Don't forget~ 2 more days until the raffle!

This family holds our fundraising project #22 spot. They are the LAST large fundraiser (I thought the Dominican Family Business was the last large one, but I forgot this one was the $541 amount as well). This fundraiser has a $25 gift card raffle attached to it. However, The deadline to enter the raffle is this FRIDAY! If you want to get into the raffle, you can enter here. $1 = 1 raffle ticket.

Also, I am including the list of the next 10 fundraisers. If your fundraiser does not have an asterix next to it, that means that you have not yet met the 25% pay it forward amount. If your fundraiser is one that is for $300, you must donate a total of $75. If it is for $350, you must donate $88. This amount must be donated before March 15th, or you will lose your spot in line. The reason for this is, as you can see, there are people waiting in line that have already donated the 25% toward other people's fundraisers (and in most cases, they have gone above and beyond). If you don't want to/ can't donate by March 15th, I will have to push your fundraiser out to the end of the list (which will put your fundraiser at about number 36, 37, or so). This just shows the next 10.

I need to mention that if you have not given me your pictures and write-up for your fundraiser, please send it now. I can't get the page set up without it. So, that would cause your fundriaser to be bumped if I do not get that in time to set it up. Sorry to be such a nag. I am done nagging. I just wanted to send this FINAL reminder that if you do not donate your 25% by March 15th, the fundraiser will go to the end of the line. I would really like everyone to just automatically want to help each other. With no further reminders, I will post an updated list on March 16th. Here are the next 10 for now:



23. Tamara~ Rosalie*
24. Mack~ Kevin in Ecuador*
25. Heather M~ Leydi in DR*
26. Dana~ Franklin*
27. Chrystal~ Maria in Ecuador*
28. Susan H~ Perla in Mexico
29. Cherise~ Sabrata in India
30. Holly G~ Roselle*
31. Heather G~ Joyce*
32. Barbara~ Marelyn in Guatemala*
33. Lisa~ Brayan in Ecuador

MIC Group~ Triple Strand Necklaces in Sets- 2nd Group

Set #7, or Items 20, 21 & 22 (left to right)

Set #8, Items 23, 24, 25

Set #9, Items 26, 27, 28

Set #10, Items 29, 30, 31

Set #11, Items 32, 33, 34

Set #12, Items 35, 36, 37

Set #13, Items 38, 39, 40

Set #14, Items 41, 42, 43

Set #15, Items 44, 45, 46

Set #16, Items 47, 48, 49

I have put these into sets of 3. The shipping for the set costs $1.39 to the US, for all 3 necklaces to be shipped!!
You can purchase these necklaces individually, or in a set. The set of 3 is $25, & the set of 4 is $30. To purchase them individually, they are $6 each. These are all the medium length, and run 18" to 20" from end to end. If you would like to purchase them, please send a paypal payment and make it as "gift" (so that the women will get all of the money) to hhamilton2002@hotmail.com Make sure to give me your address and which set number you want!

*Update: The women have now made a total of $52.

MIC Group~ Triple Strand Necklaces in Sets

Set #1, or Items 1, 2, & 3 (from left to right)

Set #2, or Items 4, 5, & 6 (left to right)

Set #3, or Items 7, 8, 9 (left to right)

Set #4, or Items 10, 11, 12 (left to right)

Set #5, or Items 13, 14, 15 & 16 (left to right)

Set #6, or Items 17, 18, 19 (left to right)

I have put these into sets of 3 & one set of 4. The shipping for the set costs $1.39 to the US, for all 3 necklaces to be shipped!!

You can purchase these necklaces individually, or in a set. The set of 3 is $25, & the set of 4 is $30. To purchase them individually, they are $6 each. These are all the medium length, and run 18" to 20" from end to end. If you would like to purchase them, please send a paypal payment and make it as "gift" (so that the women will get all of the money) to hhamilton2002@hotmail.com Make sure to give me your address and which set number you want!

Letter from MIC Sponsored Family

This family is an extremely large one. The lady in the blue shirt is the head of the household which totals over 25 people (in a one room home)! As you can see, the children are in desperate need of clothing, but even more importantly- FOOD! The children usually have to sneak out of the house early in the morning to dig through the garbage for discarded food. Sara decided to sponsor this family. She provided $30 of the shipping fee for their items to be shipped to sell. She send regular letters of encouragement, and is helping to sell some of the items. The sponsor's main job is to help the family help themselves. (On a side note, this family has some children who would like to be a part of CUS> If you would like to sponsor a CUS child from this family, please contact Kate.)

