Day 1 Project

Maria, Hector - my translator, Stuart - the missionary, Elsa, Iveth and Claudia at the sewing machine.

 
Breakfast was at 6:30 Monday morning with a pick up of 7 a.m.  We once again arrived with hands ready to help and unload the truck of our supplies.  Our groups were called in and we started with a little get to know you.  My group was very young and quiet.  Our first devotion was about self-worth and the value we have in God's eyes, that as God's children we are daughters of the King and princesses.  And as a princess, God has a plan for our lives, as Jeremiah 29:11 says: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Seeds of worth planted and watered!

The girls were eager to get started and jumped right into the project, a bag with some piecing and quilting techniques.  Thank God for translators who not only translated, but were eager learners too - continually stepping in and helping the girls when I didn't have enough hands.  They were able to complete the bag in the morning and wore them to lunch.  So we had one group of ladies from 8-12, we served them lunch from 12-12:30 and then the second group came at 12:30 for lunch and we taught them from 1-5.  By the time we sat down for lunch we were so thankful to sit and have a cold drink, and fully understood the meaning of the work "siesta"!  It took a bit to get up in the heat and walk back for the afternoon group, but once started, adrenaline saw us through.  My afternoon group was even more eager than my morning.  It was like they could not get enough to drink and were gulping down all they could.  They told me I needed to be there a month, not one week.  Look at some of their beautiful creations! 

Beatrice                                    Marta         

Look at how those points meet!!!!!!!!!      

 

 

 

Abigal                           Arly  

 

 

 

Maria and Sandra                        Maria     



Sunday in Rio Frio

 

 Sunday morning we were off to Rio Frio.  A 45 minute drive through beautiful countryside - a drive I would never tire of!  We were welcomed by the ladies who offered up hands of help, unloading the back of the truck in minutes.  We set up tables with our displays of projects, they brought in chairs, the Pastors welcomed us, we introduced ourselves and our projects, and then the ladies had an opportunity to sign up for the group of projects that most interested them.  They were all eager to get out of their chairs and be the first to sign up, but the pastors kept it organized by allowing one from the sewing group and one from the community to come up at a time.

Lunch was served to us at Pastor Pastor's house, (yes, his actual name is Pastor!), and then we went to the building where we would be teaching, took a lay of the land and started setting things up.  After clearing out the bats - yes - LOTS of bats, we chose rooms and set up sewing machines.  By mid-afternoon, hot and sweaty, the pastors returned and opened coconuts for us to drink before church.  Unfortunately, they got a bit dirty in the process, and so did we as we tried to master drinking out of the hole.  We all had a good laugh.

Church was at around 3:30 at Pastor Pastor's church and the first song we sung together was

 How Great Thou Art!

 



  Oh Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed

 (The tears were welling in my eyes - what worship to an incredible God who blessed me with such an amazing experience, worshipping with Brothers and Sisters in Christ in El Salvador!)
Then sings my soul  My Savior, God, to Thee
How great thou art, How great thou art
Then sings my soul  My Savior, God, to Thee
How great Thou art,  How great Thou art

 And When I think, of God,
His son not sparing,
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden
gladly bearing He bled and died
to take away my sin

  When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
With humble adoration
And then proclaim My God
How great Thou art
 

 

Saturday in San Vicente

We departed on Saturday, around 11 a.m. from Pearson International Airport.  Prayers for our luggage were a mass as we were overweight on all fronts.  Ron was waiting in case we needed to dump one.  God was faithful and we sailed through!!!!!!

 

Arriving in El Salvador, Carie was there to meet us and bring us to the hotel we would be staying at.  Work began right away, as we opened up the hockey bags and began putting together the baskets for the last day.  I was so thankful we attacked this first as I was wondering how we would have the energy by the end of the week!  Knit/jersey fabric and interfacing was cut for all.  Contents included a notebook for records, pen, Bible, scissors, sewing kit with all the notions (thread, pins, needles, measuring tape, zippers, pin cushion, etc.), 3 fat quarters and a make-up item.

After the baskets were done, out came the seam rippers to take the zippers out of old jeans for one of my projects.  Re-using items from clothing that was no longer wearable was one of our points of teaching.  Jean zippers were the perfect length for a Cubed Coin Purse I taught.  Not the easiest job, but many hands made for quicker work!  Supper and plans for the next day brought us to our days end.  With excitement of the next day, meeting the ladies, and attending church in Rio Frio, we took our last opportunity of a nice long sleep - breakfast at 8 a.m.

Packed and Ready to GO!

PACKING!!!!!!

All of this needs to somehow get packed

These are my projects for the week - the rope will be sewn into a basket yet for a sample.  Everything is pre-cut and packaged for the ladies.  Can't wait to see what they create!  One of the projects is a clothesline fabric bowl.  Below you can see it some together.

It was all successfully put away - just pray that our carry-on is not weighed as it is a bit overweight!!!  Very excited that the time has come.  Cannot wait to see what God has planned for this venture.  He has orchestrated the plans, gathered the hands and feet that are needed, and He goes before us.  Will not be able to blog while down there but will add a few messages on Facebook when I can.  Pictures and stories upon our return. 

Thank you to all who have supported me through these prepartations!

Almost ready to leave.

From back to front - the Team - Rebecca, Julie, Stephanie, Julie, Karen

Here we are at SEW ON FIRE MINISTRIES making the sewing kits for the ladies and some extra for the ministry to have on hand.  This is an amazing ministry and I encourage you to check out their web-site.  I have a vision to open a Niagara based version of this!!!

We have all been working hard - so hard I have not blogged or taken pictures of the process this far.  Our bags of donations, fabrics, notions, etc. are packed and ready to go.  Myself, on the other hand need to start putting my stuff together.  There is one more project I need to try again as it is a little tricky - but terribly cute!  This I will post when I come back with the pictures of what we made.

So excited to see what God has planned for this coming week!

Here is the link to SEW ON FIRE!
http://www.sewonfire.com/home.html