Coming Full Circle

It was a perfect September Day, the sun was shining and there was a light breeze.  It was our very first booth at Medfield Day and I was so excited to be a part of this.  Medfield is a classic New England small town, with a typical town fair.  This fun event draws thousands, “It’s like hosting a huge block party,” according to MEMO organizer Russ Hallisey.  

While it’s a small town, it has a big impact - to the greater Boston area and beyond. So many in this town step up and step out to make a difference; raise money, chair a board, read to students, help protect our environment, provide furniture and food for the homeless, run our local government, preserve our history… all illuminating our world in their own way.

Most of the booths relate to our community.  We were a little different.  Our focus is to the wider world and draws from the indescribable bonds forged in a small town when tragedy strikes and community members step up. So many reached out when my family most needed a village. Meals, rides, yard work, and prayers helped us survive and heal from a horrific event.  Despite tragedy, our family was blessed and God’s grace flowed abundantly.

So, yes, I was really excited! 

We were finally out in the community, talking about Amilia’s Light for the first time, explaining how we are paying it forward.  We showcased how we're lluminating our world, raising funds for the Empowerment Program  and launching A5: Amilia’s Angels, Ambassadors for Anti-Trafficking Awareness.

Our Board, Michelle, Charlie, Jodi & Jackie

The day could not have been more perfect. Our amazing team, Jackie Collins, Barbara Seeglitz, and Jodi Holman, designed and set up beautiful booth, with our signature colors.  There was so much excitement and buzz in the air and we met so many new and old friends.  The Ugandan jewelry made by the girls we support was a real draw. We signed up new followers and volunteers and several groups expressed interest in working with us especially with A5.  

Delia (In turquoise) and a friend

Delia Davis, one of Amilia’s friends from nursery school, was one of the first volunteers to sign up for the program.  “I’ve been wanting to do something like this for so long, I’ve been thinking about it for almost two years.”  Delia came and spent the afternoon with us, and I had a chance to get reacquainted with her.  I’ve seen Delia, just a handful of times, since she was a little girl, playing dolls in my home.  It was such a delight to have her brainstorm ideas with me for A5.  I’m almost giddy with the possibilities of how this can grow. 

There were emotional moments as well.  I turned to speak to a woman looking at our jewelry, only to realize, it was Amilia’s pre-school teacher, Sharon.   Our eyes met, recognition hit, and tears flowed. I have wanted to reconnect to her, but somehow never made the effort to walk back into the nursery school.  
And then, there she was… 
   

It was a full circle moment

A new supporter stopped by to talk with our Treasurer, Charlie Peck.  I had not met Pete Peterson before, I had only heard him speak at town meetings and read about him in the paper.  A man dedicated to the business of our town.  After he learned about Amilia's Light and later spoke with me, there were tears in his eyes, and he thanked me for our good work..  That was a real jolt- I never anticipated being thanked, except perhaps from our girls in Uganda.   It was humbling, because I just feel privileged to be illuminating our world.

Sources:

For more on Medfield Day, See Wicked Local article

"Medfield Charity Helping Girls Across the Globe", Hometown Weekly

Reference:
"The Empowerment Process, A Path To Make Dreams Come True", April 24, 2015 
I Went to A Garden Party, June 4. 2015,  
Spreading Our Wings, September 16, 2015

Amilia's Light: www.amiliaslight.org

Spreading Our Wings

Fall has arrived, summer vacation has come to a close and the new school year has begun. In my house, back to school entailed the obligatory 1st day of school picture.  My children happily obliged me, even through high school, wearing their new back to school outfits, sitting on the old carriage bench outside our door, backpacks filled with new notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils, filled with anticipation of what the new school year would bring. 

This year, I'm especially plugged in to the back to school activities around my town.  This September would have been Amilia's last - "first day of school".  She would have entered her senior year of high school.

We only had an opportunity to take two ‘first day of school' pics of her  She joined the ranks of angels, at the end of May of 2003, two weeks before her preschool graduation. 

