E-mails, Coffee, and Prayers.

A woman in at the Kenya center feels inexplicable pain.

The ladies are thankful for recent rains.

Another woman reports that her neighbors were robbed last night, and she is feels scared and sad for them.

Still another gives thanks for a recent home visit from Amani women and their children.

The Burundi center has seen a drop in sales from slowing visitors. Rwanda gives thanks for a few big sales that cleaned them out.

Children of the Amani women are sitting for standardized examinations at school.

The Nairobi streets and buses are unsafe from crime and rough conditions. The women give thanks for their safety and pray for all who travel.

Several women at the Rwanda center are caring for children sick with malaria.

These are just a few of the prayer requests that have appeared in my inbox recently from Amani's Africa centers. Gladys from the Kenya office collects and circulates a simple daily e-mail that keeps us all connected. Some days, the list is short and full thanksgivings. Other days, like earlier this week, it seems a litany of woes too heavy for anyone to bear. Sometimes I marvel at the breadth of it. Generally, I'm thankful that these concerns are voiced with the hope of sharing the burden with others through prayer. The Amani women continue to remind me that our struggles are not meant to be faced alone.

We do this in our own way at AmaniDC. Our staff is small, but it's the same spirit playing out here of caring for those with whom we work . Our middle office has become a makeshift gathering place, much like the old stitching room at the Kenya center used to function before their chapel was built. We take time in the mornings before opening e-mail or packing up products to talk, drink our coffee (perhaps the American equivalent of chai?), and remember that we are friends sharing life together through our work. We tell stories about our families and homes. We laugh. We pray for one another and for the requests coming from Africa.

Sometimes the challenges we face here are very different from those facing our African sisters. More often, they're strikingly similar. Even in just the past few months, the Amani family has walked together through loss, new life, changing seasons, wont, instability and perplexity. Today I'm grateful for the everydayness of it. The little prayers and brief encouraging e-mails become the glue that holds us together across so many distances. On a usual day at the Amani centers, our connection may be imperceptible. But it's a source of strength for me and many on a daily basis.

Last week, a new volunteer was tending the shop when a woman came in with her newborn baby. The volunteer, a recent empty nester, was soon chatting with the younger woman who was herself adjusting to a new season of motherhood. I eavesdropped on their conversation and gave thanks that Amani is becoming a place where people who might not otherwise meet are connecting over common experiences. It would appear that the Amani culture--and the peace in which it is grounded--is naturally and ever-so-slowly making its way known at AmaniDC.

Please join me in praying for the needs of the Amani family in Africa and the US.

I love this photo of my mom & Elizabeth at Amani Kenya.
Theirs is a particular and lasting connection over motherhood and resiliency.

Sweet success.

For those of you thinking about Amani over the weekend, thank you! Both days' events were a great success with lots of sales and connections with visitors.

Saturday's sidewalk sale was a huge hit and our best Saturday as far as sales go. Sunday's Fiesta DC event brought tens of thousands of people to Mt. Pleasant St, many of whom stopped in to find out about Amani. Throughout the day, we heard, "I've been meaning to check out your new shop. I'm glad you're out here!"

I posted some photos on the AmaniDC blog. You can snag a peek here.

Just a word...or 175

We're heading into one of our first busy fall weekends, with a sidewalk sale on Saturday and Fiesta DC on Sunday. We've been had our hands full making sure that Amani products get to volunteers and webstore customers throughout the United States, so we appreciate opportunities to connect locally with these events.

As a little boost of affirmation, Zoe Sandvig, a local writer friend, visited us during the Grand Opening and wrote a profile on the AmaniDC center for World Magazine. It offers a glimpse of the friendships and experiences behind the new location. Check it out here. And I got to chat with a reporter from the Memphis Commercial Appeal who wrote this piece to promote a volunteer sale in their area this week. Opportunities to share about Amani and why I love it are so energizing.

With lots of product-related tasks coming in, our little team of staff and volunteers are pulling together and pitching in a lot these days. It's a refreshing change of pace to be able to work on a variety of things and so gratifying to watch products that represent our friends' livelihoods. It's an encouragement to them and makes me anticipate the day when I can see them again. Hopefully that will be in the new year. More on that next time!

Cooling Down and Gearing Up

Fall arrived rather abruptly to DC last week. On the first of September, the temperatures dropped and the humidity seeped off to torment some other poor city. We were ready for this--the District, as well as Amani.

