I recently received a Sand Story that touched me in a way that was so emotional and so special. I was brought to tears on a train to NYC (which was a little awkward, but SO worth it!).  As the mother of two young daughters, there are days when I wonder what the world will be like for them?  I mean, when I’m not here and they’re taking care of themselves, will the world have enough love to share with them?  And it’s stories like this that quell my fears and tell me “yes!”.

 

Sand Stories Reveal Life-Changing Experiences – Hope, Love, and Cherished Memories

Why is this Dune Jewelry necklace so important to me?

In 2012, my entire life changed after a volunteer trip to Tanzania, Africa. What was only supposed to last for a month, shook me to my very core and became my life’s greatest passion.

In 2015, I officially founded Give Hope, a nonprofit organization, with a small group of other like-minded people. Our goal was to bring education, health care, and hope to small villages in Africa.

In 2017, we bought 5 acres of land in a small village called Mboga- and began raising money to start construction of our first school.

I hadn’t been back to Tanzania since the initial trip in 2012 but my heart ached for it every day. In January 2018, my best friend and I flew to Africa together, traveled to the village, and took place in the ribbon cutting ceremony on our land. My heart finally felt at home, and at peace.

In August, we went back again. This time, we broke ground on the property, and together made the very first brick for our school.  During the groundbreaking, I collected soil, which Is what you’ve made into a necklace for me.

Next week, we’re going back for a third time. Our school building is finished, and we get to spend 2 weeks painting, installing windows and doors, and walking through classrooms where hundreds of sweet babies will finally have a chance to learn.

Mboga village is a tiny dot on a map in a small, remote corner of the world. But it is the most important place in the world to me. I have learned that community is so much more than the neighborhood in which we live, and that people are people no matter what circumstance they’ve been born into. Joy is contagious, Love is universal currency. Kindness drives us forward, and hope ALWAYS wins. That’s what I carry in my heart every day- but thanks to you guys, now I can carry a small, tangible piece of it with me everywhere I go.

Thank you a million times Holly.  The girl in the pictures with me is my best friend, Charity, who is the real champion- she drops everything to chase this dream with me.

-Mandi B.

 

THIS is why I love what I do and why I’m so grateful for the opportunities presented to me every day. It’s why I’ll work hard to capture your adventures and experiences in a meaningful way.

With love, hope and sandy hands,
Holly