Here are portions of Grace's letter to Sara (not written by Grace, but using her spoken word):

Dear sponsor and friend,

I am Grace and now making 60 years in June this year. It is a great pleasure to write to you. Hellen is my friend and director of the school. I thank you for accepting to connect us with a way to sell the beads. Everything has gotten so out of hand here.

I lost my first husband in 1979. I had 4 children with him. After a short sickness with yellow fever, he died. Since then, I have gotten married to 6 other men whom I thought would support me and help me raise up the children. Instead, I ended up having altogether 20 children. 6 have since passed away, but I still have 14 who are alive. Each of my husbands were either drunkards, adulterous, or arrogant. 4 have died. 2 are still alive, but they left be some 10 years back. I have never been to school, and I struggled and raised up my children who, also, never went to school. Now altogether, I have 25 grandchildren. My 7 daughters, also, never settled in their marriages; plus, I lost 3 sons to AIDS and all of their children are with me.

We live in a small single room home that was once rented for us by a church. Now, I am the one paying the rent. My major problem is that I do not have an income. I hope that you can help us sell the beads because this way we will be able to buy our own land, build a home, and feed the children. It pains my heart to see my grandchildren starving with hunger.

I am forever grateful for your help in this business. May God bless you,

Grace

MIC Group~ large beads~ pinkish wood look

These awesome beads are larger than the others you have seen me post. This particular one reminds me of wooden beads, but they have a slight pink color. There is one large necklace that goes to my chest. The other ones are choker style (not that they will choke you, but they fit loosely around the neck). There are 26 of the choker style. They are $10 each. I am not posting the shipping because in most cases, if you are ordering more than one item, it is cheaper for me to tally it up at the end. Just let me know which items you'd like, and I will give you the actual shipping cost. Believe it or not, I have only shown you about 10% of the necklaces I have! Slowly but surely you will see them- This is a big job! Anyone want to travel to Texas and help? :o)

MIC Group~ Triple Strand Necklaces- Black & Blue

Look at the necklace right above on the left. That is one of the ones that is black & gold. They look just like the other ones, except there are gold spacers instead of the metallic blue ones.

These triple strand necklces are mostly black with metallic blue combination. They are all unique because they are hand made. There are 3 sizes to choose from: child size, a medium size that fits most women, & a larger size would be for those with a thick neck or people that don't want to wear the necklace close to their neck. This what I have of each size in the black & blue color combination:

small (child size): 5


medium: 15

large: 11

And in the black & gold combination:

small (child size): 3

medium: 8

large: 1

And the price:

$10 each

Since they are different prices, I am not putting them up on the web store right now. You can still purchase them by sending a paypal payment to hhamilton2002@hotmail.com Please make sure to include shipping in your payment. The shipping is as follows:


1 to 4 necklace: $1.39

5 to 9 necklaces: $1.75

10 to 15 necklaces: $1.99

16 to 21 necklaces: $2.29

22 to 25 necklaces: $2.59

I am putting them at a super low price right now to get funds to Uganda as quickly as possible. Also, you may purchase necklaces for the Christmas CI packages. Just let me know which necklaces you want & where you want them to go.

MIC Group~ Multi Colored Necklaces

Click on the picture above to make it larger and see the beads closer up.

The necklaces above are of the length down to my chest & the necklace below goes past my waist (of course, it is intended to be doubled up, I am sure).

These necklaces are gorgeous, but the pictures that I take inside don't do the necklaces justice! I have varying lengths and every necklace is unique in every way!! I do not have a tape measure or a measuring stick, but I am going out this evening to buy one. If you have a particular length you are looking for, just let me know. I have every length imaginable, so I am sure I will have what you are looking for.

For the choker length single strand necklaces, Medium length (to the bust) and Long length (past the waist): $10

Contact me for shipping, and I can weigh the pieces you want and get an exact price. These prices are for a limited time, in order to get the women and students money quickly. The prices will go up a $1 or $2 in a month or so. Once we have some decent money coming in, the group will buy a sewing machine and start making all kinds of cool stuff (clothes, for example). I can't wait for that!

More jewelry to come!

