Crayons Matter

As the sun rose in Africa this morning, I felt so humbled and honored to have had the extraordinary opportunity to travel on behalf of Crayons Matter to Africa where our core team engaged, connected, served, and gave back to communities in Ghana. It has been a pleasure to share backpacks and essential school supplies with the kind and inspirational students at the Sogakofe Primary School and Abor Primary and JHS Schools. It is a blessing to spend time with the joyful and faithful people of Ghana. The Ghanaians make you realize immediately that family, friends, fellowship, and the church community are the cornerstones of life. This experience is not only life changing, but faith affirming, and it highlights the importance of being a living part of the community and dedicating time, energy, and resources to give back responsibly.

This enriching experience once again has made me consider the ways that Crayons Matter can continue to engage to make a difference and give back in love with those globally or within my own community. Through God’s great provision, Crayons Matter will continue to collaborate with our sponsor schools and seek out partnerships with additional schools in Africa and schools locally and globally with the goal of delivering essential school supplies and art to children in need.

I again send my deepest thank you to our CM Volunteer Team that gave an immense amount of time and energy in such a dear, genuine way this week: Martin, Chantal, Julian, Francis, Godwin, Mark, Julian, and Brad. I thank the Greensboro, NC community including those in the Florida, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia communities, and friends and colleagues throughout the US and globally that have donated time, energy, Art, and gifts of support to make the Crayons Matter mission a reality. What an amazing Stella and Dot/Crayons Matter fundraiser we recetnly had - thank you, Kaki!!

I want to send a special thank you to the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro that has chosen Crayons Matter as their partner in the support of our church's Children's Outreach Ministry mission of “Children Helping Children.” God continues to provide great blessings as Crayons Matter has also served as a partner in FPC’s Africa Day Global Village Program during Vacation Bible School and has been selected to be First Presbyterian’s Children’s Outreach Project for this school year. Crayons Matter has also has the wonderful opportunity to collaborate as a Children’s Sabbath Celebration partner. There is no doubt that the vision of Crayons Matter to ensure that "no child should go without a pack of crayons that they can call their own" is becoming reality through God’s miraculous will, grace, and the love of our church community.

Thank you to Lilly for creating the inspiration and "Spark" behind Crayons Matter. After an incredible volunteer at a school in Hohoe, Ghana in 2011 through the Connecting Hearts Abroad Ambassador program, I realized the essential need for schools supplies. A BIG thank you to the Charlotte District for your help assembling backpacks in December for our Lilly Day of Service!! I am grateful for every gift of energy, art, and donation from my entire Lilly and OBU family....you guys are the best 

The hope of Crayons Matter is that we can all work together to provide the basics of education to children by first inspiring their strong imaginations and supplying them with crayons, paper, backpacks, art, and other essential school supplies. By making a difference through service, we can gain a deeper understanding of the value of passionate giving.

One of my favorite songs by For King and Country, The Proof of Your Love,” reminds me of the importance of including love in all of our relationships and to give back in joy. The song quotes 1 Corinthians 13:1–7: If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Crayons Matter is fortunate to share our story and journey. This is is just the beginning, and I am so grateful to communities far and wide for your love and enduring support.

xxx Court

www.crayonsmatter.org

Ghana Backpack Delivery!

Thank you all for your kind comments! I echo Padmore's sentiments - what joy we experienced in Abor! I am completely humbled and honored by the love that was shared with our team by the students, staff, parents, and distinguished guests - I hope you all can feel the happiness that was flowing on campus and throughout the community. This was the first time that the Abor JHS collaborated with a non-profit organization like Crayons Matter, and it delights me that this will be a continued relationship for many years to come.

Thank YOU to everyone who worked so diligently to make this first Crayons Matter backpack delivery a success in Ghana. I must admit that I am still processing this incredible experience, and as a united team, we are creating a plan to provide additional educational supplies from a grassroots level to Abor and Sogakofe.

This is just the first step for Crayons Matter in our mission to give back and make a difference for children in need of essential school resources! You can learn more at www.crayonsmatter.org

Abor R.C. JHS School Backpack Delivery

I do not think I ever could have imagined the extraordinary welcome that the the Crayons Matter core team (Martin, Julian, Chantal, Frances, Eric, Godwin, Brad and myself) received when we delivered 400 backpacks filled with crayons and essential school supplies to the Abor R. C. JHS today.

The headmaster, teachers, parents, ministers, chairperson, and other instrumental government and school officials greeted us with an incredible program of celebration that included tents, food, Crayons Matter banners, inspirational music and dance, welcome sashes, and passionate presentations. The children remained the center of our attention as we engaged with the leaders of the Abor community that are passionate about the power of providing a sound education to every student.

Our hearts and minds were warmed by the smiles on the faces of so many children that were thrilled to received Crayons Matter Backpacks!!

Sogakofe Primary School Backpack Delivery

Wow! It was a truly inspiring experience to deliver the first group of Crayons Matter backpacks to over 400 children at the Sogakofe Primary School in Sogakofe, Ghana. This was a 2 year, 3 month, and 24 day journey in the making - what a remarkable team effort!

Since pictures speak a thousand words (a million in this case), I will share...kudos to each of you that believed in the power of this mission and gave unconditionally. You can make a difference - witness this for yourself.