It was nice to have a slower pace in August, with the grand opening past and the fall rush not yet upon us. We took the time to catch our breath and get ready for the events and sales we anticipate for the fall. A few weeks ago, a few friends and their little ones spent the morning with us modeling bags and kids items. The photos are now scattered throughout the online shop. And with the arrival of six big boxes last Friday from Nairobi, the fall rush officially got underway. (Just a tip: there are some really great new things online and in the shop right now. Plus, free shipping in September!)

The back-to-school season has also meant that some of our summer volunteers are returning to their work schedules. Fortunately, we've been getting some other nice folks to help us out. Between Idealist.org and the local universities, we've got lots of willingly, helpful hands. We find their presence with us not only practically helpful, but encouraging too. It draws in new people who connect with Amani in their own unique way--be it organizing and system-tweaking, learning about the craftsmanship of the products, or deepening their understanding of development and social enterprise.

Speaking of events, here's a list of some of the events we have coming up. Mark your calendars if you're in the area!

Saturday, September 26th - Mt. Pleasant Sidewalk Sale
A pre-Fiesta DC sidewalk sale with other vendors on the main street.

10:00 am to 4:00 pm @ AmaniDC

Sunday, September 27th - Fiesta DC
Fiesta DC is an annual event celebrating Latino cultures and heritage in the DC area that takes place on Mt. Pleasant Street! This is a big event with lots of food, people, and music. It should be a lot of fun.

11:00 am to 7:00 pm @ AmaniDC

Saturday, October 17th - Hearts & Hands Bazaar
This annual crafts bazaar has become a staple for Amani's fall schedule.

9:00 am to 3:00 pm @ Messiah United Methodist Church (6215 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA)

Friday & Saturday, November 6th & 7th: AmaniDC Holiday Open House
Our big sale event for the holiday season with a large sale section.

2:00 to 7:00 on Friday, 10:00 to 4:00 on Saturday @ AmaniDC

As we move into this busier season, there are certainly some items for prayer:

• Opportunities to connect through Amani with customers in the shop and at these events.
• Strong sales at volunteer sales across the US, online, in the shop, and at local events.
  
• Good communications with the rest of the Amani family in Africa, that we might encourage and strengthen one another.
• Energy & creativity for everyone working together at AmaniDC.
• Ongoing relationships with groups and individuals in the community, that Amani would be an agent of peace where there is discord.

Thank you for your prayers, visits, donations, and words of encouragement. I cannot express enough how important it is for me and for Amani.

Now, go celebrate fall and enjoy an apple.

On Fortitude or "Amani's Not for the Faint of Heart"

A friend recently gave me Lisa McMinn's new book, The Contented Soul, assuring me that, while it wasn't a judgment of my own practice of contentment, she thought I would find its reflections a helpful reminder of that toward which what we're often spurring one another. McMinn centers an early chapter of her book on the concept of fortitude. This struck me as mildly surprising. Fortitude much doesn't find its way into my everyday conversation. But McMinn casts it in a beautiful light, calling it "the ability to stay in the moment, and respond virtuously to it" (p.39). It encompasses resilience, mettle, grit, spirit, and strength of mind and character. Contentment comes as we learn to trust our bodies, minds, and spirits as they are tested by life's challenges. "A bit of courage and mastery foster contentment--the satisfaction of knowing how a thing works, how to repair it, what's edible in the wild, and what alternative one might have if, in a pinch[...],one needs to be resourceful." (p.47)

We have a favorite motto around the AmaniDC office: "Amani's not for the faint of heart." It's usually repeated when someone is precariously juggling products or working out the mental puzzle of (once again) reorganizing our limited space or lugging an over-sized box up the stairs. Another way of saying the same thing might be "Amani takes fortitude." I'm consistently amazed by the new challenges that arise with each new phase of AmaniDC's life. The past eight months at AmaniDC and getting to know our neighbor businesses have given me profound insight into the struggles of small business staff. Navigating legal and tax codes, setting up a working wireless network, or sorting out financial systems can consume the hours of idealistic, creative people who simply want to see their operation thrive. At the same time, I'm always impressed by God's provision for Amani in the form of ingenuity, encouragement, volunteers, and simple joys--like a surprise video chat with the women at Amani's center in Kigali, Rwanda.

I've certainly been stretched by the experience of the last eight months to work with diligence and determination at things I never imagined myself doing. It might not always look like mastery, but certainly resourcefulness. And it's not something to be done alone, but rather alongside the Amani family here in DC, throughout the US, and in Africa.

