The biggest question racers hear when their race is over is, “So what are you doing now?” Lots of time this question elicits panic and fear, and I can see why!
But not for me. I’ve been almost bursting at the seams to tell anyone and everyone who will listen my plans for after the race.
You see, the Lord has been planting seeds and placing foundation bricks for years now, and everything is starting to come together.
Let me let you in on something I’ve had a hard time holding in for these past several months: I’m starting a non-profit company!
There, I’ve said it. Shew! It’s both exciting and nerve wracking to get it out in the open.
See, when you have an idea you’re so passionate about, you’re equally excited to share it with people and terrified to hear their reaction. So please be gentle if you have any feedback for me.
So, what is the “Secret Thread” and what will I be doing? This year, I’ve built up a small inventory of goods from around the world that I will be selling soon. Your purchase will help in two different ways: First, you’ll support the artisan who made the piece. Secondly, 100% of the profit I make will go back to help projects in Haiti. We are planning on building a small artisan workshop in Haiti with a few employees to make jewelry we know will sell in the U.S. We’ll work in a rural mountain village where I’ve volunteered before and will likely employ mamas of children at the school a friend of mine started. Your purchases will pay a fair wage for our artisans, and any profit will go toward the school fees of the street children who walk several miles a day to attend school. Our hope is to grow to include discipleship programs with our artisans and the sponsored children, and then grow to include a micro-loan program for those artisans wanting to ‘graduate’ from our program to start their own business. Our vision is to help Grace Academy to become self-sustaining while helping local women make livable wages to support their families. We would love to expand to other countries as well and work with organizations in Madagascar and Uganda.
I’ve been awarded a $5,000 Kingdom Mission grant from Northeast Christian Church to get started! As soon as I get my 501(c)3 status, I’ll be able to use the grant.
So, how can you help? I’ll be posting pieces I’ve bought on Facebook within the next week, so if you see something you like, feel free to buy it (https://www.facebook.com/KaraKirtley)! Also be on the lookout in late winter/early spring for a craft/artisan fair schedule. We’ll be selling our goods in person at local artisan markets in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. We’ll also be launching a website in the spring.
I’m also fundraising for my own salary right now so that I can work on this full time but not take away from the organization as we get started – my goal is to live on about $100 a month. I’ve moved back in with Mom and Dad in the meantime to make this possible (washing a lot of dishes for rent, ha ha)! You can go to
https://www.gofundme.com/secretthread to donate – and donations on this page will also go towards our first trip to Haiti.
Oh, and by the way – the “Secret Thread” is named after the C.S. Lewis quote that there is an invisible thread that ties certain people together.
I can’t thank you enough for your help, your love, your support throughout this past year. I am abundantly blessed with an amazing family and incredible friends like you! Look for more posts in the next week as I tell the story of how the Lord weaved these ideas and the story of “Secret Thread” together during the last year! I’ll be talking about how I was inspired by people I met before the race and in Madagascar, Cambodia and Malaysia!
Street Children in Mirebalais, Haiti – some of who attend Grace Academy.
Children living in a rural village in Madagascar.
Artisan working at Boo Enterprises in Madagascar – one of my favorite ministries of the entire year!
