We had the honor of sponsoring & attending the Allume Conference in Greenville, South Carolina again this year! The conference leadership did such a wonderful job hosing the event – from the accommodations, to the delicious meals, to the keynote and breakout session speakers. The theme of this year’s conference was hospitality, and the Allume team displayed that at their core. We so enjoyed being able to take part in the general sessions and hear so many amazing authors and speakers share their words of life & encouragement.
It was wonderful to see so many Sole Hope supporters face-to-face! We interact with so many of you through social media & emails, but it was great to meet some of you in person – sharing the stories of what Sole Hope has been doing in Uganda over the last year. While we met many new people and saw familiar faces, there were many in attendance that had never heard of Sole Hope, but plan on hosting shoe cutting parties! We are so thankful for each and every person that stopped by the Sole Hope booth to say hi – we are able to do what we do because of you!
The organizations that were apart of Allume were inspiring! These organizations are the real thing – serving people all over the world in many different ways. We learned so much being able to talk and interact with the faces behind these organizations & were SO inspired by what each of them are doing after hearing their stories. Stayed tuned for possible collaborations with some of them in 2015!
As we mentioned, the theme of the conference was hospitality. We have witnessed first-hand the immense change that can take place when you sit or share a meal around the table – with new & old friends. In Uganda, we have joined Kristin Schell’s idea of the Turquoise Table – where staff, volunteers, Christians, Muslims, & children from the village sit and share life with each other. This practice has become something that we cherish, a sacred time that joins people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds. We were so encouraged by the words spoken throughout the conference. We take these things with us as we head back to wherever we call home.
Photo via @takethecannoli1.
We cannot say thank you enough to the Allume team, the speakers & authors, the attendees, and our supporters! The conference was such a success, and we’re so thrilled that to be able to spend this time with all of you! Here’s to gathering around the table, in the same town or thousands of miles apart, bringing the hospitality of Christ into each and every day.