Uru Comes to USA!

I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world.
— Rainer Maria Rilke

In Sep­tem­ber 2011 rep­re­sen­ta­tives from Tan­za­nia brought Africa to us! Alphonse Ngowi is the Project Coör­di­na­tor for the Uru Water Bore­hole Project, work­ing for clean water access by drilling deep­wa­ter wells in Moshi Rural Dis­trict, Mt. Kil­i­man­jaro. His wife Eva Ngowi, is the Founder of Acorn Women’s Group and Coöper­a­tive, striv­ing to empower Uru women with sewing, quilt­ing, craft mak­ing and small busi­ness skills for Fair Trade prod­uct and mar­ket development.

Respected lead­ers and com­mu­nity orga­niz­ers, Mr. & Mrs. Ngowi left their Kyaseni village home and came to the USA hop­ing to raise aware­ness and sup­port for these projects to improve life for the Uru peo­ple. They both also had learn­ing oppor­tu­ni­ties in their respec­tive areas of focus, as well as expe­ri­enced some of our typ­i­cal life in the USA. They will never forget “meet­ing the won­der­ful Amer­i­cans who have taken us into their hearts and trou­bled them­selves with our problems”.

We are very grateful to our many friends and ever widen­ing global com­mu­nity who so warmly wel­comed the Ngowi’s into their homes, churches, temples, schools, universities and businesses throughout Wis­con­sin and Illinois. Asante’ sana’! (Swahili for ‘thank you very much’!)

EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN
It Can Be Done!

• Unity Christ Center, 1808 Folsom, Eau Claire, WI
  www.unityeauclaire.org
  9/10 10am-12n Lattice Work T-Shirt making w/Sandy Wagner.
  Bring a T-shirt; donations to ICBD.
• 9/10   5:30-9pm ICBD Fundraising Dinner at home of Jacquie & Dale Staebell; Contact Unity for tickets/info/availability 715-836-0010
• 9/11 10am Sunday Service & Unity 15th Year Anniversary Celebration – special guests Alphonse & Eva Ngowi and the ICBD team. Music: The Night Crawlers & Unity Choir
• 12:30-2:30pm Unity In Global Community Circle –
  Creating A Sustainable World through Visioning, Networking, Truth Telling, Learning & Loving NOW!
  A powerful opportunity to share in the visioning and creation of a sustainable world through equitable partnership. Bringing together ‘cultural creatives’ from both the local community and as far away as Tanzania, we are gathering to exchange information, to learn about actionable ways to create sustainability ‘inside and out’, and to be inspired by the stories of every day people striving to be… and to create… extraordinary positive change.

  This is an afternoon of myth and science, heart and soul, rational thinking and deep dreaming… woven together by our personal stories and human experiences. Please join us to learn, to share, to create, to pray and to celebrate our common goals for a good life.

  Facilitators:
  Barbara Joye, President, It Can Be Done, USA and Tanzania
  Bishop James Zinzow, Presiding World Bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church
  Special Music by Singer/Songwriter Poppy Moelter

  Special Guests:
  Alphonce Ngowi, Project Manager, the Uru Water Project, Tanzania
  Eva Ngowi, Founder, Acorn Women’s Group and Cooperative, Tanzania

  Hosted by:
  Rev. Sandra McKinney and the congregation of Unity Christ Center Eau Claire
  Cost: Offering

  7:30pm Ecstatic Dance w/Jean Kowalski – Offering donated to ICBD

• Hope United Methodist Church, 2233 Golf Rd., Eau Claire, WI
  www.gbgm-umc.org
  9/12 6pm Cookies/Coffee/Conversation with Alphonse & Eva Ngowi and the ICBD team.– Cost: Offering
• JONAH (Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope)
  Social Justice in Chippewa Valley—jonah.wisdomwi.org
  9/13 11:30-1pm Barbara Joye, James Zinzow, Eva & Alphonse Ngowi guests at JONAH Religious Leaders Luncheon at Immanuel Lutheran Church., Eau Claire.
• FUTURE ICBD EVENTS IN EAU CLAIRE
  10/28 5:30pm Supper & Silent Auction at Hope United Methodist Church with Lee Ann Richards; Proceeds to support ICBD water projects & women’s initiatives.

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ILLINOIS EVENTS
It Can Be Done!

• Sat. 9/17 8:30am-6:30pm Soulscapes Music & Breathwork: experiential workshop utilizing meditation, prayer, music, art & group process for self-awareness and personal/spiritual growth. Facilitated by Barbara Joye; proceeds to benefit ICBD. barbara@acorninvocations.com or 847*482*0732 for info & registration.
• Sun. 9/18 3:00-6:30 pm Kilimanjaro Meet & Greet for Kilimanjaro Pledge Climbers & all interested ICBD supporters! Bring a dish to share & meet Eva & Alphonse Ngowi as well as former Kilimanjaro Climbers and the ICBD team.1009 Campbell Court, Lake Bluff, IL; RSVP required, contact Chris Moses at 847-295-3524. Donations to ICBD water project & women’s initiatives.
• Sat. 9/24: 10:00am Blue Lotus Temple; Buddhist Meditation followed by ICBD Presentation with Eva & Alphonse Ngowi, Barbara Joye, James Zinzow & Angela Dampier. Meditation & program conducted at the Unitarian Church,  225 Dean Street, Woodstock, IL
  www.bluelotustemple.org
• Sun. 9/25: Unity Church of Crystal Lake; Presentation Table & Info provided by Angela Dampier on ICBD Projects, Mission Trips & Pledge Climb after 10:00am Sunday Service. 200 Ellsworth, Crystal Lake, IL.
• Sat. 9/24: 1:00-4:00pm The Present Moment; Shop & Share event with proceeds to benefit ICBD’s water & women’s projects. Meet Eva & Alphonse Ngowi and the ICBD team. 521 North Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL www.thepresentmomentinc.com
• Engineers Without Borders; sponsored by student chapter of EWB at University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana, Illinois; campus wide event; details TBA

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All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. —Martin Luther King, Jr.