MIC Group~ Handwoven Purses

clutch purse #1 (above) and shoulder purse #1 (below)

clutch purse #2 (above) and shoulder purse #2 (below)

This pretty purses are handwoven and have a clothing lining. Set #1 is made of banana fibers & set #2 is made of olive branch. For those who are interested in one or all of these purses, please contact me with an offer. All offers are considered (please keep the women's hard work in mind as well). So far, the women have earned a total of $45. This is very good news!

Hellen is home from the hospital, but she must stay in bed for 2 to 4 weeks. She is going to be pleasantly surprised when she finally gets out of bed (so will all of the women who have worked so hard to make these items).

When sending your offer for consideration, please tell me which purse you are referring to Clutch #1 or #2, or shoulder purse #1 or #2.

Sibling Sponsorship~ Kevin's Little Brother Jeremy

Kevin's 5 year old brother is still waiting for a sponsor. Mack and I sponsor Kevin, and would love to share the family with someone in the group. We have family photos to share, and a fundraiser coming up for the family. Kevin's brother's name is Jeremy Roberto. His birthday is coming up, and spnsorship would be a great birthday present!! His birthday is 6/14/04, so he will be 6 in three months! He likes playing with toys and cars. The 4 children live with their bother, since their father passed away a year ago. Please let me know if you would like to sponsor Jeremy.

The Purpose of Each Other

“If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life? It is other life, it is love, which gives your life meaning. This is harmony. We must discover the joy of each other, the joy of challenge, the joy of growth.”

—Mitsugi Saotome
(1937-); Aikido instructor, author

The MIC group has brought hope to several families in Uganda. These families and the MIC group supporters have added extra joy in their lives by being a friend to someone far away that they may never meet. The mothers in Uganda, most of whom had lost all hope for a future, are now feeling a sense of renewal that soon they will be able to provide for their families.

This family above is one of such families. Mack sponsors Kasumba Brian through CUS. I spoke with Hellen to see if there was anything that his mother could do such as make purses or beads. Hellen said she would be able to teach his mother how to make the beads, and she would be very grateful to be a part of the group. (For those of you with CUS children that would like to see if their mothers could be a part of the group, you must e-mail me, not Kate. Kate has nothing to do with this project. This is completely separate from what the school is doing, but we can include the parents of the students. Of course, if we add more people, we will need to sell more items to take care of everyone. Any help you could provide with getting the word out on the items these women are making will help all of the mothers in the group).

The letter written to Mack by Proscovia is a lengthy one, so I will condense it. Here are parts of the letter (Hellen distributed some of the money that we sent to help the mothers get food for their children- approx $60. Proscovia received some of the funds as a down payment for items that will be sold):

I want to thank you very much for Brian's Christmas gifts and the money you sent to me through the director. I had outstanding food debts in the shop and rent. I am happy that they are cleared.

I have 4 children whose fathers died but now I am struggling with them like that. Everything is not very easy. Sometimes I go to the stone quarry to get something for a day's meal but even then, sometimes we end up breaking stones which are not paid. My major problem is that if our beads can be bought, it would help meet all of the needs for [a home of our own] and [food]. I have learnt to make the beads together with the children.

I love to work with my own hands in order to survive. I am happy that I will make the beads that can now be sold. I am happy and pray that one time you visit us. I love [Hellen] because she is very understanding. Help her to help us.

Greetings to everyone there and God bless you all

Madam Prossy

MIC Group~ Triple Strand Necklaces

I have to start somewhere with all of these necklaces! There are so many!! I am starting with this neutral color. This is a gray and tan combination. I am showing the picture of just one of the necklaces. Even though all of these necklaces I am going to tell you about are similar in color, they are all unique because they are hand made. There are 3 sizes to choose from. Jaden & Morgan are wearing the child size. There is, also, a medium size that fits most women. The larger size would be for those with a thick neck or people that don't want to wear the necklace close to their neck. This what I have of each size in this color combination:

small (child size): 8

medium: 14

large: 5

And the price:

$10 each

Since they are different prices, I am not putting them up on the web store right now. You can still purchase them by sending a paypal payment to hhamilton2002@hotmail.com Please make sure to include shipping in your payment. The shipping is as follows:

1 to 4 necklaces: $1.39

5 to 9 necklaces: $1.75

10 to 15 necklaces: $1.99

16 to 21 necklaces: $2.29

22 to 25 necklaces: $2.59

I am putting them at a super low price right now to get funds to Uganda as quickly as possible. Also, you may purchase necklaces for the Christmas CI packages. Just let me know which necklaces you want & where you want them to go. Thanks for supporting these wonderful families!