Thank you to the amazing work of our core team: Martin, Julian, Chantal, Franci

s, and Mark...the first delivery of Crayons Matter backpacks would not be possible with your energy, hard work, and shared passion to serve!! :)

The Road Back to Ghana: Day 1

The Road Back to Ghana Day 1: After an 11 hour flight from JFK - our first Crayons Matter Backpack Delivery Team made it safely to Accra, Ghana: Brad, Martin Agbemabiese, MD, and myself! I could hardly contain my excitement (and a few tears) as we landed. What a dream come true! We were greeted by several of Martin's amazing friends and family members - including his sister and brother. The mission of Crayons Matter would not be possible without this generous group of individuals.

We will transport 400 plus backpacks to our first sponsor school tomorrow and then follow with a delivery of 400 backpacks to our second sponsor school on Friday. We are super excited and cannot wait to share the details of our service experience in the villages outside of Accra.

Thank you for your kind comments, thoughts, and prayers as we embark on this amazing service journey...you will be present as each child opens their very own backpack tomorrow. I am so grateful and honored to return to this inspiring country and have the opportunity to deliver joy and love in the form of crayons!! Stay tuned for our next update...

What Sparked Crayons Matter?

What sparked Crayons Matter?  Many of you know that I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Ghana in 2011 through the inaugural Lilly program called Connecting Hearts Abroad.  Over the past several years, this thought provoking initiative has sent 200 volunteers to countries globally to serve and determine way s that we can improve global health.  It was  through this inspiring volunteer experience at a Hohoe school that I realized the essential need for schools supplies - no child should go without a pack of crayons that they can call their own.  What an amazing spark, right!!

When I consider the amazing Crayons Matter journey that started over two years, I am delighted and humbled by the outpouring of support from all of YOU!  Because of the time, energy, and resources that have been graciously donated to Crayons Matter, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver over 800 backpacks this week to Ghana (826 to be exact!)  I am a true believer in divine intervention, and God continues to bless the mission of this organization.  I can only imagine the smiles on the children's faces when they open up navy blue backpacks filled with crayons, notebooks, pencils, colored pencils, sharpeners, and of course, pieces of art work from children in the United States (North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Florida) !   I want to send a heartfelt thank you to everyone who believed in Crayons Matter from the moment of this "spark" and gave from your hearts to make a difference in the lives of children.  Every backpack is filled with love, and I can hardly wait to share pictures!

Fact: Lilly Charlotte District traveled all the way to Greensboro in December to assemble backpacks - what a remarkable Lilly Day of Service! 

I Am Where I Have Been - Ghana

As I think about the tremendous adventure that I had in Ghana, I would definitely describe it as a remarkable journey that allowed me to help, teach, and most importantly learn from others.  My final two days at St. Teresa’s Primary School were inspiring and rewarding.  My students were filled with excitement to absorb as much as they could about communications technology and all aspects of the laptop.  They were also so appreciative to have the chance to finish their art, stories, and have them hung on the walls of the their classrooms (CCS provided the tape!)  The girls sang farewell songs, and the teachers gave me the most beautiful bananas on my last placement day.  A blessing!

Before I left Hohoe, I had an interesting discussion with the Headmaster at St. Francis Primary School about the importance of exposing children to various topics in school including computers, technology, and information.  He explained to me that it can be challenging to teach children beyond the basic subjects like Science, Math, and English because of the lack of resources and for various practical reasons.  It made me wonder about the significance of offering each child the best education possible, mentoring them on ways that they can become stronger, healthier people - physically, mentally, and emotionally, and imparting hope for greater future opportunities.  I asked him how valuable it is to ignite a “spark” of education interest with his students – regardless of economic/social status- to create a hunger to learn and strive for any dream that they may have – education or otherwise.  He pondered this thought…I was quite uncertain as to what his reaction would be to my bold comments.  Smiling, he offered me a job….I told him that I would love to join his staff, but I would miss my husband dearly and that I must return to my satisfying position with Lilly in the States.  Very kind and unexpected indeed!  He told me he would think about adjusting the curriculum to include more advanced ways to teach subjects that are not considered as important or part of the content norm.

When Lilly announced that they would send 200 volunteers abroad to help develop creative solutions to improve global health, I knew then that I wanted to serve as a Connecting Hearts Abroad Ambassador because of the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people: one volunteer placement, one person, one community at a time. It mattered to me that it mattered to Lilly to send employees globally to make this difference.  What in fact happened to me through this CHA experience though was not just life changing, but life affirming. At Lilly we have the great chance now to generate meaningful discussions and ideas that could lead to the solutions that Lilly is looking for as the company develops unique ways to deliver better patient outcomes in difficult environments. One small action combined with other small action creates a tidal wave of movement.  I have realized that we can all be a part of the “ spark” to make a difference - that we each can contribute in our home communities or give in some way to those abroad – we have so much to give and we are blessed to have so many opportunities in America.  I am proud to work for a company that sincerely has wishes to improve lives, improve healthcare, and make a lasting difference.  Whether it is through global hygiene education, donating $6 mosquito nets to save the lives of children from Malaria, offering immunizations for Typhoid and Yellow Fever, or supplying crayons and paper to schools with few resources, we can offer a helping hand.  The incredible journey does not stop in Ghana – or elsewhere in the world – but will continue through dialogue and shared learnings. 

I thank Lilly, the entire CHA staff, and Cross Cultural Solutions for making this exceptional experience possible!

xo Court