hand-make and sell each necklace to make a living and support their independence. The necklaces are eco-friendly and made from recycled paper – ensuring each one is truly unique and one-of-a-kind. When you purchase one of these necklaces from us, the proceeds go back to providing a hand up to the orphaned children in our schools. The necklaces are made by a guest teacher of the school’s art program that teaches our students how to make this jewelry and sell it as a business to support themselves once they graduate. So we are still supporting the school programs with these beads.

Browse our products and make your purchase today at https://hope4hearts.org/products.

However you choose to support Hope for Hearts this holiday season, no contribution, no matter how small, goes unnoticed. We depend 100% on private donations. Every donation, large or small, supports our mission to educate up from poverty to prosperity. Here are just a few examples of where your money goes!

  • $25 provides two children a month of meals
  • $120 purchases a sewing machine
  • $240 one child, one year of education
  • $625 feeds 50 for a month
  • $1,200 sponsors five children for the entire year

With Gratitude,
Cristen

Gift giving season is officially upon us and we have the perfect gift for the fashionista on your list. Hope for Hearts Kambulagos make the perfect stocking stuffer or present for a friend, coworker, etc. They are truly alluring, in more ways than you know and we’d like to tell you about them in this week’s weekend word featuring a double hitter – allure and attract.
al·lure
əˈlo͝or/
noun
  1. the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating.
  2. powerfully attract or charm; tempt. 
To be alluring means to be powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating, attracting and charming others in its presence – our Kambulagos are all of that and more! In addition to being a beautiful accessory, each necklace has a fascinating story that will attract more people to want to support our efforts. 
 
We purchase the kambulagos from women in Uganda who hand-make and sell each necklace to make a living and support their independence. The necklaces are eco-friendly and made from recycled paper – ensuring each one is truly unique and one-of-a-kind. When you purchase one of these necklaces from us, the proceeds go back to providing a hand up to the orphaned children in our schools; and your charitable gift can spread even farther through the law of attraction. 
the-power-of-attraction-3
 
at·tract
əˈtrakt/
verb
  1. cause to come to a place or participate in a venture by offering something of interest, favorable conditions, or opportunities.
  2. evoke (a specified reaction).
  3. cause (someone) to have a liking for or interest in something.
To attract means to make something happen, evoke a reaction, cause interest; and the law of attraction suggests that like attracts like. When you use attraction to do more good in the community, it can be a very powerful thing,  
Every time you wear or gift a Hope for Hearts necklace, its allure starts a conversation about our mission and the great deed you have done through the simple purchase of a necklace. This attracts others to follow your lead and purchase necklaces for themselves or their friends and family. The ripple effect makes an even bigger impact.
the-power-of-attraction
 
So this holiday season, help us make waves that will ultimately touch the lives of more and more orphaned children in Uganda. Purchase a handmade Kambulago by Dec. 18 in order to receive it in time for Christmas.
 
Many Thanks,
Cristen