The books have arrived

Shhhh, don't tell my family but this is all I really wanted for Christmas; to know that the donations I worked so hard to collect and ship have arrived in Africa and that Billa likes them. YAY!!!

Billa in loading the books in his van/trotroe/school bus.

I am so happy. I have been holding my breath, checking my messages daily, sometimes hourly and now to hear from Billa that he has gone through all 34 boxes and really thinks they will be helpful has made my day, my week, heck it's made my year!

These are some of the children who live at the UCC with some of the books. He will post more pictures when school reopens after the break.

Eagle Scout Paul Burke was able to collect several boxes of school supplies and back packs. 

And here they are at the port of Tema in Ghana. 

That is right, I can't think of a better way to end a great year. To know that you have made a difference, no matter how small, in the life of a child in need is a wonderful feeling. It inspires me to stay focuses and get working on my next goal.

The back pack Billa is holding came from the Waples Mill Elementary School collection.

So here it is, my next goal. I will be turning 50 soon and have I have decided that for my birthday (or sometime during my 50th year) I would like to fly to Ghana and give Billa the money he needs to buy the land for his dream children's center. 

Wish me luck, or better yet, buy a painting or make a donation.
My online store is up and running. www.shop.paintingbrighterfutures.com

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Patience

I can't wait for these little cuties to get their new books!

I have was hoping to do my next blog post with pictures of Billa and the books at the children's center. But anyone who has done business in Africa knows the word Patience. 

Here is an update.
There has been a circular stream of conversations about the shipment that go something like this...... 

Billa in Ghana and I in the US, converse by Facebook Message in English.

B-Have you heard anything about the books? 

A-Yes, the ship has arrived but I am waiting to hear when the container will be opened.

Daniel and I, in the US converse by text in English - (best way to communicate because I have trouble understanding his accent by phone)

A-Any news? 

D-We are going through customs now, there were a lot of shipments at the port ahead of us. We hope to open it on Thursday.

Daniel in the US and his brother Kwame in Kumasai talk  by phone in Twi

D, Can you call Billa and tell him when to meet you at the Port.

Kwame in Kumasi and Billa in Teshie talk by phone in Twi.

K on 12/8 - I am in Kumasi now and will call you when I get to Accra. 

K- on 12/12 Can you meet us at the port on Monday? 

K- on 12/16 Now it will be Thursday

K- on 12/19 Not today but Monday - I'll call you to confirm.

And Billa patiently waits. 

I am trying to be patient. I have found that patience and low expectations are attributes that many Americans are loosing as our lives become faster and more efficient. I always come home from Africa with lots of patience and appreciation. But the more I get settled back into American life, with so many things that people in other parts of the world only dream of like: turning on the tap and getting fresh water just the right temperature, pushing a button for immediate electricity, heat, air conditioning, internet, anything I need/want within seconds, the more I get used to it. 

The more I come to expect, the more my patience and appreciation starts to fade. Then, I need another trip to Africa for a booster shot and reality check. I have come to see appreciation and patience as secrets to happiness. After a trip, I patiently wait in line at the grocery store and marvel at the plethora of safe, clean food choices, I happily wash and fold laundry thinking how fortunate I am to have a washing machine, I sit in my comfortable car on a paved road with working traffic lights waiting in line behind a slow school bus, but I don't get annoyed. I think how fortunate I am to have all of these luxuries that are not available to my kids in Africa and how wonderful it is that all children in America, no matter how poor are going to school in a big safe bus, with a stop sign and crossing guards. I could go on and on. 

I shake my head when I hear people complain that these blessings we have received because we happen to be born in the right place at the right time, might change in some small way, or not be as convenient or "fair". It makes me sad for those who have everything one could need to be happy and they are not. I see that a lot.

Billa and his wife Phyllis, have a house full of orphans and needy children to feed and educate, when the power goes out for days or the internet is down for weeks, the water tank runs dry. But they expect these things to happen because they have and they will happen again. But there is an aura of patience and gratefulness about them. I feel grateful that I have been able to meet someone like him in my lifetime and blessed that I have an opportunity to help one of the true angels in this world. 

I will wait and hope to post pictures of the books in his hands on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed.

