byTavi gets a tan

so, it's been a while since i last posted.
i'm currently on vacation, in Florida! i've been lounging on the beach, tanning, running on the beach, doing some work here and there and had a great open house on Wednesday.


work has been crazy, but literally so great. we still are working on inventory. we are taking a break while i am on vacation. we we have almost 2,000 scarves to inventory. it has been a fast three weeks. we are getting orders for purses/totes almost daily, meeting with new individuals who are interested in byTavi, and continuing to do inventory. it is so exciting to see how quickly things are moving and we are so ready to keep things going. 

down here in Florida, things are happening as well!! our dear family friends arranged to have an open house for byTavi with the help of some wonderful ladies, Eleaner and Sandi. Eleaner opened up her salon, Gemini Moon, and Sandi (a stylist) and Laura (family friend) organized it all. Like all events, things of course went wrong, and i had to be creative and work some things out, but- did the LORD ever show up and show out. at least 20 people were in and out between 6 and 8pm. i met some wonderful ladies and the door was opened for other parties and events here in Naples. how much did the party make for byTavi...


$1269.81 during a 2 hour party!
holla for lots of dollas!!
and i think more will sell before i leave on Sunday!
check out the photos below. 


next task when i get home- tackling scarves, getting our website looking pretty, meetings, and hopefully LOTS of parties!!

  Laura, Eleaner, and Sandi :)

big kid job

this was my first week at my real, big kid job. it was amazing.

on Monday, we had some meetings, saw our NEW OFFICE, and had our first business meeting. The rest of the week was full of mostly inventory. this is what the basement looked like AFTER we organized things a bit

needless to say, we have alot of inventory. we got all of that counted and moved to our storage facility and even got some hung up on racks. i'll put pictures of our progress at the end!

this is my almost dream job. this is a pretty stinking amazing job for someone without a degree, not necessarily looking...just evidence of the Lord at work! i have gotten up everyday, excited for work. i've come home every night super tired from work, especially yesterday. i just keep thinking how CRAZY it is to have this job. it is literally almost a year since i first heard about CGI and now i'm working for them!

this organization is amazing. they are a two year old non-profit, just by the executive director, a small board, and a group of volunteers. now, they have added an accountant/boss over the byTavi line, myself and a partner working with me- Whitney! even though CGI is two years old...they are still a baby non-profit, still figuring out how to do things. we had a meeting yesterday to talk about making our website look stellar and what needs to be added and taken away to do that.

this is so exciting, because this is another thing i wanted to do...be part of a starting non-profit/start one myself. it is exciting to be able to think through ideas, see them be implemented, start new things...

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Center for Global Impact is a faith-based 501(c)3 relief and development organization, registered in the State of Indiana, designed to creatively connect financial and human resources with social and humanitarian projects around the world. As an organization we are committed to helping people in the West understand the reality, complexity and ramifications of poverty in the developing world.  We then create opportunities for involvement based upon their unique gifts, skills, interests, and networks.

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sweet. sweet organization. my project- i love. marketing and relationship coordinator for byTavi. byTavi was started by Tavi. Her husband died of AIDS and she needed a way to provide for her children. CGI met her they found out she wanted to learn how to sew. They purchased her a sewing machine and what started as a one woman operation, has now turned into 37 women, as of Wednesday the 20th! The ladies make AMAZING bags. quality pieces. the money from the bags goes to the women to pay their salary. this allows them to provide for their families, women who have children at risk of being sold to brothels, women and families that are just one step away, hanging on by a thread. this project is looking at their situation and trying to find a holistic option for helping them.

with the byTavi line, Whitney and my job is, at the base level, to sell the purses and totes made by the ladies. we do that by connecting with individuals and organizations to either host parties or purchase the items (we do scarves too) wholesale. we get to go to different events focused on human trafficking, human rights, poverty, micro-finance, and women. we get to meet with a variety of people daily (business meetings!!!) to tell them about what we are doing. we get to meet with people interested in hosting parties, we get to go to these parties. i'm just so stoked about being able to build relationships, explain the importance of what we are doing, and then sell some merch and give back to these women!

it is so exciting to have a job that i love already and i haven't even really been doing what the job title says. if you are interested in hosting a party or have some way to do a wholesale sale, want more info...anything. i love coffee and business meetings and would be delighted to do both! i also love traveling, so we can travel to events and what not also. 

other fun things that come with this job are getting a new office, that i can decorate...and make a trip to IKEA!!! i may move out to a place closer to work. i get to make more connects, meet new people, get big kid money! :)

the Lord is blessing and teaching...habakkuk 1:5...

i heart sushi

my bestie and i made sushi last night. from scratch. and it was pretty stinking good. 

the bestie is leaving for boston in less than a week, and instead of spending loads of money on delicious sushi like usual, we decided to make our own. 

we are now sushi masters. :)

RICE.

 avocado, cucumbers, and crab sticks.

 look how pretty.