This fortitude is something demonstrated particularly well by my sisters in Africa. Their photos now hang above the product displays on the tall walls in the shop. They trade prayer requests with us regularly that we might carry one another's burdens. Their testimonies give me perspective on the daily struggles we face here. We are not alone in what seems like an endless string of struggles. They face these and many others with gratitude and grace. We each have our own difficulties with trusting God and choosing to pursue peace, but our partnership strengthens us in this task. They remind me to quit my whining and see challenges as an exercise in fortitude--and one in which I'm called to rely on those around me--transforming annoyances into opportunities to witness provision, invention, and interdependence.

Thank you, friends, for supporting this work.

I Spy with my Neighborhood Eye

I'm beginning to see early signs of a trend.

In the past two weeks, I've had three sightings of Amani bags on the shoulders of folks on the streets of Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant. First, it was the Black Limited Tote in front of the Rita's on 14th Street. Then I passed a woman on Newton Street carrying the new Khaki Kikoy Sack Purse. And just this morning, it was the Kikoy Simple Bag at the bus stop on Lamont Street.

Amani has arrived in the 'hood!

Some of my favorite things...

I posted some photos yesterday to the AmaniDC blog and linked them from my previous post. Along with those visual glimpses of the weekend, I also wanted to post some of my favorite moments.

These little morsels of goodness include:

...overhearing comments from pleasantly surprised passersby about the beautiful products at our sidewalk display.

...little Adelaide walking into the shop and marching straight over to the "Watoto Nook" meant just for our younger visitors. She knew exactly what to do with the chalkboard wall and was enamored of the illustrated African folk tale books.

...catching up with supporters and friends who came by to check out the new space.

...hearing stories of Amani spreading through word of mouth and the visitors who trekked into DC just to visit the shop.

...meeting some of the girls and volunteers from Restoration Ministries who came to check out Amani. We got to share with them about internship opportunities at our shop.

...looks of recognition from Amani friends who have visited the centers in Africa when they saw photos of their friends now displayed in the shop.

...reassuring a small group of teenage boys that there was free food inside as their mom paused mid-step and declared, "Sorry guys, I've got to stop in here for a minute," upon eying a necklace on display.

...chatting with neighbors about how much we love Mt. Pleasant and our hopes to see it thrive.

...many bags full of products being carried out by happy visitors who helped us clean out our sale section!

Thanks to many of you who stopped by to see us and the newly-debuted Amani boutique. If you haven't had the chance to check it out yet, you're most welcome to come see us any time. We love visitors and often have some tasty treats to share!

Photos courtesy of Lou Ann Aepelbacher (www.angazaphoto.com).

From the Grand Opening...

I just posted some photos on AmaniDC's info blog from the weekend's grand opening event. You can check them out here.

Opening. Grandly.

The AmaniDC center opened in the dead of winter during a recession. It was gutsy, to be sure. But, heartened by the fact that doors had been thrown wide open for us, we walked through them with faith. This morning, I walked into a shop flooded with summer's light and warmth. What at first felt stifling soon became a metaphor for the provision we've seen here in our small space on Mt. Pleasant Street. By mid-day yesterday the shop was bustling. Customers tried on dresses and marveled at the children's items. It's tremendously encouraging to see strong sales and such positive responses to people connecting to Amani through this location. Thank you for your support that has made this possible!

Although we opened our doors earlier this year, bringing together the various aspects of Amani's new DC home has taken several months. Now we're ready to "officially" welcome everyone to our new space at the end of the month. (In case you haven't heard, there's more information here.) Rachel has really been the mastermind behind the shop design. She's done a great job maximizing the space and infusing it with true Amani flavor. I'll post some images below to give a taste of the new look, but I definitely encourage visits to get the full effect.

It's continually a challenge to connect visitors with the spirit of Amani. Recently, I've been thinking about the distinctive spirit of the Amani centers in Africa, particularly the way they stand out as welcoming havens of serenity & prosperity in places rarely known as such. The women working together have been welcomed into Amani, and they eagerly extend this to others. Visitors of many cultures and backgrounds discover this and often marvel at Amani's uniqueness. Accomplishing such a spirit in the US inevitably looks a bit different. Personal connections with staff and volunteers are important, but we're also thinking through how to do this visually with images and words that highlight Amani's sense of care, community, sustainability, and dignity.