 I don’t spend much time, thinking of what life with Amilia would have looked like. Instead, I try to emulate her light.  It’s why Amilia’s Light got started.  We want to Illuminate our World by encouraging people to step up, step out and light up someone’s life.  That may translate to sitting down next to a stranger or the less popular kid in the cafeteria and offering a smile or a kind word.  It may mean buying a meal for a homeless person, like my friend did just recently.  It could involve much, much more.  It could mean training for a marathon to raise money for a great cause or mentoring an at risk youth.

At Amilia’s Light, it translates to raising awareness about the epidemic of human trafficking and to facilitate organizations working to rescue and rehabilitate youth whose lives have been darkened by it.  We continue to fund-raise for the Empowerment Program, our joint project with Destiny Women in Uganda, which will bridge their rehabilitation program, with a business, mentoring, training and loan program that teaches savings and self-sustainability.

Spreading out wings…

Since Amilia would be graduating with the class of 2016 we are especially thrilled to announce that we are expanding our programs by establishing two new exciting initiatives.  

Become an Ambassador!  (It’s not only for the UN!)

The timing is right- and we’re doing our own stepping up and stepping out! This fall we are developing a pilot program geared for high school students in and around Medfield to help our cause.  It’s dubbed,  A5,  Amilia’s Angels - Ambassadors for Anti-trafficking Awareness, and I can’t think of a better way for Amilia’s friends and fellow students to help us continue to radiate her “10,000 watts of light”!  We have some great ideas for this group, such as running an education - prevention program for local areas, producing a video about awareness, collecting used cell phones for reuse for at-risk youth, and perhaps even a mentorship program. We hope you'll put your thinking caps on, and let us know your ideas via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or email.  Stop by our booth on Medfield Day to be part of the upcoming A5 video and join the group.   We plan to get started in October.  




We are so privileged to announce, that we will be awarding the first annual Amilia's Light Scholarship to a qualifying Medfield High School senior. Students who exemplify our core values will be considered by the school’s scholarship committee. More information about the scholarship will be posted in late fall, on our website.

*For more information on how Amilia's Light got started, read "A Spark of Light", my April 9 blog or check out this great article from the Hometown Weekly, http://hometownweekly.net/medfield-charity-helping-girls-across-the-globe-p14602-143.htm.

Join our team, Amilia's Angels! No mud required!

Energy!  Excitement!  Nerves!  All of those things were buzzing through me on Saturday before our Spartan Mud run!  8 miles of mud and obstacles!  I felt confident we could finish, but was hoping we could do it without serious injury.  My team members were amazing!  Sarah is the most positive person I have ever met!   She actually giggled at the excitement of playing in the mud!  Sharon was much more nervous –this was her first mud run.  Not to mention she is petite – and height is an advantage for most of the obstacles!  But she was brave, like the girls of Destiny Women, who face huge challenges in their lives.  Girl power for girl empowerment!  Right?  She didn’t look so sure!

Team 'Amilia's Angels'

The run, we had that part down.  A nice jog in the woods and around fields (the Iowa girl in me loved seeing the corn fields and cows!)  The obstacles were the real challenge!  But that’s where we had each other!  Ten foot wall?  Team up, and give a friend a boost or ask for help from a strong guy behind you!  Rope climb? Sand bag carry? Monkey bars?

A football field length of barbed wire crawl? That one was tough!  One wrong move and I sliced my ankle!

Not quite a bloody sock, but close!

There were definite moments where I was grimacing or struggling.  Or wondering what bacteria was crawling into my cut from the mud encasing it! But as a team we powered through, got wet and muddy, and finished strong with a leap over fire!

The young ladies of Destiny Women are fighters.  They are brave and courageous!  They are working hard to get an education, learn new skills or a new trade.  They are saying yes to a new life away from human trafficking and a new identity with dignity.  Despite the obstacles that life has put in front of them.

The girls also have a great team!  They have Miriam and Fulukas, social workers, the board of Destiny Women, and they have you! The supporters of Amilia’s Light!

The Empowerment Program will help the girls build job skills, help them develop a business plan, provide low interest loans to start their own businesses, and provide on-going mentoring. The loan program is designed not only to have repaid funds available for future graduates, but also to teach the girls how to save - thereby creating an opportunity for them to invest in future graduates themselves. One of the goals at Amilia's Light is to support in ways that are self-sustaining, and we believe this program has great potential.