OUR FIRST EVER HOME MADE ROLL!!!

 

my first attempt at making the roll....

 failing at cutting... :(

 

but the sushi sous chef quickly becomes a sushi master.

we succeeded at making delicious sushi. definitely not as good as sushi from a restaurant, but it was quite tasty. only a few more days to make more checks off our bucket list of fun things to do before leaving for Boston.

i start my first ever BIG KID JOB on Monday!!!! i can hardly wait. with this big kid job comes new big kid work clothes, new 'hey, i get my own office'- office stuff, new make your room look cool stuff. the next few weeks will be filled with lots of shopping! :) maybe even an IKEA trip!!!!!! 

and florida. don't be sad too much longer. i shall be coming to visit you in just 3 short weeks. i'm tanning now, so i can spend every day on your beach, enjoying your sun and beach breeze.

tis all for now. i have many-a-thoughts that will be coming next week. on the bestie. on the BIG KID JOB. cool shopping finds. seasons. mostly on the big kid job.

i'm a big kid now...almost

it is sunny and 70 in Indiana today....tomorrow it will probably snow. let's hope not! we want to keep this warm weather. this is the view from my window- after 4 years of being either out of state or out the country, i can finally see my magnolia tree/bush bloom.

 so, i got an official big kid job this week. here is how it happened and what i'll be doing:

this time last year, after the 10 k, i walked into the social work office to hear a prospective social work student talking about wanting to work with human trafficking victims. immediately, i was like, 'hey, i'm jen. that is exactly what i want to do!!!' we ended up talking and she told me she was from Indy too and that her dad started a non-profit that works with trafficking victims. i checked out the organization as soon as i got to my apartment. it was called Center for Global Impact and i saw that they took trips to Cambodia to work with Rapha House (http://raphahouse.org/). i emailed her dad about it and discussed maybe going to Cambodia during the summer. It ended up not working out, but his email was saved in my address book.

fast forward to 3 weeks ago. i was on the hunt for a real big kid job, determined to get one without my degree, which i am working towards, but need a big kid, full-time paying job in order to finish it in a timely manner. so i created a LinkedIn profile and had them email all the contacts in my email address book. a few days later, the girl's dad and executive director of Center for Global Impact (http://centerforglobalimpact.org/) emails me about meeting up at Starbucks. we meet the next week and find out about an awesome position at CGI that i would be great for. on thursday i met with the board of directors and got the official offer on friday.

hot dog that is fast!!!!! and i can only say it is from the Lord.

i will be the marketing and relationship coordinator for byTavi (http://www.bytavi.com/). a line of beautiful hand bags and scarves made by women in cambodia. making these bags gives them another option to support their families instead of selling their bodies for sex. the money from the bags goes straight to their salary so they can provide for their kids. sweet. my job is basically a sales job, but i sell the bags by connecting with different organizations, individuals, and companies to either have them purchase bags or host a party where i can come share the story behind the bag and offer an opportunity to purchase. these bags are beautiful. in addition to speaking and connecting, i'll get to do some traveling and event planning...there was talk of CGI doing a 10 k... :). i do not have to raise support for this position, but it would be sweet if you would buy bags and scarves and donate to CGI so they can keep doing awesome things.

this is totally a God thing. coming so quickly, having it be something that i really am passionate about. as always, i am concerned with money and finishing up school. in a big way, this was a huge step of faith for me to take this position, but i just think the Lord has it. i am stoked to see how things go. i have to go to greenwood everyday which is a good 45 minute drive, but i am hoping i will enjoy the driving time. :) i am sure there is more that i could say about it, but it just might have to wait til i actually start...in 2 weeks. april 18. i gave my 2 weeks at LOFT and the Y, which means no more funny stories about my kids, but i will have to supplement it with awesome stories of this organization and the crazy things the Lord is doing.

i think that is all. not terribly long this time. check out CGI and byTavi. email me if you want to host a party or have any kind of connects that would be beneficial to the ministry or to selling the bags.

still got habakkuk 1:5 on my heart...

running with beautiful feet

last weekend i drove 2 hours to cedarville after a long work day and week for the 2nd annual possible impossibilities 10k run/walk/relay. it was so stinking cold....

