I had every intention of doing this blog about this time last week, while the huzband was still away. However, life happened so here I am a week later. Non-the-less, better late than never!
I would like to introduce you to SUUBI. SUUBI is a company I stumbled upon several years ago. I really don’t recall how or when, what I do remember is their story, one I have not forgotten and one I would like to share with you today. You see, SUUBI is more than just a company; it is about hope, love, joy and a future.
The following story is taken from SUUBI’s website: Light Gives Heat.
There is this couple, Dave and Morgan, who after giving birth to their first child in 2004 decided their next child would join their family through adoption. So in 2005, they began the process of adopting a child from Uganda, East Africa. After a year and a half of waiting, they got a discouraging email saying that the process could take another six months. And so in a single day, they made what other people might consider a brash decision – they decided to quit their jobs, rent out their home, leave their friends and family, and move to Uganda to meet their child.
All the while, they knew they wanted to start a non-profit organization.
In 2007 Light Gives Heat was formed with the intent to ‘simply go and meet real needs.’ Rather than presuming they knew the answers to needs in Uganda, Dave and Morgan decided to travel first, listen second, and act third. The next six month were spent in Uganda on a crazy adventure. The Hansow family found their beautiful daughter, Jadyn Suubi Hansow, and were granted custody of her on her first birthday.
After her adoption, the Hansows met some incredible women with unbelievable and inspiring stories. They began the SUUBI project offering displaced women from war-torn Northern Uganda the opportunity to earn a consistent income each week.
Lives were forever changed on that trip to Uganda. The women of SUUBI have shown what life looks like when it is lived with hope. They have shown over and over again that our past does not determine our future, that circumstances in our lives don’t have to affect the love and joy we live with, and that hope is a choice!
this style was my very first SUUBI necklace: the Classic
I love everything about their story, from their courage to just go for it and move to Uganda, to growing their family through adoption, to the relationships they built with these women and the beautiful jewelry they make. It is compelling and meaningful. It is one thing to go to Target and spend $20 on a necklace (or whatever) and another to purchase one where you are supporting hope.
About two weeks ago I was putting on my SUUBI necklace (I was actually wearing it as a bracelet that day) and it broke. How sad my heart was. Normally when something like this breaks it is just time to say goodbye. However, my heart is a bit attached to my SUUBI necklace and I went online not long after to replace it. With it, I purchased my second SUUBI necklace; it was high time to expand the collection!
how could I not buy another! green IS my favorite color!
I was excited to receive my package in the mail and couldn’t wait for it to arrive. While I waited I thought about how I wanted to share about SUUBI with others. I do try to share their story whenever someone complements me on my necklace, which happens quite often. However, I wanted to do more. Then it dawned on me. At the time the huzband was away in Africa, not Uganda but Rwanda, however I thought in honor of his time away (which is why I said I wanted to do this last week), I could host MY VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!
So I welcome you all to my very first giveaway here on Green Door Project. I am excited!! One lucky winner will win the third necklace, which is from SUUBI’s BOLD collection, entitle Slim Mustard. In the above picture, it is the yellow necklace all the way to the right.
for the giveaway: that yellow beauty in the corner!! i was very tempted to keep it for myself!
I know, you are all jumping at the bit to find out how to enter. No, I’m not going to make you follow me on twitter or subscribe to my blog (that will come later). All I ask if you answer one simple question:
If, right now, you could jump in the car, head to the airport and pick out one flight, where would you go?
Here are a few guidelines:
Answer the question in the comments below, not on Facebook. Make sure you leave a comment to this blog entry with your answer. Only one answer per person! The contest will go to Sunday night and a winner will be chosen at random and announced Monday morning!! Yah!!
So do you have it? I want to know where you would go, right now, if you could go anywhere!
the prize!
rachel martinez 
wow! and I’m the first one. that’s a good sign right? haha. I would choose Hawaii!
“If, right now, you could jump in the car, head to the airport and pick out one flight, where would you go?”
To my girlfriend in Chicago.
Australia. Hands down. God put Australia on my heart YEARS ago. I would want to go to Hillsong Leadership College and possibly do some work with the A21 Campaign. (And make friends with a kangaroo. And eat vegemite. And find a cute little Aussie to marry 🙂 )
❤ Great blog, Rachel! Hope I see you soon in Syo!
-Jen
I would go to Australia! I’ve always wanted to, but it’s a big trip requiring more than 5 days away since the flights alone are almost a full day of travel!
This is pretty awesome. I always have asked myself if money was no option where would I go or what would I do. Similar concept as my heart would do some kind of missions for our country America.
Hopping on a plan I would be headed out to IHOP, international house of prayer in Kansas city.
I would go to San Diego to see my dear friend Chelsea and introduce her to my baby Emma. Chelsea and I were roommates for a year while I was dating/engaged to Chris. It was a wonderful time as we cooked many dinners, shared scripture and prayed for one another. I miss my CK and want her to meet Emma so badly!!