Another fun part of that effort will be "Watoto Hour" - a regular children's story hour that we're planning to get started next month. A group of moms from a local church are interested in helping us get this kicked off. And with the local library closing for renovations, we're hoping to connect with more neighborhood children and caregivers who have attended a similar event there. The possibilities are endless!

As promised, here are some photos from my friend Matt's photo shoot in June:

The AmaniDC team - Debbie, Brittany, Rachel, & Julia.
(Not pictured: lots of volunteers and another Rachel, our summer part-time Shipping Assistant/Saturday Manager)

This dress drew in countless passersby with its bold colors and striking design.

The jewelry display is a popular destination for most customers.

So many bags. So little space!

Julia makes use of the cozy Watoto (Children's) Nook.

The products that tell a story.

Mt. Pleasant by day.

Last thought: I've had fun in the past week setting up and experimenting with a Facebook fan page. You can become a fan of us here!

An Abundant Rain

Rainy afternoons have the unmistakable power to make me want to curl up and restfully muse. They somehow put a governor on the breakneck pace I tend to maintain day to day and give permission to just stare out the window at the heavy, falling drops and scampering people trying to avoid them (or not). Rain speaks of suffciency and provision. We're seeing that here at AmaniDC.

Today it's both rainy and quiet in the shop. Perhaps one gives way to the other, but today's quiet is also a result of my being the only staff member in for the day. Being a Friday (our long days with evening shop hours), I feared the solitude of many hours flying solo. But it's been a nice rhythm, giving me the chance to get some things done and eagerly welcome visitors when they venture into the shop.

Today's mix reminded me why I so enjoy getting to know the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. Men and women of a whole variety of ages and ethnicities wandered in - some curious and alone and others with friends who had stopped in before. Now that the weather's warming up and we've got our sign out (check out the photo to the right), there are more people simply dropping in. I chatted for a while with two ladies about the jewelry and the women who make it. One woman stopped in after work on her way home from her international development job. I was able to share simiarities and distinctives about Amani. And I marveled at the fact that only in DC would the frequency of international development professionals be so high.

One of our favorite regular visitors is a man from the Community of Christ who is caring for his infant son this summer. They come in to "monitor our progress," and we love oogling over our littlest AmaniDC fan. Yesterday we roped the father into modeling our Father's Day gifts for the website. He's quite the natural.

I've wondered when (or if) I'll tire of sharing about Amani with new people coming into the shop. But the enthusiasm that builds behind eyes of people resonating with Amani's story still manages to spark something new in me. I'm inspired to find fresh ways to translate the nuance and depth of Amani's ministry to different audiences. Sometimes it's the last thing I want to do, particularly when I'm engrossed in a writing project or thinking through Amani's latest logistical puzzle with Rachel or Julia, but it's rewarding - and often surprisingly so - when I do.

Next week my friend Matt is coming to take photos of the shop, office, warehouse, neighborhood, and our staff & volunteers. It'll be nice to have more images to tell the story of this ever-expanding little community here at AmaniDC.

Being the end of the month, we're looking at the final sales numbers for our shop and online store. It's incredibly encouraging to see these number well above our projections. It's not just rewarding for our work here, but vital for Amani's health. We're struggling to recruit volunteers who provide a direct market for the women in Africa. But I'm encouraged to know that there has been abundant provision amidst the risks Amani has taken to open a DC center. May the early taste of summer - be it rain, sunshine, or humidity - be a foretaste of good things to come for Amani, both here in DC and in Africa.

Because assembled shelves & drawers are just so encouraging...

I can’t help but add in a separate word on a special project this past weekend. I was particularly grateful for a group from Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, Virgina who visited us this past Saturday to see AmaniDC and help us put together some new display units for the shop during their Urban Immersion weekend. What was meant to be a short 2-hour stop turned into six hours of assembling and installing! Their labors were greatly appreciated as we realized the countless hours we would have spent on it
otherwise.

Amidst the screwdrivers and pressboard, I was encouraged to connect with this multi-generational group and share Amani and Mt. Pleasant with them. They fell in love with Mt.P’s diverse vibrancy, eagerly explored the local Pollo Sabroso restaurant, and chatted with neighbors on the street.



On Friday night, the AmaniDC team also connected by taking Amani from the city to the suburbs for Immanuel’s Women’s Ministry spring coffeehouse event. Over 200 women gathered to spend time together with music, food, and some purposeful shopping. Amani was invited as one of the vendors in their marketplace. We were grateful for their support in providing sales opportunities and the chance to let people know about our new DC shop.