rewind to september 2009: i had just started my senior year at cedarville which included classes, an internship, a couple of jobs, and i was media/publicity coordinator for the IJM chapter. i had just started running again during the summer. one of our officers mentioned that she was training for a marathon and i thought to myself that organizing a race at cedarville would be cool. i could plan something, run, and we could say we were doing it to fight injustice. we began the beginning stages of planning and it soon turned into something more than a race to fight injustice. we decided to support GRACEHAVEN HOUSE- a safehouse for victims of domestic minor sex trafficking in the columbus, oh area (http://www.gracehavenhouse.org). when i told people we were organizing a 10k and that they should run, the response i got was a giantic laugh followed by, i can barely walk 6.2 miles (10 k), let along run it. so we prayed more and thought about it and tried to relate running a 10 k- a seemingly impossible task- to coming out of a life of oppression and bondage. understanding that for these girls, it takes alot of more than deciding to come out of a life of oppression or even being rescue- it takes perseverance, determination, dedication, and community of people supporting and encouraging you. similar things needed in order to train for a marathon or 10 k.

so we got people on board. fast forward to the race. we had 690 register total, and 594 show up on race day. we raised over $20,000 for Gracehaven. what i saw that day was indescribable. when we first started planning, the LORD put Hab. 1:5 on my heart to be the theme verse for the race- "look at the nations and watch -and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." this is the only way i can describe that day and the events. seeing people coming out in the freezing cold, to run a race, to raise money for girls who are victims of a horrific crime whom they have never met- wow. people came in hoards towards the end of registration. it was amazing. i was utterly amazed and i wouldn't have believed you if you told me.

fast forward to last saturday: i came back to see 2 amazing girls, who helped last year, taking on this project and exceeding what we did last year. i cried happy tears. i was- am- so incredible proud of these girls for taking this on, trusting the LORD, and believing that justice is something worth fighting for. they raised money for an organization called Daughters of Cambodia- (http://daughtersofcambodia.org/)- an amazing organization and all the money raised will go to be a salary for women so they have another option besides selling their bodies. i cannot wait to see how much was raised. almost 500 people came out to run this race again. the weather was even colder. but still- i was amazed to see that people came out to run for girls they have never met- but girls they know about. girls they have been praying for. girls whose names were on runners arms as they ran 6.2 miles. 

being a part of something bigger than yourselves. brook fraser has a song called- albertine which i amazing and says- 'now that i have seen, i am responsible.' now that you know you are responsible. you must tell. you are not being part of the movement to end slavery, to fight for justice if you do not educate-- if you do not fight. the 2nd annual 10k was such an encouragement. who would have thought that some crazy idea that got laughed at countless times would first, raise so much money, second- happen AGAIN a second year, and third, continue to educate people on an issue that is so close to the heart of God and bring people out to run 6.2 miles is 40 degree weather. 

i feel like i have so much more to say- but i am just without words for how cool it was to see so many people out again. to know that a crazy idea can have such an impact. i got to pray for the race on saturday which was great...and SHOOT OFF THE PISTOL! :) so great, except i stood in the middle of the path and got mauled by runners- should have stood in the grass. 

long- all for now. take crazy ideas from the Lord and run with beautiful feet.

***If you want to give to Gracehaven House- www.gracehavenhouse.org/howtohelp/donate

or Daughters of Cambodia- http://ijm.cedarville.org -(also to find out race numbers and totals!)

parent's have 50 years of experience playing games, Sam.

there is a reason there was such a large gap between my most recent post and the one before it. i have no time to write. but i have to write about these things the kids said before i get to a post about the 2nd Annual Possible Impossibilities 10K!!

first- coloring. i am so tired in the mornings when i arrive that i usually color for most of the morning. it's great when all the girls are at the table because i feel like i am interacting with them, all the while trying to wake up still. 

i am a coloring master. yes, i am a good 15 years or so older than most of the kids, and i have had all the time to perfect my coloring skills, but, almost every day i get compliments on my great coloring skills. sometimes they just sit and watching me color...kind of awkward. but, i am glad to have the title of best color-er... ;)

Kaitlin- pyscho-perky- freakishly smart, tiny 6 year old girl. she colors me a picture every day. first time she spelled my name right. since then, the amount of 'E's' in jen varies from 2-3: jeen, jene, jeene... this same girl- kaitlin- can entertain herself coloring, reading a book, or one morning, playing mancala  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancala) - great game. she was playing a game and i came over and asked if she wanted to play me in a game. she agreed and of course she went first. her turn lasted FOREVER. she was so good. she got at least half, if not more, of the marbles in her side of the board before i even had a turn. so i comment on how good she is and that we need to play another game so i can win. she goes- 'uh, probably not. i usually only play 2 games of mancala a day and this is my second. so i probably can't play with you again.' thanks.

