On this day in 1960 a group of black South Africans gathered in the township of Sharpeville (just 150 km away from Mamelodi) to protest the pass laws that limited the movement of all non-white South Africans. A key component of the Apartheid system, pass laws required black South Africans to carry a pass book with them at all times when they were outside of their compounds and designated areas. Failure to do so could result in arrest.

On 21 March 1960 at least 180 black Africans were injured (there are claims of as many as 300) and 69 killed when South African police opened fire on approximately 300 demonstrators. The Sharpeville Massacre, as the event has become known, signaled the start of armed resistance in South Africa, and prompted worldwide condemnation of South Africa’s Apartheid policies.

In 1996, when African National Congress succeeded to power with Nelson Mandela as their leader, 21st March was instituted as the South Africa Human Rights Day and included in the list of National Holidays of South Africa.

In July of 2005 I traveled to South Africa for the first time. During that trip my home church, Crossroads, envisioned developing a long-term partnership with Charity & Faith Mission Church in Mamelodi focused impacting change in the poverty and AIDS-torn community. Doctors, teachers, grant writers, entrepreneurs and visionaries joined to dream about future partnership possibilities. For me, this dreaming lead to the opportunity to combine my educational background and my jewelry business into what is now Beaded Hope, an organization passionate about making change in the world, one woman at a time.

So, it comes with great sadness that I am now sharing with you that the partnership between the two churches, Crossroads and Charity & Faith, has officially and mutually ended. This means that there will be no more trips between the two churches, no more financial support and no more Mamelodi-targeted projects (for more details you can check out the FAQ document prepared by Crossroads).

Never in a million years did I anticipate the need to bring you this news. And, like me, you may be wondering what this means for the future of Beaded Hope.

The leadership team at Beaded Hope (both here and in South Africa) has taken time to think, discuss and pray about what this change means to our future. While it is true that Beaded Hope began out of a church-related trip it is also true that we have been operating as an independent organization for quite some time. We are truly saddened by this development but we are not deterred.

The women that we serve in the Mamelodi community are our sisters whom we love and, as long as we are welcome, we will continue to serve them.

So it is with bittersweet sadness for the past that we dream (and plan) for a future full of hope.

It’s been nearly four years now but I still can’t shake the memory; Nelly and Betty shouting, dancing, and singing because they would have bread on the table that night. In that single moment I learned a life-altering lesson. I learned of the power of bread on the table, the joy of sharing with friends and family, and how one seemingly small act can impact many people.

Let me backup. Four years ago I hired two new artists, Nelly and Betty, and paid them for their first delivery of beadwork. Immediately they jumped out of their chairs, shouted and danced and sang, slowing down eventually, to tell me that they would have bread on the table that night. I was moved by their bold display of appreciation but didn’t fully understand their words until later that evening when a South African friend of mine told me the true meaning.

You see, in South Africa when someone receives they also share. So, while Nelly and Betty would have bread on their table that night so would their children, their families, their extended families, their neighbors, their friends and perhaps even the neighborhood orphans.

To witness the power of a simple act, the joy that it created and the generosity that ensued was nothing short of a pivotal moment in my life. As a result of this experience I have spent the last two years search for a seamstress who could carry the beauty of the bread on the table concept one step further. Then in January I met a woman named Elina who lives in a one room shack with her two daughters and two grand-daughters in Pumelonge, one of the poorest areas of Mamelodi. Using a generator to power her sewing machine, Elina manages to create the most beautiful custom draperies, pillow coverings and whatever else she can dream up. When asked if she could make an apron for me Elina said “yes” and showed up the next day, having walked the five miles from her house to see me, with several samples for my review. Overwhelmed by both her initiative and her meticulous work, I hired Elina immediately and we began to work on what are now the first (of many) Beaded Hope aprons.

Along with always having a heart for Africa I have always loved to cook and when I do you will find me with an apron tied around my waist. Now, as I wear my new apron from Elina, I am reminded of the power of a simple act of kindness, the amazing generosity of a nation of people and the pure joy that comes from sharing bread with friends and family. And I have the women of Beaded Hope to thank for this lesson.

Inspired to bake some bread? Check out this recipe and enjoy!

Today I had the opportunity to walk through the World Vision Experience: AIDS with my 8-year-old son. Tethered together and listening to the same audio story, we experienced Babirye’s story.

After walking through the exhibit we had the opportunity to write a note with our thoughts or prayers.

My son wrote this heart-felt note after going through the exhibit. When he was done he promptly handed me a piece of paper and a pen so that I could write my own note.

He added his prayers and mine to the wall of prayers.

And then knelt down before this cross to pray for ALL of the children of Africa.

“For nearly 30 years, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) have been shrouded in many myths and misconceptions. In some cases, these mistaken ideas have prompted the very behaviors that cause more people to become HIV-positive. Although unanswered questions about HIV remain, researchers have learned a great deal. Here are the top ten myths about HIV, along with the facts to dispute them.