I would fly to Tennessee to see a dear friend I have yet to meet in person. We found each other through my blog after both our sons died. While we email, text & talk on the phone, we can’t wait to get together to finally hug one another!
Great idea, Rach. I’m going to check out the website and get one. I had no idea Suubi existed and it’s a wonderful idea. And, I’d go to Bermuda. I’m missing the ocean.
I’d go to chilie with izzy he hasn’t been there in over 22 years and the look on his face to see the place where he was raised is the reason y I want to go to rehash his childhood memories meet my brother in law and my niece and nephew meet my family and be able to experience it with izzy.
I would fly to Mozambique to visit Iris Ministries and witness the Kingdom of heaven being lived out amongst the poor in the community there. That and hug a whole bunch of beautiful kids:)
There are beautiful, Rachel. I remember your first necklace! Maybe you can repurpose the beads and make something new out of them? Ok, to answer your question. Today if I could hop on a plane, I would go to New York to see you and the family. 🙂
I won’t submit myself into the drawing, because I don’t really wear jewelry and wouldn’t want this to go to waste!! So, I’ll just answer for fun. I have wanted to do this forever… I would go to the airport, packed with various types of clothing, and pick whatever flight was next, to wherever, and just enjoy the adventure. Great idea!
I had to really think.. where would i go? lol the Sierra clan has been traveling/vacationing by car for a few years now (due to the economy 🙂 … if I could hop on a plane, I would go to the Bahamas!
I’d go to Tampa to spend some time with my grandma!
If I could go anywhere it would be back to the Dominican Republic. I’ve been back once since high school for my sister’s wedding. I love the people & I love the beauty there. I’d want to re-visit the sugar cane villages where the kids were all smiles, screaming, “Americanos!” as they ran alongside our bus then grabbing each one of us to sing songs. There was beauty even there. 🙂
And sorry if I left a million messages. I was trying to leave them with my phone at first & wasn’t sure it was going through. Eep!
LOVE RACH what you are doing!! As always you inspire me dear sweet friend to look beyond my screen door. If I could go any where, it would have to be Guatemala with Jorge. It is deepest desire to see his family. I would love to be there for that moment! And then while we were there do some mission work with kids!
LOVE Light Gives Heat!!! I would hop in a plane to Ethiopia!! We are on a wait list to adopt and I can’t wait to get there!!!! 🙂
I love LGH… I would go to Ireland. It calls to a place deep inside me. Great blog entry!
I would fly to San Juan De la Maguana, in the Dominican republic and spend time with friends.
I would pick South Korea to visit my wife’s homeland.
I am a HUGE fan of Dave and Morgan and LGH! I love this idea!! I would go to Tibet! Just somewhere I have always wanted to visit.
I would head straight to Thailand! I have been there before it is beautiful, and the people are amazing but the amount of orphans to the amount of workers is outrageously uneven! And it breaks my heart. I have been wanting to go back for years, and I would jump on a plane and head over in a split second!
Besutiful necklace! I would love to hop on a plane to Germany…
I would head to Ethiopia to see our World Vision sponsored child, Gistane, and take her the bracelet and put it on her and give her a HUGE hug!
Beautiful necklaces!! What a neat idea Rachel! If I could hop on a plane (assuming Ty could go to), I would go to Africa – Burundi or Ethiopia. Someday, we will get there 🙂 Until then, I will dream through your blog!
As crazy as it may sound to some, I would want to visit a refugee camp in east Africa* – probably Dadaab or Kakuma. I can think of no better way to gain perspective and better appreciate my own blessings (while also getting in touch with organizations that I could support).
*Although I might try to find a flight itinerary that would allow for a detour for a safari in Ngorongoro
To Colombia to see my mother.
I would fly to Indonesia. No particular reason, just wanna fly away to a remote exotic place, and explore new cultures. Do I get extra entries if I say that I would give the necklace to my mom or my niece? I just wanna win something (:
Scotland!!! Longing for some of the highlands my ancestors came from!
These necklaces are beautiful, Rachel! And I’m very excited to look into Suubi more. Might be a great gift and giveaway for my MOPS group!
Well, I first have to add the condition that money is not an issue, so that I could stay for a month or two. 🙂 If I could hop on a plane anywhere, I would fly to Kolkata, India. There is a school/orphanage there that I once visited for a week, which is nowhere near long enough when you’ve lost your heart to 250 little orphans. I’d love to have an extended period of time to help out with the teaching and caring for those precious children. I’d plan my route home through NYC, so that I could visit the newish Hillsong church plant. 🙂
What a response! l would fly out to America’s Great Plains and visit my grandkids in Oklahoma City!
First, I have to say that I LOVE LGH!! I have purchased several items from them in the past. I was so moved by their film “Moving On”; it literally brought me to tears! If I could go anywhere right now, it would be to Thailand. This is one of the places on my wish list – especially the Phi Phi Islands. I would also visit thier monasteries, they seem so peaceful.