as soon as sam (2nd grade) got into the cafeteria one day he immediately comes up to me and asks me to play LIFE with him. I am half asleep, but agree. we had got everything set up, we each took a turn. one boy comes up to us and watches us play. right away sam tells him to leave, but i tell sam that he isn't hurting us by watching and say that he wants to stay and watch ME win the game. sam goes, 'i'll win!' and the boy, luke (kindergarten), goes, 'sam- parent's have life 50 years of experience playing games, you won't win.' i died. (so i'm assuming i am considered a parent because i'm a grown up). ' my dad even has 50 years of experience.' i go, luke, is your dad 50 and he says no. he goes 'maybe 50 years of school or something.' Sam: 'dude, college isn't 50 years, maybe like 20 or something...' i could barely keep from laughing. we play a few more turns and sam goes, 'i'm winning because i have 20 years of experience.' i say, really... sam goes 'okay, maybe 1 year i think.' seriously, most hysterical thing i have heard. if only i could record what their voices sound like on here.

i ended up loosing the game sadly. this is no good for me because i am so competitive that i hate to let the kids win. 

that same morning i had to go straight to LOFT for work and i put on my black boyfriend blazer, a pink shirt, skinny jeans and flats. i walk about just before the bell rings and Sam goes' man, you sure look pretty, are you going to a prom or something?' no, no prom in jeans. 

brianna (4th grade- from previous post) told me she was excited to go to high school, only she didn't want to dissect frogs because she really likes frogs and asks why she has to dissect one. i tell her that frogs are plentiful and that's just what you have to do. she goes, 'why frogs though? why can't we just dissect a lion or something...are they alive when you dissect them?' pretty sure a lion would eat you before you are able to dissect it. 

10K post coming soon.

kids say the darndest things

it has been forever since i've posted anything. it's been a tough, long few months with a few good things thrown in also. in that time, i got a new job at LOFT and just recently got a job at the YMCA doing before/after care at a school by my house. i've also had to start paying on loan. wah, wah, wah. no fun. so, in the past week or so, i have had a burst of motivation to get a big kid, grown up job even though i am still struggling through getting my degree. in my mind, it seems to be the only logical way to get this degree finished up in a timely fashion and pay stupid student loans. bah.

so, i figured why not start blogging again, giving insight into what i'm learning, jobs that are working out, and some of the crazy things the kids i work with say, among other things...here are a few tidbits.

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i started last monday. arrived at school at  6:30 in the morning :/ first kid walks in. sam. he's in the second grade he tells me, because he was held back (i find out later he has severe ADHD and other behavioral issues). he is asking me questions about myself...'so, you out of high school and what not, in college?' i say, yes, i'm out of high school, almost done with college. he says, 'well that's cool, looks like you are living the life then.' i died. living the life by almost finishing up college...

brianna (4th grade) was asking what i was going to college for. i said social work, mentioned that i wanted to be a doctor before that. she then proceeds to tell me about her grandmother. 'my grandma went to 10 different colleges. she has 10 different degrees.'  i said, wow, she must be really rich to be able to afford all of that. she says' no, she want to online college (hahaha). She has a doctor degree, she's like a brain surgeon, a teaching degree, a social work degree, a business degree, a law degree...i can't remember the other 5 though...' i was cracking up. that would be quite a woman.

jack asked me to play chess, which i have no idea how to play. i said sure, and that i'd try to play (a couple of kids said they'd help me). mid way through play, it started to get intense. i was losing pretty bad, jack was telling me to move places so he could take my pieces. this one kid came up and started helping me. maybe 3rd grade. he is into the game, taking time to look at all my options before he tells me where to move. i know i am losing bad, so i joke around and say- if only i could just move this way and SHAZAM jack's pieces out of the way. i said this a few times, saying SHAZAM each time. then, the kid who was helping was like, 'NO! you can't. if you SHAZAM that piece he can just take this one away.' died laughing as he kept saying SHAZAM.

i always get the same three questions: miss jen, are you married? do you have kids? how old are you? today, i was subbing at another school, and this girl asks me how old i am. i said, 23. she goes, 'wow, you look was younger.' i said, really, how old? she said, 'hmm, maybe 20 or so.' hahaha.

there have been others i have not been fortunate to remember. but just wait, i'm sure i will have new stories tomorrow morning. :)