If you would like to help Billa, you can purchase a print or painting at www.shop.paintingbrighterfutures.com

The books are now going to Africa on the shipping container

They Are Off!!

The books and school supplies are on their way to Africa.

Daniel and his friends loaded this car full of books, then the car was driven on to the shipping container. Daniel will be using the car in Africa.

I had a very important job while the loading was going on. I got to hold precious little Hayden while his dad packed the boxes. Hayden's mom is Linda, the angel I met at Home Depot who has made this possible. Thank you Linda!!

There was a nice group of Ghanaian men helping to load the container. We chatted about Ghana and our favorite Ghanaian food. They were surprised to hear that my daughter knew how to pound Foofoo. I still haven't tried it.

I wish I was going on that ship to see my  little friends at Future Leaders UCC. Holding Hayden really made me miss them, Well, actually I missed them anyway. I am hoping to make a trip back in January. I will make sure to try Foofoo this time.

Bon Voyage!

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this possible!

Where there is a will there is a way!

 What seemed like an impossible task a month ago is really going to happen. After weeks of phone calls, emails, google searches and conversations had hit one dead end after another; one chance meeting at Home Depot with a woman from Ghana and I am IN!!  Linda connected me with Daniel who was sending a shipment of shoes to his store in Kumasi and Daniel agreed to take everything!  Ken and I dropped off the last of the boxes this weekend and will even join him this week to help load the 40ft shipping container. 

Billa, founder of  Future Leaders UCC in Ghana, will be there to pick it up everything when it arrives in the port of Tema.  If you give something to me or someone collecting for me, you can be sure it won't end up in a warehouse somewhere but will end up in the hands of those who really need it.

I understand now why more people aren't sending donations to Africa. It isn't easy or cheap. But, since when has doing something important been easy or cheap!

Step One -  Donations Collected

Oakton's Waples Mill Elemenaty 

Children, parents and teachers collected and boxed clothes, shoes and book bags.

Mananas City Public Schools

The school system needed to make room for new text books and I was happy to help by collecting all the old ones, which were in perfect condition. 

Oakton Boy Scouts 

 Paul Burke organized a collection drive for his Eagle Scout project. He collected boxes and boxes of fabulous school supplies; pencils, makers, paper, scissors, rulers and so much more. I don't know if they have ever had such beautiful brand new supplies. I told Billa that he will never have to buy a pencil again

Step Two - Donations boxed, inventoried, labeled and loaded.

Bins full of school books in Reading and Math grades K-4 donated. There are teacher guides for each grade and reading books for every level.

Thanks to my neighbor's nanny Lorraine who helped me load the car after I threw my back out.

Three car loads to the storage unit in Woodbridge. I thought we wouldn't need the big car after the kids left for college but boy I was wrong.

Step Three - Donations Delivered.

I saved the last and heaviest load for Ken. Poor guy was jet lagged after a 15 hour flight home from India but he happily helped anyway.

Dainiel Yeboah, the angel who is taking the boxes to Ghana.

NEXT 

4) Load them on in 40ft shipping container (with Daniel's shoes for his store, 2 cars, bikes and appliances) 

5) Put the container on a cargo ship going to Africa (as soon as the shipping strike in Baltimore ends)

6) A month at sea (Keep fingers crossed for no pirate attacks like in recently viewed Captain Phillips movie)

7) Ship docks in Tema, Ghana and Billa picks up the boxes in his trotroe (hope they fit).

Follow along and as the donations travel to Africa.

Oakton, A Giving Community

 

The donations are collected. The boxes are packed. The shipment is scheduled.

 

 

In the past year I have traveled to Africa four times taking donations to Future Leaders Underprivileged Children's Center (UCC). At the UCC kids are taught basic math, reading and writing until funds can be raised for them to continue on to public school.  These children are living in extreme poverty (less than $1 a day) and don't even have the minimal fees needed to attend public schools.  The conditions and supplies at the school are the most basic of basic. For example they write on broken chalk tablets, drink water from one communal bucket, pack together in outdoor classrooms, there are no text books and all supplies are used and donated. Every little thing I bring is greatly needed and appreciated. Up until now I have been filling extra suitcases and bringing donations to the UCC myself.

