Watoto

November 29, 2012

Watoto is the swahili word for 'children'. Watoto Children’s Choir...  If you ever have a chance to see them, go.  This organization is incredible.  Five years ago Watoto hosted our team in Uganda. We were building a borehole (well) in northern Uganda and they graciously and safely navigated us through the country and the many people wanting to say hello.  Ashley Hughes and I were impressed with the professionalism of our hosts.  We were also impressed with  their vision of caring for the orphan and the widow.  Instead of raising Uganda’s orphans in an institutional type setting, Watoto raises they in an ‘Watoto village’.  8 children (orphans) are placed in a home with one mom (typically a widow).   They grow up in a home with a mom--- they are raised in a normal family setting and grow up to be well adjusted, respectable, smart citizens of Africa.  Watoto builds lots of these homes in a Watoto village along with a school, rec center and medical clinic. 

Their choirs tour the globe, telling the story of the orphan crisis in Africa.  It is a lot of song and dance, and I dare you not to smile or tap along.  The night they visited us, we had nine generous families willing to host them overnight and dropping them off the next day we heard many stories. “My children woke up at 6am wanting to play with the Watoto kids.” “The choir gave us hugs after breakfast and eats everything on their plates.” “They stripped their beds, folded dirty towels and left them in a little pile.”  It was all around an incredible experience.  Get to know Watoto.

www.watoto.com 

A Watoto documentary: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=watoto+documentary&view=detail&mid=36B92CD17D3E5FEDBCE836B92CD17D3E5FEDBCE8&first=0

 

Alternative Gift Market

November 14, 2012

What is an alternative gift? Hmmm, good question!

It’s what you would rather get than another ugly sweater! This Saturday is the Alternative Gift Market in Audubon, PA. COME UNITY will be there as will dozens of local non-profits. Each will be ‘selling’ non-gift items, three specific ways you can make important contributions to their charities. In return, you get some kind of little take away, card, momento or thank you in honor of your purchase. Or you non-purchase depending on how yo...


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Carolyn

November 7, 2012

This letter is from Carolyne. She is new to our sponsorship program, we hope to find sponsors for her and 14 classmates starting january 1, 2013. $1.40 a day make a huge impact on her life.

I am Carolyne the first born girl of John Saekro. We have seven siblings, three girls and four boys. Three are in secondary while four are still in primary level.

My father has no work he is a disabled. When you ask him for the school feeds he normally tells me that how can I struggle and yet I have no mo...


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The Foster Family

November 5, 2012

The Foster Family is trying something new this Christmas.  Exchanging “Christmas lists” seemed a little empty and self serving. This year, their church encouraged them to give up part of their Christmas gifts in a campaign called ‘Giving back Christmas.’  It fit right in to what their hearts were already saying, and this year when they get together on Christmas, the five of them will each bring a $100 check made out to COME UNITY. They will bring four handmade gifts to exchange with o...


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Plymouth Fire Hall Craft Show

October 29, 2012

Take a look at our beautiful beaded goods in person and get some hoiday shopping done this Friday in Conshohocken! COME UNITY will be participating in many holiday shows around Philadelphia (see the complete list below!) We have gorgeous necklaces and ornaments fresh from Africa. Also available, handbags, earrings, bracelets, tshirts and more. And of course, don't forget our Etsy Store! www.etsy.com/shop/beadsforgood

11/2 6-9pm Plymouth Fire Hall. 3213 Colwell Lane Plymouth Meeting, PA

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Blog Action Day: COME UNITY and the Power of WE!

October 15, 2012

Today, our blog along with other blogs around the world make up Blog Action Day’s Power of We Campaign.  We means a lot of things to COME UNITY. We have a lot of we’s to celebrate. 

At COME UNITY, ‘WE’ is our Board of Directors and Advisory Board of Directors. They are the wise Meghan Nesta, the perky Jess Petrolati, Ashley Hughes the cheerful, AJ Petrolati the insightful, Daniel Naylor the creative, Kait Korber the go-getter and more. This group has met monthly, stated their heartf...


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Hobbit House

September 25, 2012

This past weekend the Board of Directors, some Advisory Board members and I journeyed to the mecca of Mount Bethel, PA, for our 2nd annual retreat. All of a sudden the weekend was over and although so many things got done---- I could have stayed another two weeks straight. We’re not content with chugging along the way we have. The way we’ve been rolling as a non-profit and a group has worked, girls have been educated and people have drunk clean water--- but it’s time for more.  We refin...


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Crumbling

September 14, 2012

I’ve thought lately that we are so fortunate, as Americans, to have free choice and elect those we wish to run our country without bloodshed. That is gift that many around the globe do not have. Though the pangs of opposition may feel hurtful, we have a country that offers us the freedom to choose.

Our world seems like it is crumbling. Yemen. Egypt. Libya. Heartache. This week there has been a lot of violence around the world towards these ideals. My heart aches and my prayers is that the ...


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Poverty like a bandit.

September 7, 2012

This morning I read some powerful words. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like bandit and scarcity like an armed man.”

I think about poverty a lot. I live not too far from some pretty physically impoverished areas. In Africa, while walking around and visiting new communities I sometimes feel like I’m drawing lines between the poor, the really poor, and the really really poor.  It is the poorest of the poor that I rea...


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13 stairs.

August 20, 2012

I used to drive 80 miles one way to work. Now I walk up 13 steps to my new office fresh with paint and photos and the smell of new machines from my Career Transitions for Dancers grant.   I miss my old co-workers and the silliness we had in a day’s work.  It has been an adjustment for me to walk up those 13 stairs and sit at a desk, in front of this here computer, and ‘work’. 

 

A few weeks ago I went to the Global Leadership Summit.   Speakers from Bill Hybels to Jim Collins to Cond...


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