People are drawn to Amani from across the DC metro area, and when they come, they fall in love with an often-unseen part of this vibrant city with which I dearly love. It’s a thrill for me to see ideas change and eyes open to the deep needs and tremendous joys that swirl around one another here.

Come check out our newly outfitted shop!

The Little Sister Finds Her Way

I’m tempted to start this off with a lamentation for the delay in updating. Instead, I’ll direct you to the other things that have been occupying my time in recent months. A significant part of my work with Amani is helping connect people in the States with happenings in the Amani family in Africa and the US. This takes the form of an update blog for Amani ya Juu and regular e-newsletters with product and ministry updates, which can be subscribed to here. I also manage the info blog for the AmaniDC to share about our location with the DC area.

The past few months have gone from a whirlwind to an emerging rhythm. And I’m so grateful. I’m beginning to see how Amani’s DC presence will emerge. I imagine it’s something like watching a child grow: it is both part of you and an entity all its own. As the first US center, AmaniDC is the third daughter center to be planted through relationships grown out of the mother center in Kenya. Amani - and living out peace as a whole - look different in these distinctive places. Our two older sisters in Burundi and Rwanda have struggled to discover their own identities and work through their particular struggles. They show us the way forward in this as we live out amani (peace) in a new neighborhood, city, culture, and continent.

The provision of helping hands
As we began thinking through all that would need to happen in our DC location to support sales and communications throughout the US, we knew the task was far greater than the four people in our office could handle. Volunteers are our lifeline. I was unsure where they would come from, but trusted that our need would be provided for. And it has been. Whether it’s a local nurse with random free afternoons, an unemployed friend, someone in transition, or a friend of Amani who connected with an African center and sought us out to stay in touch, there has been an abundance of helping hands to lighten the load. Amazingly enough, organizing product, welcoming customers or filling web orders can be a respite for our volunteers from the tedium of job searching or their usual work/life routines. Serving at Amani gives them a chance to support the work and connect locally in a unique way. And their presence is an encouragement to us as we work to support and speak on behalf of the women in Africa.

A visit from "Mama Becky"
Becky Chinchen founded and serves as Amani’s Executive Director. Over a decade after fleeing to Kenya as a refugee, she returned to Liberia in 2008 to join her husband Del in rebuilding the African Bible College where they worked before the civil war. From Liberia (with many and frequent trips), she provides direction and cohesion to Amani’s widespread family. We were excited to have her with us in DC for a week in early April. Over the course of five days, we worked through many major issues to give the new DC center a strong foundation. I was stretched in thinking through our budget and strategic growth. We brainstormed about Amani’s presence in the US and talked about product design. Becky and I planned out more regular electronic communications and fundraising initiatives for Amani ya Juu. It was an exhausting week that left our plates piled high with work, but also a sweet time of fellowship and vision-casting.

Listening and learning
Getting settled has taken priority in recent months, but seeking relationships with local people and groups where peace can be lived out is a core element of the vision for AmaniDC. For now, that means getting to know our neighbors in proximity and in common purpose.

I’ve shared before about our growing relationship with Restoration Ministries, a local organization working with victims of sex trafficking. Rachel and I were able to visit the residential school in Virginia where many of the girls they work with live. Our time there and dialogue since has helped further identify how we want to partner. In the next year, we are hoping to begin an internship program with young women who graduate from the school, as part of their holistic, relational care through RM. Please pray for this partnership and for the timing and details of moving forward.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been helping connect AmaniDC with the Mt. Pleasant Business Association in an effort to develop our relationship with local small businesses. The group is active and organized. We know we need to work together to facilitate everything from the use of sandwich board advertising on the sidewalks to parking to drawing people to Mt. Pleasant. Amani realizes that opening a retail operation during a recession is no small thing, and I’m excited to learn from and work alongside our neighbors who have both new and longstanding presences in this place that has seen its fair share of dark days and bright. Remember these businesses and our common efforts in prayer as well.

My days at AmaniDC are full and varied. Part of what makes it interesting is the fact that customers and curious visitors pop in to see our products and ask questions about the shop throughout the day. Sometimes it takes conscious discipline to pause my work and be fully present, but these people are Amani’s lifeline. They buy the beautifully handcrafted products and receive the stories of peace from the women in Africa. People are curious and eager to hear about this unique organization. Speaking on those women’s behalf of the peace they’ve found is a privilege I’m challenged to savor. And I find that as I do so with authenticity, I discover neighbors, hear their stories, and learn how they’ve experienced this place.