If you have already donated we want to THANK YOU again!  If your company has a matching gifts program please take the time to fill out the required forms.  It is an easy way to double your impact! If you haven't donated yet, please consider doing so today and help us change the lives of these strong young women in Uganda.

Thank you for being part of our team!  Share this with your friends!  Invite them to ‘Like’ us on Facebook so they can be part of the exciting adventure!  Share our emails and newsletters with them.  Help us make Amilia’s Light shine around the world! 

Now….I am going to take another nice hot bath…….

Jodi Holman
Communications Director
Amilia's Light

Happy to be finished!

I checked....up to date on my tetanus shot!

♪ I went to a Garden Party ♪

Last Saturday, we held a Garden Party to raise money for the Empowerment Project we are establishing with Destiny Women in Uganda.

We have an aggressive goal this year, $25,000!  I am so grateful to say that with donations raised from Jodi Holman’s Ragnar Relay and the Garden Party, we are close to half way there! 

I truly can't find the words to express my appreciation to all who volunteered and donated to help us put together a magical evening in Amilia’s Garden!!

The Raffle was so much fun - Thanks to Rachel, Helen and Tammy!  

Our Board Members, Charlie Peck, Jackie Collins, and Jodi Holman, family, friends, volunteers and local businesses all connected and came together to provide beautiful decorations, delicious food and fun and fantastic raffle donations!

Jackie and Jodi went all out to make the night a special event!   Special thanks to Collins and Holman and Peck Families as well!  Tom even safely engineered a square tv on a round pole! And Charlie became a jack of all trades the week before, making sure the space was fixed, cleaned and safe for all! 

Tom and Jodi Holman, Jen and Brad Lawson 

Happy Raffle Winners Robin and Neal!

There were quite a few raffles that almost turned into an auction – as quite a few people really wanted to win the cruise, with Charlie Peck on Buzzard’s Bay!  And to top the event off, Ingrid Nevins, of Medfield won the Grand Prize drawing on June 1,  a 5-night stay in Orlando at a beautiful VBRO condo,  courtesy of the Holman Family!  

The Tent and Garden were Pretty as a Picture!

We all had a great time and we were blessed with perfect Garden Party Weather! 

Shout out to Barbara Seeglitz and Anna Luhrmann,  for help with gardening, organizing and decorating.

And after I spoke, we all lit tea lights and 

placed them around Amila’s Memory Garden.

 I will carry the memory of this night with me for a long time.

I’ve included in my blog this week, a copy of my talk, "How Ubuntu Illuminates our World"  and added photos from the party...

“I’d like to welcome and thank you for joining us tonight at our Garden Party. We appreciate your taking time to come and learn about the Empowerment Program we are establishing with Destiny Women in Uganda."  

"We have a small, but mighty group of dedicated people, on our Amilia’s Light board that I’d like to introduce to you."

Jackie Collins, Director of Operations
Jodi Holman, Director of Communications

Charlie Peck, Treasurer, Director of  Finance

"I want to thank them and all our volunteers for their hard work and dedication in putting this event together   I’m so thankful, to have them along on this journey with me and their efforts have helped to catapult us toward the next phase of our shared dream."

"I want to take a minute and acknowledge our contributors. The love, support and generosity has meant so much, and has already made a difference! We’ve been able to provide solar lighting, Wi-Fi and computer equipment, school fees and medical services to Destiny Women."

"Because of you, I’m privileged to stand here tonight, and ask you to help Amilia’s Light raise $25,000 to establish an Empowerment Project for Destiny Women’s graduates."

"I’ve come to love the African term Ubuntu, which means, 'I am, Because of Who You Are'" 

"Desmond Tutu, who led the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, wrote",

‘Ubuntu…speaks of the very essence of being human…. When we want to give high praise to someone, we say, ‘Hey so-and-so has Ubuntu. You are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly...caring and compassionate. You share what you have. 

It is to say, ‘My humanity is inextricably bound up in yours.’

"I just love that! "

("If your interested, you can read more in his book, 'No Future without Forgiveness'.")

"Ubuntu means that we can connect and transform each other by freely giving of ourselves. Ubuntu aptly describes how the successes we have at Amilia’s Light are directly dependent on your connection to us. Your support and contributions help transform the lives of young girls who have been involved in trafficking, 6800 miles from here in East Africa."

