“We want to sing you a song to bring you twins!” shouted the women, before engulfing BeadforLife staff member Phoebe Aringo in a tide of clapping, dancing, ululating bodies, 
showering prayers for two babies.
As the coordinator of Suubi group, Phoebe has worked with these women for the past two years, acting as resource and mentor for group members, as well as a liaison between the group and other program departments. Phoebe loves the members of Suubi group, and is a great advocate on their behalf.
Last month, Phoebe had a traditional Ugandan wedding celebration, or Introduction at her ancestral village in Eastern Uganda. Known as the Mugolay, or Bride, she goes through a day-long ceremony that involves ceremonial negotiations between the two families, many playful games, beautiful costumes, and of course, lots of food.
Today Suubi saw Phoebe for the first time since her Introduction, and they were ready to celebrate! Bringing her into the middle of the circle, they danced around her, prodding her to show off her moves, and begging her to present Ben, her new husband, to the group for their approval. After three dances, Phoebe retired to the sidelines, only to be swept up by the final touch – a fervent prayer from 65 women that she would be the mother of twins, one of the highest honors in Ugandan culture.
It brought tears to my eyes to watch. BeadforLife offers not only the currency of cold hard cash (or Ugandan shillings) but also the riches of love, shared between Phoebe and the members of her group, and from them back to her in plenty.
I hope you can feel the love from Uganda to each one of you. We certainly feel your thoughts, prayers and love coming back to us every day!
Tags: Africa, BeadCircle, Beaders, BeadforLife, Empowering Women, paper jewelry, Poverty Eradication, Women Making A Difference
These women are beautiful inside and out. I love you Suubi