No matter where in the world you live…
we invite you {& have some ideas – read on!}
to lavish some extravagant hospitality *Seeds-kula-{community}-style*
upon our sistas & a brotha from Nepal who are staying with us October 1-8.
And, for those in Colorado, we have some a.maz.ing community gatherings
to which we’d be de.light.ed if you came.
Nepali sistas, Pabitra (left) + Ruth (right) | photo by Krista Guenin
Among the honored guests are two of the women many of you saw and came to love, from the remarkable Untouchable: Children of God film. {Story links from our Nepali Film, Feast & Community event in July: Invite + Deets & Pictures + Vignettes .}
There are 5 folks visiting: Raju + Sangita (brother + sister leadership team for this global tour) and 3 college-bound young women: Hanna, Ruth and Pabitra. Pabitra and Ruth are young survivors of trafficking and were rescued from the brothels of India and, together, with their Nepali team, they are sharing their stories of hope, healing and love with the world.
Whether near or far from our Seeds Headquarters in Denver, Colorado, will you send us a little blessing to share with our guests? If time is short or you don’t live close, would you post some words of love, prayer and/or a story in the comment section below this post? If you want to mail something or you will be attending any of the Colorado gatherings (see below for deets), we invite you share a little *simple* gift with our guests?
As we consider what to do, may we be infused with vision and energy by this beloved soul sista…
Ideas to share the love with wide-range of scope for your consideration {xo!}
- A mini-harvest from your garden…a little tea-light candle…your favorite store-bought or home-made cookies…a poem/prayer/blessing with a flower from a garden…a special snack picked out while at the grocery store.
- If you have little ones at home who would like to join in the gift-giving, how about inviting them to draw a picture, share a craft, or bake something?
Are you someone who loves to make beautiful things and has a budget to buy a few special gifts? If so, how about this: Would you consider putting together 5 welcome bags for our friends and mailing or delivering them by Wednesday, September 30?
- Each guest will receive one of these water bottles in their welcome bags, generously gifted by Transformational Ventures {& Melissa Schaap}. T-Ventures has recently established a partnership with Jibu, an innovative water company that has mastered the art of launching and maintaining sustainable water franchises in Rwanda, Uganda, DR Congo, and now—Kenya! To donate and receive your own custom water bottle as a gift, click here.
- Just for fun, would you like to donate for our 4 Nepali sistas to shop at Stylish Sparrow {goal: $200 – $50/each} | see below for details.
- We are looking for 4 bikes to borrow for the week – we hear our guests love bike-riding. :}
- We invite you to generously give funds towards the $60,000 goal, which will pay for 2 years of college in Kathmandu, Nepal, for 20 girls who are survivors of trafficking | see below for details.
Our address, in case you want to snail-mail or drop by anything by:
4326 Montview Boulevard – Denver, CO – 80207
Our wise and gifted sista, Barbara Yondorf, recently shared this story and poem.
I was deeply affected by Untouchable: Children of God. The images and events of the film have stayed with me,they touched me deeply. -Barbara
They are not a Story, They are Real
They are not a story,
They are real.
Birthed, cradled, caressed.
Mother’s touch, untouchable,
The girls of beautiful Nepal.
Sacrificed, sold, imprisoned,
Burnt, bruised, exploited.
A conspiracy of touchers.
Can’t they read?
Do not touch.
Stop the touchers.
Round up the sellers, the stealers, the conspirators.
Cradle the scarred, soothe the wounded–
Use a healing touch.
Proclaim the courage, the determination,
The heart, the strength, their dignity.
The girls of beautiful Nepal.
They are not a story,
They are real,
Untouchable: Children of God.*
*This phrase comes from the film of the same name, which inspired this poem. The documentary was directed by Grant Knisely, Code Red Films. For more information, click here.
Thank you, dear sista. Wow. You are amazing.
College Scholarship Fund. Another way you can share some love is this: We would be honored and ecstatic if you can join us in supporting the college education of 20 young women who are survivors of trafficking. Would you consider giving whatever lavish and abundant-spirited gift beckons?
We at Seeds have received such gifts from kiddos who have given a ziplock baggie of their allowance totaling $1.52 and a day later, thousands from one donor. We wildly celebrate and deeply treasure each.
This is the sort of gift that will give on…these sistas have some mighty dreams! {Idea: this could be a super cool gift in honor of someone you love for birthday, anniversary, holidays, etc…let’s DO THIS, friends! :}
{Big-picture goal: 20 young women x $3,000 for 2 years of college in Kathmandu = $60,000*** This is totally doable if we gather our peeps and of us come together, each sharing what we can, right?}
Click here to make your tax-deductible donation to Code Red Films for the college expenses of our 20 sistas and/or for the Stylish Sparrow shopping adventure. *Important note: on page 2 of the paypal form, click on “add comment to the seller” and write:
- “Global Freedom Tour – Seeds of Exchange” {if donating for college }, or
- “Stylish Sparrow” {if donating for shopping}
Colorado Gatherings
Friday, October 2.
Community event {*women-only*} @ Stylish Sparrow | 5-7 pm | 2539 Humboldt Street – Denver
Picture taken during collaboration-brainstorming meeting with founder of Stylish Sparrow, Lisa Sharpe | 4 August, 2015
Join us at our sista, Lisa Sharpe’s, exquisite home and headquarters of Stylish Sparrow, a personal shopping experience offering accessible style and affordable fashion for women. Earlier in the day, our Nepali friends will have had a private shopping adventure.