"A La Oprah,  “You’re connected, you’re connected, your connected, and we’re all connected… and NOW we’re all connected with Destiny Girls in Uganda!"

"Let me give you a brief history of how Amilia’s Light came to be." 

Miriam and Fulukas Boroa

"Our family was introduced to the Co-founders of Destiny Women, Miriam and Fulukas Boroa in 2009, by our pastor, Phil Bauman. Destiny Women has successfully rescued and rehabilitated over 50 girls.   Our family sponsored five of these girls in 2010."

 "I was inspired by their work and we started this non-profit in Amilia’s honor.  Just last fall, we received our tax-exempt status."

Destiny Girls 

"Some, of the girls, especially those that have sponsors, have been able to attend school and find valuable work. But many still struggle - Which is why we are supporting this Empowerment Project."

"This past March, I went to Uganda to work on the Empowerment Project and spent over a week with Destiny Women, their board and the girls."

" I will be the keeper of the flame 
and together with all of you,
 lives will be changed
 as we illuminate our world!"

"I’m struggling to describe what happened during this trip; I was both deeply moved and our time together was rewarding."

"I’ve been told, that I am the keeper of the flame, the heart of Amilia’s Light.  I don’t think I understood what that meant, or how it translates into running a non-profit. I can tell you though, that, without a shadow of a doubt, this trip solidified God’s purpose for me."

"During the trip I had a chance to reconnect with the girls we sponsored and got to know few of the other girls who have graduated Destiny Women’s Rehabilitation Program." 

Our Proud Gradute - Esther

"I met Esther Kasiri.

(You might remember her from my blog...)"

"Esther’s father died when she was young, Her mother has HIV and struggles to support the family.  Esther, with help from a sponsor, was able to obtain her degree in social work."

"Yet Esther is giving back and making a difference.  She volunteers in the community and has become a key leader in Destiny Women’s Rehabilitation Program."

"With the money we raise tonight, DW can hire Esther to counsel, care for and mentor the girls who will benefit from the Empowerment Project."

"Teddy’s Path is Not As Clear."

Michelle and Teddy

"Teddy is fun loving, creative and has exceled at making Ugandan beaded jewelry.  And she gives the best Hugs! . "

"But Teddy is at a crossroads…Amilia’s light sponsored her school fees, and paid for surgery on her foot.  However, she missed a lot of school because of the surgery and hasn’t passed her senior 4 and that means she can’t continue in school."

"She is back living at home, in an unhealthy environment and her future is bleak…"

"The night before I left, I sat with her and tried to convince her to stay with Miriam and Fulukas, but she doesn’t want to leave her family and her sole support."  

"The Empowerment Program would give Teddy a leg up, and the ability to start a jewelry making business, work with a mentor, take a business workshop and live in a safe environment."

"
Now, let me tell you about our most recent success story – Anita!"

"You see, just two months ago, I sat on a mud floor, with Anita and looked at the holes in her roof, and worried about what she was going to do when rainy season started…"

"Thanks to the donations we raised in May, we've been able to get Anita, started in a business training course - THIS WEEK!"

"My prayers have been answered."

Anita's first day of Business School

"The money we raised this month is going to empower Anita."

"Together we have made a difference in the life of one girl in two short months! 

"And that’s how we change the world

one girl at a time – one donation at a time!"

 Let’s Illuminate Our World!

"Please help us meet our goal tonight, to raise $25,000 for the Empowerment Project.  Your tax-deductible donation can be put in the donation box ‘conveniently’ located at the bar. "

"Would you join me now and light a candle in Amilia’s garden?"

Michelle Luhrmann

Founder, Amilia’s Light

(Find out more about Destiny Women and the Empowerment Project in earlier blog, and our website)


If you have already donated to our cause, we thank you so much!   You have already begun to make a difference!  

If you were unable to attend our event and would like to be part of the solution to help end sex trafficking - one girl at a time, please consider a contribution toward the Empowerment Project.

You can mail a check to Amilia's Light
P.O. Box 83
Medfield, MA 02052 or use our Paypal Link TO DONATE