The story of how these incredible women met, and how they came to write this transformational book is best told through the words of Jen Lemen – please see below for the links to her blog posts that detail the journey and so much more. We will summarize it as best we can, but know that if you have the time, her words will not leave you unchanged.
Odette Umererwa and Jen Lemen met about a year and a half ago at a playground. Odette asked to borrow Jen’s cell phone, and both of their lives have been transformed since that chance encounter.
Odette had come to the US in a last ditch effort to try and keep her family back in Rwanda, specifically her mother and two daughters (Lillian and Grace), from falling apart. As their friendship grew, Jen realized that although Odette could not return to Rwanda to visit her girls, she could bring the joy, love and hope of their mother to them – at least until arrangements could be made for the girls to rejoin their mother here in the states.
After much discussion about what would be the best things for Jen to bring Lillian, Grace, and the other girls of their village, they faced a considerable question: how can we bring the girls something for their minds (books) that is also practical for Jen to carry alone all the way to Africa?
Jen had the idea that perhaps the best solution was to create a book that told “that chicken story” of Odette’s that she loved so much, in a zine (a small, light weight, illustrated story book). Written in both English and Kiryawanada, the book was more convenient for Jen to take to Odette’s family and the village, along with 2000 bouncy balls, and so much more. With that idea, and a lot of hope and faith, Jen and Odette sought out to create the zine, with Odette telling her story, and Jen illustrating it. It all came together and was made possible by the overwhelmingly generous support of the readers of Jen’s blog.
On meeting Odette
On how the zine came to be
Odette’s words to the readers of jenlemen.com
Getting Jen, the zines, and so much more to Rwanda
What love looks like
The story of Goreth
What hope can bring
Stories from Rwanda
Letter to Africa, with love
How Jen & Odette send love to Rwanda everyday
There’s so much inspiration to be found there, stay and poke around for a minute if you have the time and want to feel your heart swell!
Pictures copyrighted by Jen Lemen.
