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Uganda Update from Julie

When I arrived in the remote village where the Project Lydia women live, I was overwhelmed and almost tackled by the greeting I received from 38 excited women. They were anxious to hear reports of how their work was being received in America. I told them of many of the places and homes that we set up their products, and how people just love what they are making. I told them that we had 3 newspaper articles written about us, that we had one television interview, and that we were in Shape magazine’s website. I told them how encouraged I was by the response and that we were nearly sold out of some styles of necklaces, and that now, we needed to get back to work. They cheered almost uncontrollably!

I asked the ladies how Project Lydia has helped them, and I listened to stories of hope. Some were now sending their children to school for the first time. Some are just relieved that they are able to feed their families some nourishing food. Some were helped with emergency medical attention, and some have increased the sizes of their gardens or bought a goat or a cow for milk for their children.

We in America have no idea of the impact you have on women and their children half a world away when you purchase a Project Lydia necklace or basket. Sometimes it’s a matter of life or death, when a Mother can now purchase life saving malaria medicine for her very sick child.

So I say a BIG Thank You to all of you who have supported these women and children through your Project Lydia purchases. It has truly restored hope, purpose, and dignity to many lives.

With Gratefulness,
Julie Pash, Founder
Project Lydia
PO Box 3321
Lawrence, Ks 66046
www.projectlydia.org

Remember Project in your year end donations. We accept charitable contributions under the IRS tax code of 501c3.

Project Lydia will have some new and exciting colors coming out for your spring purchases. You have requested bracelets!! Now Project Lydia women will be adding bracelets to their line of beautiful necklaces and earrings. Look for them in February and early March.

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About Project Lydia

Pure and faultless religion…look after the widows and orphans in their distress. James 1:27

Project Lydia Products Bring Joy

PROJECT LYDIA began in 2009 by missionaries, Cliff and Julie Pash and is an expansion of Advancing the Kingdom Ministries which serves Uganda, East Africa.

The project helps local widows and abandoned women overcome adversity and thrive in every area of their lives. PROJECT LYDIA teaches skills, provides a spiritual support system, and opens doors for the women to support their families. The women meet weekly to work on projects together which are sold around the world.

Projects include: recycled paper bead necklaces, baskets, and authentic Ugandan dolls with a story of a local woman of courage who also overcame adversity.

Many women lives have been transformed through PROJECT LYDIA as they gain resources to buy seed for their gardens, send their children to school, purchase medical care, and improve their housing.

PROJECT LYDIA addresses a critical need of many women around the world. Unfortunately, in developing countries many women are treated as possessions and children and wives are often left destitute and betrayed when the husband finds a new, younger wife. The Pash’s heart broke for the women and thus began PROJECT LYDIA.

Cliff and Julie Pash never had dreams of becoming missionaries or of going to Africa. The Pash’s owned a thriving business and enjoyed great success.

Life took quite a turn for the Pash’s and at the age of fifty, they answered a call God put in our hearts to serve in Uganda. The Pash’s gave away much of their earthly possessions and set out for a journey in East Africa to serve a network of Muslim villages with no electricity or running tap water.

The Pash’s were transformed as they saw the almighty God, creator of the universe at work, using them to change hearts and lives for His purposes. Thank you for being a part of PROJECT LYDIA.

Authentic Ugandan Dolls, Beaded Necklaces and Handmade Baskets are produced by the Ladies of Nawansega, most of whom are widows and abandoned wives.

Each Monday, these ladies gather to encourage each other, share with each other, pray for each other.  They spend their day producing these products, some of which is sold in the United States through ATK International, Inc.

The small incomes alleviate the worst of the poverty and helps assist with school fees, clothing and food.

“Our God will give you the ability to create wealth, and by doing so, affirms His covenant!”

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Shop for Dolls

Authentic Ugandan Dolls Representing Real People

Project Lydia handmade dolls are crafted by women in remote villages in Uganda. The dolls are cloth with hand sewn faces and yarn hair, and are dressed in traditional “Gomez” style. The dolls featured depict a real African woman of incredible courage who have overcome much adversity in her life. Each unique, beautiful doll has a short story about her life to raise awareness of the plight of many African women. Collect all three of the dolls and share their stories with you family and friends. All proceeds go back into missions and community development projects in Uganda.

Zaina
Harriet Achiro
Susan Innocent Ejang

Buy today

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Who was Lydia?

Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy were traveling through Philippi and spreading the Gospel given to them by their Lord–Jesus. In obedience to the great commission that had been given to all Christians and their own particular call, they found themselves traveling through the known world and sharing the story of a crucified king and forgiveness and redemption for all who would request it.

As was their practice they went to the synagogue to speak to their people and share the news that Jesus had lived and died for their sins, been raised from the dead, ascended to the Father, and that Jesus would come back in judgment of both the living and dead. In their proclamation of the Gospel, they gathered the interest of Lydia and her friends.

Lydia was a wealthy widow who had gained some notoriety among the male-dominated society of Philippi. She made a living as a business-woman selling purple-dyed clothing and the purple dye, itself. Her husband had died and, yet, she was not ruined in the eyes of the merchant community. Instead, she had become a leader in the community and held the respect of people who may never have offered respect to a woman if it hadn’t been for her incredible success and head for business. She had not been given respect or assistance because of her status as a widow but she had purchased it through her commitment to business and the economy of the powers-that-be.

Not only was Lydia wealthy, she was spiritually sensitive and known to lead women in prayer and study. When Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy arrived she was the natural leader of the group of women and the first to step forward and convert to the life and calling that the men were offering. Lydia’s keen spiritual awareness prepared her for this experience but it was the Holy Spirit that drew her to the place of proclaiming Jesus–the crucified King–as Lord.

Upon her conversion, she said to the men, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” In doing this, Lydia grasped at the heart of the Kingdom. She offered hospitality to those in need of it and began to share her life and self with others regardless of familiarity. She opened her table and her home to the four men who guided her conversion but, also, would go on to be a pillar of the Church in Philippi. The hospitality she demonstrated would not only prove to be a mark of her conversion but, also, a mark of the early Church.

Lydia’s hospitality proclaimed the power of love and fellowship to a world that offered little help to widows and women. Though Lydia had earned respect and appreciation through her business-sense, she was part of a different economy of love and respect when she joined the Kingdom: love was the starting point, in the Kingdom, and not something you had to earn. Love was not something that had to be purchased or torn from people but, rather, something given freely and compassionately. In her commitment to hospitality, Lydia helped to advance the Kingdom in Philippi through merciful and compassionate use of the blessings God had given to her.