RSVP to Lisa Sharpe: EclecticLifestyle@yahoo.com OR via this facebook invite.
Event details:
5-5:30 pm | mingle + chat with our honored guests
5:30-7 pm | screen short clip of film {Untouchable: Children of God} in which our friends were featured, followed by a community conversation about their journeys of hope, healing, and courage as survivors of trafficking and hear from our other storytellers.
7-9 pm | Stylish Sparrow will be open for shopping
Lisa, in her extraordinary spirit of love, collaboration and generosity, is donating 10% of the profits of Stylish Sparrow to the college scholarship fund for our Nepali sistas.
Saturday, October 3.
*Morning chai + prayer | 9-10 am | 4326 Montview Blvd – Denver
*You are welcome to come and join for this time. Our visitors are deeply connected to and passionately committed to a life of Love, Faith…of Journeying with God through days of darkness and joy alike. If you have something you’d like to share, pray about, or just sit in a sacred space, c’mon over.
Chai chat + dessert | 7-9 pm | 4326 Montview Blvd – Denver
C’mon over for an evening of community goodness. If easy and you are able, would you kindly bring a dessert to share? We’ll show a short clip of the movie, Untouchable: Children of God, have an informal Q + A with our sistas from the film, sip on some chai and just hang. You are most welcome to pop by or stay for the whole time. All are welcome to donate to the girls’ college scholarship fund.
Monday, October 5.
Global Grubbing: Nepal — Fundraiser/Awareness Event for Human Trafficking | 6:30-8:30 pm | Sherpa House | 1518 Washington Ave – Golden
Quick Glimpse: When you can’t travel around the world, bring the world to your dinner table! Join us for Global Grubbing, a series of international dining around Denver. Our next stop will be Nepal! We will be dining at the wonderful Sherpa House in Golden, CO. If you’ve never been to the Sherpa House it’s a special treat and a delightful venue. This will be a VERY special event in partnership with some amazing organizations. Join us for an evening of cause and community!
Click here to RSVP + Purchase Tickets + Facebook Link
You’ll meet and hear from: Mountain Child – Josh Duncan who works in the remote areas of the Himalayas focusing on health, clean water, medicine, trafficking and more! Code Red Films – Grant Knisely (Documentary Filmmaker) and two of the survivor young women from his film Untouchable: Children of God, a documentary about human trafficking in Nepal, will be there as well. Seeds of Exchange – My dear friend, Vaun Swanson, and I, will share about the ways in which we are advocating for women and girls in Nepal and igniting purposeful community-based connections, women’s business development, and wholehearted well-being for all.
PS – For those who are able, come to the Global Grubbing Ethiopia feast on 27 September, 2015 with our dear sista, Fatouma Ahmed! It will be a.maz.ing!
Tuesday, October 6.
Morning chai + prayer | 9-10 am | 4326 Montview Blvd – Denver
Wednesday, October 7.
Thriving in Freedom | 6-8 pm | 9650 Jordan Road – Parker
STORIES OF SURVIVAL FROM HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION IN NEPAL
Human trafficking and sexual exploitation is one of the greatest tragedies of the world today. No place is immune to it and it is a prevalent, heart breaking social issue in the United States. Human trafficking within Nepal and the Himalayas remains a rampant injustice in the form of commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude. Thriving in Freedom is an evening of hope. The events purpose is to raise awareness for the extreme injustice of human trafficking and exploitation from incredible, courageous women who once were exploited in their own villages in Nepal or in the brothels of India. You will learn about their personal stories and about human trafficking and exploitation in Nepal through the powerful documentary Untouchable: Children of God. Then the girls featured in the film will share personal stories of their lives now. They are the voice for the voiceless. Slavery Still Exists. Stop Human Trafficking. Lend Your Voice. Carry Hope.
Registration is free so please click here to register as it will help in the planning of the event. When you register, a gracious donor will donate $1 to MountainChild for every registration.
Parents, please use your discretion as this evening contains adult themes and content, so it might not be suitable for children. Childcare is not provided.
Other adventures on the itinerary.
Whole Foods Market, sponsored shopping fun {Thank you, WF + Amy Wright} … Faculty and student panel discussion at University of Denver … Broncos game … Home manicures and pedicures … Ping pong … Bike rides … Campfires … Mountain hikes
{Let us know if you have an idea for FUN.}
Left to right: Sarah + Soph DT, Mary Shippy, Bhakti Bhatta + Vaun Swanson | Tikapur, Nepal
A few of y’all have asked about our teams plans to trip to Nepal in October. After a rich few weeks of discerning how to respond to the rise of conflict in the very parts of Nepal in which we planned to work, my request for a clear closed or open door was granted abundantly. I decided not to go this October and our team is looking to return in the spring of 2016. Thank you for your companionship and prayer in this decision, friends.
AND, dear friends – we have some MORE goodness to come that we want to share about life around our country and world…inviting us all to say YES to life more fully. If you’ve not already, click here to sign up for our blog recap and newsletter kula {community}. Find us on Instagram + Facebook @ Seeds of Exchange.