Speaking of learning about this place, I’ll leave you with a fun tidbit from a popular local blog. A writer from Prince of Petworth stopped by the open house hosted by La Casa/Community of Christ to introduce us and their other new tenants to the neighborhood. He wrote up a nice piece on our shop. Check it out here.

I am thankful for the support that enables me to devote my time to this. While it is work, it is also a rare joy to represent and work for the growth of a family in which I believe. Thank you for your support - in many ways - which makes this possible.

From Amidst the Settling Dust

Much has happened with Amani in DC this winter! We're still in the process of big transitions, but an update is in order. Here are the highlights:

A Giant Leap Northward
In December, our North Carolina warehouse closed and the Amani leadership decided to move its operations up to DC and incorporate it into the vision for an Amani ministry center. The US warehouse has supported volunteer sales throughout the States during significant growth since Amani’s export system launched in March 2006. The warehouse receives returned product and processes payments for volunteer sales, as well as fulfilling website orders. The warehouse makes it possible for volunteers to sell products that both support and tell the stories of the women of Amani in Africa.

Of course, an essential part of moving new operations to DC has been finding a space for Amani to live. We thought this would be our biggest obstacle in light of DC’s pricey real estate market. But after casually looking for years, it was in just the right timing that I noticed an advertisement for space in a church on Mt. Pleasant Street a few blocks from my home. The space includes a well-lit front room with street-level display windows and two back rooms for our office and warehouse. Mt. Pleasant is a diverse, lively, community-oriented neighborhood in northwest DC. As we investigated the space, it occurred to me that there might be no better place for Amani's DC home than “Mt. P” with its international flavor, strong neighborhood identity, and accessibility to visitors.

Settling In
Amani has been warmly welcomed by the congregation at Community of Christ who owns the building called “La Casa” where we are renting space. Community of Christ undertook major renovations of their building a year ago with hopes of renting it to local non-profit organizations at a reasonable price. Their decades of experience in the community and desire to support Amani’s work is tremendously encouraging.

On December 15th, a team of superstar volunteers went down to North Carolina to move the product and warehouse items. Then on December 18th, we hosted an informal open house to introduce local Amani friends and neighbors to our new space. Since then we continue to make new friends and have had lots of interest from passersby. The other day, a friend of mine overheard a co-worker ask if anyone had heard about "the new cool shop in Mt. Pleasant that sells handcrafts from women in Africa." It’s exciting to hear that Amani is already creating a buzz!

Assembling a Team
The tasks that come along with warehouse operations are substantial. Our previous Warehouse Administrator, Kerry Shea, worked tirelessly to maintain it and support Amani’s growing warehouse needs. Bringing the warehouse up to DC necessarily meant a new hire for our DC office. Personally, I'm quite thrilled with the person we found to oversee warehouse and financial operations! She is a friend and former co-worker of mine from Central Union Mission, Julia Simerly. Julia and I have worked closely together, and I'm excited to use our gifts again toward a common purpose. (She is pictured here with the rest of the DC staff: Rachel, myself, and my mom, Debbie.)

Volunteers have already been an incredible help and encouragement at AmaniDC, whether they help organize product, check in volunteer boxes, tweak shop displays, or put together mailings. We are counting on weekly and one-time volunteers to help make AmaniDC a place where people come together to work and share their lives together. We look forward to knowing and sharing Amani with our growing volunteer community.

Much remains to be organized, planned for, and thought through, but every day we are making progress and slowly seeing AmaniDC come together. This season of establishing systems, getting organized, and building a support network is important so that Amani can thrive in its new home. I believe Amani has a unique ability to share peace with the people in this city and look forward with eager anticipation to watching the specifics of it emerge.

We are currently keeping regular shop hours on Fridays (10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) with plans to expand that as through volunteers serving as shopkeepers. For more information on AmaniDC, please visit our blog at amanidc.wordpress.com. If you live in the area, please make plans to come see us sometime soon!

Thank you again for your faithful support of my work with Amani ya Juu. This is a work of ever-expanding possibilities and new direction. I’m grateful for the opportunity walk this road and would love to share more if you have questions or ideas. I am always available at brittany (at) amaniafrica dot org.

Endelea na imani.
Continue in faith.