MTinHaiti

Sewing Hope - Original 5 ladies

As I am trying to pull my thoughts together for this blog I cannot help but be in awe of how much the Sewing Hope Program has grown since its inception.  I started with 5 ladies and now have 16 ladies in my employment.  We have been making blankets for the mission programs, studying the bible and having prayer time for the last year-and-a-half.  I have prayed and asked God for wisdom on how to direct these ladies and this program.  I have gotten some glimpses of what I think God would like.

receiving their new creole bible story books

 

God has answered and new things are in the works for January 2010.  I put out a plea for treadle sewing machines and one of our preacher friends responded.  His church has donated 5 treadle sewing machines and hopefully we should have them by January.   They then asked Mike if we had a project that his church and another church could help with when they come in January  as a mission group.   I said yes! –  a sewing room would be wonderful.  They have provided half of the funds needed for this room but we are short $2,000.00 (that is if we have a tin roof on the room) $4,000.00 (if we put a concrete roof on the room).  I am asking for $4,000.00 so we can make this room with a concrete roof.  This will make the room more secure and more weather resistant which will in turn help in keeping the machines in good working order.  

My women are excited about this.  We are praying for this to happen.  After I told them that we would have our “own” sewing room but needed more funds we decided to make it a matter of prayer.  We gathered on the spot where the room is going to be built and had a prayer circle.  Invoking the will and blessing of God — what a way to start this off.

Prayer Circle for Sewing Room Funds

Change is in the air  –  sewing machines, a sewing room and 16 ladies.  Now how to make change happen.    After we get the sewing machines set up the ladies are going to be divided into 3 different groups.  There will be one group that will sew clothing and diapers, one group will sew quilts and diapers, and one group will continue to make the receiving blankets.  I will teach them how to make simple children’s clothes, simple quilts and diapers.  Everyone will come together once a week for bible study and prayer time, then there will be appointed times for the two groups using the machines.  Each lady will be assigned a machine thus making them responsible for the upkeep and care of that machine.  While they are in “training” and on “work time” they will sew diapers, clothes and quilts for the mission programs such as all of the orphanages and diapers for the Miriam Center children.  We will continue to make blankets for the birthing center and baby orphanage.  The ladies will then be allowed to come to the sewing room during designated times to work on projects for themselves.

I see children being able to go to school because their mothers now know how to sew and can make their school uniforms.  I see new and pretty dresses for the girls for church and nice new shorts for the boys.  This program can continue to expand as God sees fit.  He has blessed this way beyond my wildest dreams and is even stretching me daily with this program.  God has given me a vision to help these ladies and I cannot believe that He will not bring us through it.  

I want to say THANK YOU to all of you who have given to this program from the beginning, middle and anywhere else in between.  I could not have done this without you.  The ladies say thank you for providing employment and helping them become confident in themselves, have a better knowledge of God’s word, a deeper understanding of the power of prayer  and proud of their beautiful blankets.  

The sign says it all!