The ARK Jammers Connection history

 

How It All Started?

ARK Jammers is a concept designed by Avline Ava, a motivational singer who has always had the heartfelt desire to "give back". Her goal is to honor her grandmother's tremendous contribution as a foster parent, and to salute the acclaimed and unsung heroes who teach us that kindness is fundamental to life, and essential in creating healthy, happy human relationships.

Avline is the daughter of the late Jean Louis Ava Ava, a Cameroonian motherless child who was raised (mainly from a distance!), by an American Missionary by the name of Eva Miller Ryall.

From 1935 until 1986 when she passed away, Eva Miller cared for Avline's father as her own flesh and blood, helping him to achieve his highest potential for fulfillment. Thanks to Eva Miller, one (only!) among 18 brothers and sisters became a highly educated citizen, a devoted husband and loving father, a talented musician, the respected traditional leader of an immense tribe, an influential political and religious figure in the country, and a true humanitarian.

Eva Miller's story shows just how one single act of kindness can blossom into something much larger, something that touches hundreds of lives.

In 2009, Avline and her musical partner Noel Ekwabi founded an organization, and what began a year earlier as an awareness campaign to encourage the African Diaspora in Washington, D.C to support the DC-based children in foster care evolved into the kindness organization known today as the ARK Jammers Connection, Inc.

 

A Legacy of Kindness and Love

Eva Miller Ryall (1904-1986) was an American Presbyterian church missionary stationed in Cameroon in the 1930s.

While working there as a teacher, she met a young, motherless boy named Jean Louis Ava. The boy was introduced to her by his caregiver Dr Gayle Beanland, another missionary who had become a friend of the boy's father (Joseph Ava), after preaching in their village's church.

Struck by this specially gifted child, just like Dr Beanland before her, Eva Miller fell in love with Jean Louis right away, and when Dr Beanland left Cameroon in 1935, Eva Miller promptly offered to become Jean Louis' guardian.

From 1935 to 1937: she took very good care of Jean Louis. She moved him in with her, continued to pay for his education, taught him music, bought him a guitar and a bicycle. In a very short period of time, the bond between them was so strong that they had developed a true mother-son relationship.

In 1937: unfortunately, she had to go back to the US for personal reasons. Needless to say they were both devastated.

The separation from her «son» was heartbreaking for Eva Miller. With tears in her eyes, she told him: «my dear son, out of sight, closes to mind. You are not alone. I am leaving you in the hands of God ».

After coming back to America, Eva Miller got married to Rev Williams Howard Ryall of Saltsburg United Presbyterian Church, and gave birth to a girl named Katherine.

Now, a happy wife and mother who were also very involved in her community in Pittsburg, Eva Miller still kept a big spot in her heart for the son she had left in Africa. She permanently stayed in touch with him until she passed away in 1986. She wrote every month, sent money for his school fees, for his wedding expenses, for the construction of his first house. She regularly shipped huge trunks of clothes from the US, for him, and his entire family, and she chose the first names of his 11 children…her grandchildren!

Living twelve thousand miles away from Jean Louis Ava, Eva Miller still cared for him as her own flesh and blood, helping him to achieve his highest potential for fulfillment

She introduced him to music, leading him to become a talented pianist, guitarist, composer and singer who formed a choir and built a church for his community.

She taught him faith, self esteem, self respect and self discipline that gave him amazing strength of mind, body and soul. That characteristic distinguished him, sustained him and prompted his whole community to respect him all his life. Thanks to Eva Miller, a motherless child from a very remote African village became a talented musician, a respected traditional leader of his immense tribe, an influential political and religious figure in his country, and a true humanitarian.

For health reasons, Jean Louis could not attend Eva Miller's funeral in 1986. And in 1991, when it was finally possible for him to travel long distance, his daughters Avline and Chérie drove him and his wife to her grave at the Edgewood cemetery in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania.

After a highly emotional tribute to his mother, Jean Louis came home, gathered his children and said to them: «I have seen my mother's grave, now I can die in peace».

A good woman makes a good mother; a good mother raises a good child. A well raised child makes an honorable and loyal adult. An honorable adult makes a good productive citizen, a good co-worker, a good public servant, a good husband, a good parent, a good provider and a role model.

Eva Miller Ryall was a good woman. And her story shows just how one single act of kindness can blossom into something much larger, something that touches hundreds of other lives.

 

A letter from Jean Lois Ava to Eva Miller Ryall

Mr. Jean Louis AVA's letter to his mother:

Dearest Mother,

At long last, I stand at your graveside in tears. I give thanks to The Almighty who gave me travelling mercies so I could see where you were laid to rest. I come 4 years after you passed away in this beautiful USA of your forefathers;land you so readily abandoned to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ our Saviour to Cameroon. You later took on the daunting task of raising, educating, teaching and loving a young Camerooninan motherless orphan. You sowed well and suceeded mightily, and only The Almihty knows the reward that will be yours. You should have seen for yourself the comforting results of your effort.

I stand here at your graveside with my wife and two of my beautiful daughters, out of the 11 children that God blessed us with, namely 6 boys and 5 girls. I am comforted by the fact that you got to see one of my grandaughters who is your nameske Eva before you departed from this earth.

You are not dead, just sleeping as our Saviour Jesus Christ said. You've gone before me in this sleep. I will join you by our Lord's side where we will never part and be happy forever.

I will never forget you throughout my earthly life. Music which you instilled in me has been overly beneficial to the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon where many of my composed or transcribed hymns are sung.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Rue for making it possible for me to visit the grave where lies my unforgetable mother. Grave that I stongly wanted to see before my own death which is not so far away.

As I lay this wreath on your grave, "My dear beloved mother" let me borrow these spiritual words of profound love from a poet who once said:

If after I die
You open my body
You will find in my heart
Written in letters of gold
Mother, I still love you!

Rest therefore in peace!
And may the soil of your forefathers rest lightly on you!

Your beloved son

Ava Ava Jean-Louis

Pittsburgh, 30-5-91