Perseverance
Have you ever fought for something you wanted? Ever felt like you would never make it there. You had to keep pressing on, keep moving forward, and just maybe, finally, you make it? That moment, the moment you make it to the finish line: that is your KUMBAYAH® Moment.
Community
When we look in our mirror and see someone other than ourselves. When we hold dear the needs of others as possibly more important than our own. When we understand that a group of people bound together by respect, trust and love can be more important than the individual. When a group of people recognize the uniqueness of an individual as to not demand absolute conformity to a single thought or purpose. When we understand the truth that the greater we become the greater a servant we must be. With all this we have community.
Love
Once as a young child I walked through my grandparents room to discover my grandfather groaning in severe pain. My grandmother was cradling him in her arms. In that moment all that mattered, all that existed to my grandmother was her husband of almost 65 years. They were two kids in love till the day he died. Whenever, I think of love I think of this moment. Hopefully, you too have a similar memory that grips your heart, turns up a grin on your face and moistens your eyes.
Our Clothing
Our Story
It has always been that the best conversations with my children come when we are together in the car driving. It was true when they were little and even more as they have become mature young adults. One eventful drive, when my youngest daughter and I were driving on Central Ave towards Uptown Charlotte in North Carolina, came the Kumbayah® moment that was the inspiration for trade marking the name Kumbayah® as the platform to “HELP PEOPLE”.
On this drive my youngest daughter Dani and I were talking about most anything and everything. Suddenly she turned to me and said “Dad you should work with high school kids. You are really good at it”. The thoughts that followed lasted only seconds but seemed much longer. My world seemed to be moving in slow motion. I thought of the dissatisfaction of the work I was currently doing and the lack of purpose in my life. It was at that moment I asked myself “what do you want to do with the rest of your life?” The answer came instantly, it was a broad as it was simple – HELP PEOPLE. The song many of us sang as children, KUMBAYAH®, came to mind and the realization that using this name would be the foundation for what I wanted to do the rest of my life – HELP PEOPLE.
The spirit that is Kumbayah® represents all that is positive, uplifting, all that is joyful and inspirational. To Live a Kumbayah® Moment is to experience a wonderful moment in life. To HELP PEOPLE live their own KUMBAYAH® MOMENT is even better.
~ The Kumbayah® Family
Made in America
KUMBAYAH® is for all people! KUM*BA*YAH® is excited to offer two t-shirts made in America 🙂 Starting from cotton grown in some of the richest soils to the final product of a high quality 100% cotton t-shirt these shirts are 100% made in America. A soft milk chocolate colored t-shirt, KUM * BA * YAH printed in cream and a beautiful sunset peach with “Live a KUM*BA*YAH Moment” printed in a tonal color in a wave across the back of the shirt and an artisan dove on the front.
Caleb's Story
Caleb was born on November 9, 2010 ; 2 weeks and 6 days early after a practically normal pregnancy. He was delivered via emergency C-section due to his heart rate dropping and I had a sudden unexplained loss of amniotic fluid. Anyway, Caleb was born (Yay!) once he was born he didn’t cry, he had to be rushed to the NICU unit for respiratory care. He was placed on an oscillator, ventilator and then a cannula before graduating to regular room air (yay!). He was in the NICU for 27 days before coming home. While in the NICU Caleb had his first Seizure at just a few hours old. On his 2nd day on this earth he was diagnosed with Epilepsy and he started Epilepsy medication. It was then that he had his first of many CT scans that showed us that he had a bleed in his brain during or shortly after birth that was causing his seizures. That same bleed is the cause for his motor delay and we believe it to be the cause for his hearing loss, though we may never know for sure. He has profound hearing loss in both ears and wears hearing aids daily to help him hear, though he doesn’t respond to sound the way you and I do, he was denied cochlear implants 3 years ago due to the fact that he can hear with his hearing aids.
We are continuing to fight everyday for Caleb, though he does most of the fighting. He is currently on the Keto genetic diet for his seizures and that has reduced them from an average of 60 a day to an average of 10 a day (yay!). He is also using CBD oil twice a day which helps him too. I am happy that some things that are natural can be used, although he is also using 3 medications and multiple supplements in his daily regiment. Options are open for other avenues of treatment and we will not stop until he is seizure free.
Perhaps your Kumbayah Moment today could be donating to the the Epilepsy foundation in North Carolina:
Epilepsy Foundation of North Carolina, Inc
1920 W First St, Suite 5541A
Winston Salem, NC 27104
800-451-0694
Butterfly's Story
Amanda, “Butterfly” as she is known to her friends, never asked for help. She enjoyed the 45 minute walk to work. Sometimes the weather however wasn’t sunny and warm so she would take the bus. Without knowing KUM*BA*YAH® was standing in front of her listening to her every word. She talked about wanting a bicycle to make her trip to work a little quicker. With excitement Butterfly spoke of the exact bicycle she was wanted and was quick to mention her list of other financial responsibilities including rent, paying for school, etc. This was a young lady with determination and spunk. A week later KUM*BA*YAH® stopped in the restaurant where she worked as a hostess and asked the question, have you purchased your bicycle yet? She smiled and said not yet. That is when KUM*BA*YAH® simply asked “how about letting KUM*BA*YAH® take care of that? Her eyes shined with excitement and a tad bit of disbelief, but soon BUTTERFLY was riding her bicycle to work, school and whereever else her new wheels would take her. One of her first excursions was riding in a local parade where she gave her bicycle a special touch. This is a delightful example of the person KUM*BA*YAH® seeks. A person who will get the job done in time, but with a simple act of kindness, gets it done a little sooner. She is the kind of person who is not asking for a handout and who will help others in their own Kumbayah® moment.