1. I can get HIV by being around people who are HIV-positive.
2. I don’t need to worry about becoming HIV positive — new drugs will keep me well.
3. I can get HIV from mosquitoes.
4. I’m HIV-positive — my life is over.
5. AIDS is genocide.
6. I’m straight and don’t use IV drugs — I won’t become HIV-positive.
7. If I’m receiving treatment, I can’t spread the HIV virus.
8. My partner and I are both HIV positive — there’s no reason for us to practice safer sex.
9. I could tell if my partner was HIV-positive.
10. You can’t get HIV from oral sex.”

Debunk these myths are read the entire article from WebMD: http://ht.ly/1DBUR

We asked the ladies of Beaded Hope what “hope” means to them. They contemplated the question thoughtfully and came up with beautiful answers. Listen to their responses:

Recently author Cathy Liggett was asked by More to Life, the online magazine for women, to talk about her journey writing the Beaded Hope novel. Below is an excerpt from her story.

Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives
by Cathy Liggett

A few weeks ago, following some record snowstorms, I woke up one morning to hear a strange sound coming from our entryway. As I turned on the light I detected the origin of the noise right away: a mini waterfall was pouring into our dining room.

After cleaning the inside mess, my husband and I moved outside to try to fix our ice-blocked gutters. Naturally, one thing led to another. By the time we finished, I was really irritated by the inconvenience of it all. I had big plans for my morning off from work‚ and now all that time was gone!

I grumped and whined, but then‚ I felt a tug on my heart. That tug was the thought of some extraordinary women half a world away in Mamelodi, South Africa….read more

Cathy Liggett, author of Beaded Hope, and Jennifer Davis, founder of the Beaded Hope organization, recently had the opportunity to sit down with Debba Haupert of Girlfriendology to discuss Beaded Hope, South Africa and, of course, friendships. If you didn’t get a chance to listen to this interview live on Blog Talk Radio you can still catch the podcast on the Girlfriendology website.

Thanks to Debba for being our first interview after the release of the book!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beaded Hope Mission Trip Volunteer Authors Inspirational Novel

CINCINNATI ‚ March 4, 2010 ‚ Beaded Hope, an African non-profit organization based in Cincinnati, inspired one of its mission trip volunteers, author Cathy Liggett, to write a novel also called Beaded Hope, to be released by Tyndale House Publishers in March 2010.

The non-profit group Beaded Hope’s mission is to further the ability of South African women living with HIV/AIDS to earn income by using their age-old African beadwork craft traditions. Of all the nations in the world, South Africa has been devastated the most by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, with approximately 18 percent of the nation infected. Out of South Africa’s population, women bear the brunt of this disease. Among those ages 25-29, women are twice as likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS as men.

In addition, South Africans must meet the daily challenges of poverty. More than 60 percent of black South Africans live in poverty and half are unemployed. Beaded Hope founder, Jennifer Davis, set out to create an organization that could help fight these challenges in a number of ways: assisting the artisans of South Africa to earn income for their families by selling their handmade beaded jewelry to a worldwide market, raising African AIDS awareness as well as HIV/AIDS awareness in general, and getting the word out‚ telling the powerful and inspiring stories of people living with HIV/AIDS.

“It’s hard to imagine the impact that poverty or unemployment or a pandemic has on a community,” said Jennifer Davis. “But when you combine all three and witness first-hand what it’s like for women to live in such difficult conditions, it’s clear that you have to get involved.”

One of the people to hear those inspiring stories was novelist Cathy Liggett. After participating in a mission trip to South Africa with Beaded Hope and working with some of the women living with HIV/AIDS who craft artisan beaded jewelry, Liggett’s life and work were changed. Meeting the women made me realize that, yes, their situation is a far cry from my own,‚ states the author. ‚But aside from that, they are no different than I am. They are women who want nourishment and a sense of well-being for their families, and mothers who want a more hopeful life and future for their children.

Beaded Hope the novel follows the stories of three women who travel to South Africa on a mission trip, and discover the truly transformative and empowering nature of hope.

Author Cathy Liggett will donate a portion of the proceeds from her novel to the non-profit organization Beaded Hope.

Cathy Liggett and Jennifer Davis crossed paths quite accidentally in 2005. Eventually they became friends, bonded by a common love of Africa and a desire to make an impact on the world. In March of 2008 they traveled to South Africa together, and from that trip came Beaded Hope, the novel.

You can hear the rest of their inspiring story live on Blog Talk Radio this Friday, March 5th at 2:00pm when they are interviewed by Debba Haupert of Girlfriendology. You don’t want to miss it!

Then check back to Girlfriendology to read our guest blog post. Thanks to Debba for being a great girlfriend and showing us such great support!