MIC Group~ Child-size Aprons Available!

For the little chef- these are one of a kind! Each apron is completely different than the next. There is only one with the village scene. This apron is slightly larger than the others (*Update: this item has been SOLD!!). Only one is available with the elephants design, which Morgan is wearing. There are 9 aprons in the giraffe/zebra print (though they are each unique as well).

If you go to the web store, you will see a picture of the aprons before they left Uganda. The adults you see in the back are wearing the child-size aprons, so this is what they would look like on an adult.

I am trying to keep the prices of these items reasonable enough to sell, but trying to get a fair amount for the mothers and young people in Uganda who have worked hard to make these. If you feel that my prices are too high, please let me know. Also, if you wish to buy some in bulk, I can work out a deal with you since that would mean immediate help for the families. Because Hellen had to be hospitalized, she now has a mountain of hospital bills. The mothers that I mentioned before are still struggling to feed their children, and the young people are trying to get enough money to pay for their secondary education. The primary concern is HUNGER, so that is where the first earned profits will go. The children need food more than the hospital needs money ;o)

MIC Group~ Tote Bags Available!

Design #7 (above) & #8 (below)

Design #1 (above) & #2 (below)

Design #3 (above) and #4 (below)

Design #5 (above) & #6 (below)

Make a statement about your views on the world's eco-system by using these totes to pack your groceries, school items, or anything else you want to keep close to you! Each tote is handmade by our MIC group in Uganda. In this batch, there are 8 designs to choose from and 2 of each design available (except for design #8, which there is only one of). Limited availability, on a first come, first served basis. Please visit the web store to order.

iGive end of February Update

We now have 9 members raising money through iGive for our fundraisers! The money collects monthly. For the month of February (our first month) we have raised $48.46! Isn't that awesome?! I took care of getting a DBA a couple of weeks ago. This will allow me to open a bank account for Make a Change in order to process the checks received through this manner. I will be working on starting up the bank account this month. It won't have any funds in it except for the funds that I will put in from my own money based on the bank's minimum deposit. Any checks that we receive through iGive or other outlets will be cashed using that account & then deposited into whichever the current fundraisers are at the time.

It is not too late to join us on iGive. You will find the link on the right-hand side of this blog. Make sure you designate Make a Change as the beneficiary of the money earned from your web searches and purchases.

The amount we raised in February $48.46 will be delivered to us on May 15th, 2010. Funds raised in March will arrive on June 15th, 2010, and so on.

A big hug and thank you goes out to my 9 supporters who have raised $48.46 in less than a month's time (hugging myself, too... LOL!)

MIC Group~ Baby Dolls Available!

I received notification from the post office that I had a package waiting for me. It had actually arrived on Friday, but I didn't know about it until Sunday. I had to wait anxiously for the post office to open this morning. In fact, I had a hard time sleeping last night. I know that these families need immediate help, and I have been waiting for these items to bring them a profit. So, after a sleepless night, I finally got out of bed at 5:00AM, and kept my mind and hands busy until 7:50AM. At that time, I rushed to the post office to pick up the package.

You will not even believe how much stuff was packed into this box! I am sorting through everything now, and it is going to take me some time. Please bare with me. I will be posting these items little by little all day. Those who sponsor a family/student with the MIC group, I have a letter for you from your family/student. I will post the letters on the blog, but will be sending the hard copy to the sponsor.

First, I will post the items they are selling, since the income is what they need the most. I promise to post the letters after I get pictures posted of the items. I will be working on this project all day (and probably tomorrow and Wednesday, too).

I am starting with this post of the dolls. Jaden & Morgan are posing with them in the picture above. There are 5 young girl dolls, 3 tiny baby dolls (one with light skin), and 2 mama dolls (they carry the tiny baby dolls on their backs). These dolls are awesome! There is a limited supply, as you can see, so it is first come first served.

To order these dolls and get them shipped anywhere in the US, go to the group's web store. Please contact me for shipping outside of the US. Once these dolls are gone, I will be removing the option to purchase them from the web store. Then, I will be able to post more items.

Thank you for your support of these families and students in Uganda!!

*Special not for future reference, Hellen shipped the package from Uganda on 2/15/10. It arrived in Texas on 2/26/10!