Recently word has spread, probably because I can't stop talking about it, and I have had a team of wonderful volunteers helping me. I have way too much for suitcases this time and the donations will be sent in a shipping container.

 

 

For his Eagle Scout project, Oakton High School senior Paul Burke collected school supplies, back packs and shoes for the children.

 

 

Children at Waples Mill Elementary collected and boxed donations of clothes, shoes, school supplies and back packs.

 

 

 

 

 

Manassas Public Schools donated outdated text books. These books which include teachers manuals will be invaluable to raise the level of education for these children. Now any teacher, no matter how little training, can follow a lesson plan and teach a class.

 

 

Local Ghanaian's saved the day by allowing me to fill the empty spots in their shipping container. I can't begin to thank you Linda and Daniel.

 

Speaking of shipping containers, they can be very useful as building and rooms such as the UCC's new computer lab. I brought over these old learning games and computers on my last trip to Africa. It is helping so much because there are not enough teachers to go around. Now the kids can have fun as they learn to read at the same time they are learning English.



 

Books from Baldwin Elementary!

Today I picked up a carload of school books that were no longer needed at Baldwin Elementary School in Manassas, Virginia. I am over the moon happy and grateful. They are amazing books! There are teachers manuals, text books, work books, reading books and more. These will be invaluable to my friend Billa who is trying to provide a free education for children living in extreme poverty. When I say extreme poverty, I mean extreme. Children who go without food, sleep on the floor in shacks made of scrap wood and metal sheets. Many of their parents can't read and write and have never gone to school themselves. That kind of extreme poverty. There is no government agency funding him, no large organization backing him. He is just one man, from a poor background himself, trying to help children who otherwise would have no chance at an education. There is no teacher's supply store near him, no book stores, nowhere he could buy these quality books even if he did have the money and it would take a lot of money to buy books like these. I can't wait for him to see them.

This is a perfect example of why I tell anyone who will listen about my project to help the kids at Future Leaders UCC. Because I talked to Diane Angba, who works for the school system, while at a friend's house one night, she was kind enough to make a phone call to the right person who directed me to this jackpot!

 So to the parents and staff at Baldwin Elementary,  Monica Helper with the Manassas school district and Diane Angba,  these are the beautiful children your books are helping. Thank You!

I want to get this blog out and get back to sorting books so I will post more later about how these books will help.



Painting Brighter Futures LLC

It is official! I just incorporated Painting Brighter Futures LLC

 Painting Brighter Futures' mission is to paint brighter futures for the children living in extreme poverty by painting bright paintings and donating proceeds to help educate the children.

 

 

After many hours of research I decided that setting up a tax exempt charity here in the US would be a bureaucratic nightmare for me. I am and artist not an accountant. So, I will function as a small business which donates proceeds to a charity like Tom's shoes or Newman's Own salad dressing ( just much smaller and really different). I think the name is perfect. Painting Brighter Futures. It is so simple, I am selling my bright paintings to raise money for Future Leaders UCC. Educating children makes them brighter and gives them a chance for a brighter future. See perfect!

I bought the domain name paintingbrighterfutures.com(not up and running yet) Now I am busy learning and building a new website. Thank you, Ryan at GoDaddy.com for your practical help and tutorials. Now, I will be able to sell my paintings on line, take payments on line and eventually have a store where I can sell a wider range of products inspired by my art to help more kids have brighter futures. I am on a roll now. Maybe, I can raise money for needy kids all over the world! Woah, slow down, Adrienne. Focus right now on the very real opportunity you have in front of you. Raising money for Billa to buy the land he needs to build his dream of a children's center for the needy of Accra, Ghana. Billa dreams big too. But, based on the fact that he started teaching 5 kids under a mango tree and now teaches 170 a day in several open air classrooms, I believe he can do anything he sets his mind to. And I can too!

 

What a difference a year makes. This time last year I didn't know what I was going to do with the next chapter of my life. Now, thanks to all my life experiences, good and bad, I know what makes me feel happy and fulfilled and I know what doesn't. So, I am going to focus on what gives me real joy; painting what inspires me and helping children. Viola!

 

 

I feel like the kids in this picture right now.

If you want to share the joy and help my little friends in Ghana click here.