The Story

I want to tell you story. It's a story that has taken many years to write and is still being written. It is a story of redemption. A story of transformation. It is the story of SoloHope.

Years ago, a girl travelled to a foreign country called Honduras. It was a poor country. The girl saw poverty, pain and hopelessness. One year this girl and her family had the privilege of giving Christmas to a family in need in Honduras. The family was very large with 6 children and no present father. The mother, Lola, was very sad, full of despair. For the next three years the girl would visit the large family and deliver Christmas gifts. Although the girl would see Lola smile at her children opening the gifts, the smile seemed only surface deep sure to be wiped away as soon as her children asked for their next meal. On the fourth year of delivering presents to this family, the family had grown to 8 children (as twins had come the year before), still no father was present. It seemed a hopeless situation with a mother barely able to feed her children. When the girl arrived at the small two room home of the family that fourth year, Lola greeted her with such a hopeful countenance that the girl almost did not recognize the woman. Lola was a different person full of life with a genuine smile. The girl did not understand the change. What had happened to this woman? It seemed as though she had met Jesus and He had transformed her life. And indeed He had. But still the question remained, what had happened? As these thoughts ran through the girl's mind, Lola disappeared behind a curtain that divided one of the small rooms. The mother rejoined the festivities and with her brought a beautiful basket, intricately made of pine straw and pink thread. Lola held the basket out to the girl and said it was a Christmas gift for her. The girl was amazed and humbled beyond words. Lola smiled a smile that illuminated gratitude and pride. Lola had made the beautiful basket. And suddenly it all made sense to the girl. Lola had a job. No longer was she struggling to put food on the table because she now had a job. And because the questions of how she would feed her children no longer circled around in her head, she could now turn her attention to something more, something much more--to the Father, to the One who gives and renews hope. Lola's life and that of her children were forever changed.

I am the girl in the story. (Pic above: Me with Lola and 6 of her 8 children in April 2012.) From this experience a desire that had always been in my heart was confirmed. I have seen with my own eyes the difference that "the work of our hands" can do for a family in desperate circumstances. My vision is to work with women in third world countries struggling to provide for their families. Women often take the bulk of responsibility for their families in third world countries because the men often leave and many men will have several families.

The vision for SoloHope (Spanglish for "Only Hope") has evolved over the years. This has been a longtime desire to create a business to work with women in third world countries to develop products they could produce with their available resources and then resell the products here in the States. And after years of planning, praying, and dreaming, God has brought the vision forth this year. He has made it happen and I am so excited!

SoloHope is now introducing its first line, SoloHope Bracelets! They are made in Honduras by two precious women named Dilcia and Maribel. The bracelets come in two styles and are made of pine straw and thread and they are absolutely beautiful! I am so proud of these women and their beautiful work! Saturday will be first time these bracelets will be sold! I will be speaking at an event in Cairo called "The Call" at Davis Park where the organizers of the event have so graciously allowed me set up shop too! If you are interested in purchasing SoloHope Bracelets, please contact me at emileeconnell@gmail.com or come to the event! This is just the beginning and I am learning. I am so thankful to the many people who have encouraged and helped make this vision come to life. Thank you! I will keep you posted on locations that SoloHope Bracelets can be purchased!

Photos 2-3: K&R Photography