African-8
Illuminating the Path
by Andi Smith, Board member TFC
Picture this: On a hot June evening, we pay a mere $35 to enter a a comfortable air conditioned space and begin our evening by piling our plates high with truly delicious food from The Hub, Saffron Indian Bistro, and the kitchen of Elijah's wife Aja who stole the show with her amazing chicken!
The Forgotten Children dream of a real meal instead of catching rats for dinner.
We are lead into the evening's festivities and guided through the night by the kind and compassionate heart of Master of Ceremony Beah Williams.
We listen to words of inspiration by guest speaker Corey Williams who generously heads a non-for profit to provide free sports and fitness to Arizona youths.
The forgotten children dream of spending their time playing sports rather than begging on the streets.
...and the words of keynote speaker Bart Christian who's current life work is dedicated to child nutrition and food safety.
The Forgotten Children simply dream of real food let alone that kind of attention to their well being.
We are entertained by the beautiful rhythmic sounds of Jaliya and Arouna, and soothing harmony of the Moxie women's acapella group.
The Forgotten Children hear mainly the sounds of street noise and rejection.
We delight in the colorful costumes and the inspirational dance of Ballet Folklorico Tapia, and kick off our shoes to dance to the soulful sound and powerful message of love and peace by General Tchefary's reggae band.
The Forgotten Children only dream of dancing with shoes on their feet.
The winners are announced for the numerous luxury raffle ticket items...
But the real winners at African-8 were The Forgotten Children! Because this smaller than usual but mighty crowd heard the call. They opened their hearts and pocketbooks beyond expectation! The dreams of The Forgotten Children and their future, thanks to Elijah's work and the construction of the boarding school and shelter are getting a little closer.
So with extreme gratitude, we can say with continued love and hope that ...
"AN EVENING OF FUN AND FOOD FOR US IS INDEED PROVIDING A PATHWAY TO SURVIVAL FOR THEM".
Video Created by: Fatima Ndoye and presented at the event.
Help Us Help Them
We are already building but need to continue to build and support the Forgotten Children