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!