Sewing Part Three

In March my friend, Donna, came and started teaching the girls to sew.  She started with some simple hand stitching.  Then she returned in June.  Some of the older girls were able to start on machines.  Mi Esperanza graciously loaned their center, for which we were very thankful.  Donna was here for just a weekend and some of the girls started projects which they could not finish because of time.  Some measured wrong and their shirts were a bit too short.  These things happen with beginners, but the girls were a bit discouraged.

This time Donna came for a whole week.  Mi Esperanza again graciously offered their center each morning as they had classes in the afternoon.  There were some days the girls had school of a morning and the time was going to be limited again.  Donna had raised some money for machines and brought one with her.  We really wanted the treadle machines.  As the electricity went off and on all day Thursday and Friday, we were glad for this decision.  Luis had already priced the machines.  He picked Donna up at the airport and then off they went to El Centro to buy sewing machines.  We were able to set up our own mini sewing center at Casa De Esperanza.  Of course, we did not have the big cutting table and things, but two long table pushed together worked almost as well.

Thursday morning began with the younger girls making bracelets and then head bands.  They tore pieces of fabric and braided them together.  They then had to hand stitch the bracelets together.  Nohemy had a great sense of picking three fabrics that really went together.  The other girls, not so much.  But after they were braided, no matter what I thought of the combinations originally, all of the bracelets  were pretty.  This was easy and the girls loved it.  There will be 37 new bracelets for sell in the store.

Later on Thursday morning, the older girls came in.  They had to learn to measure themselves and make their own patterns.

The girls were going to make a skirt and a top.  Donna had brought fabric for nine outfits.

I was so excited about this fabric.  I thought watching the girls chose their fabric was going to be the most fun part of the whole week.  And, it was up to that point.  Something better came later.

Then came pinning their patterns on their fabric.  And cutting.  I was very nervous as the girls began to cut. 

Before fabric was placed on the machine, each girl had to spend time learning to work the machine.  I not sure I could have worked that treadle, but the girls learned fairly quickly.

At last, it was time to start sewing.  I do not like to sew and I ruined a lot of fabric when I tried to learn.  If I thought the cutting made me nervous, it was nothing compared to what I felt, when the girls started putting the fabric under the needles.  Donna did not seem to be a bit nervous.

The girls did amazingly well.  Except for the fact that Ana could not sew a straight line.

There was more than one night that Donna and one or more of the girls worked quite late.  The outfits were coming together nicely.

The younger girls had the chance to do one more project before the week came to an end.  They sewed beads or charms on some old t-shirts and made some really cute collars.

When all projects were completed, the grand finale was to be a style show.  Everyone that had made something was to participate.  The pavilion became their runway.

They all were adorable.

After individual and group shots were taken, they prissed and pranced and blew kisses down their runway.

 Yesterday was the best part as we watched them model the things they had made.  Each girl was so proud.

Next sewing class is already planned for the last of January, right before school starts.

Sowing Seeds

Almost nine years ago, Denis was hired to be the groundskeeper at Casa de Esperanza.  He has the greenest thumb of anyone I know.  About a year ago, we asked him if would like to move to the farm. Matt took Denis and Marta to the farm and they quickly said yes.  They knew they wanted to be out there working the land.

Every time I went to the farm, I could tell the vast improvements being made on the farm.  Casa de Esperanza has saved quite a bit of money on beans and corn this year.  And platanos.  So many platanos that sometimes the kids say oh, no, not more platanos.

Unbeknownst to any of us, Denis was sowing other seeds as well.  He was sowing seeds for the Kingdom.  He began studying the Bible with his neighbors and having church in his house on Sunday morning.  There have been 20 baptisms.  And now, this new church is meeting in his house every week.

When we decided to move Denis to the farm, God had a bigger, better plan than any of us.  Of course.  He always does.

It Is Beginning To Look A Lot Like Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving.  I always have.  I think it is my favorite holiday.  Family, friends, food, fun, and football.  Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is not a Honduran holiday.  But it is a Casa de Esperanza and  Honduras Hope holiday. 

Things around here are very busy for the next two weeks.  Nicole and I sort of compared our schedules and knew, if we were going Thanksgiving shopping together, it had to be November 9.  Doing the Thanksgiving shopping with Nicole is part of the tradition and part of the fun.  Nicole and the girls picked me up after lunch on Sunday and we headed to Tegucigalpa.  First stop, for Dr. Peppers at Circle K, then La Colonia. 

Haley, especially, was excited about this outing.  In PriceSmart, she was in the basket and I would get as close to the shelves as I could and she would reach for the item and put it in the basket. And smile.  We talked about making the pies together. 

After we finished at both La Colonia and PriceSmart, I was a bit concerned because I had not seen any whole Butterballs, just breasts.  We went to one more store and found a couple of things.  It was getting late and I was getting tired.  I was sure the girls were.  I just did not think we should drive all the way across town to Mas Por Menos on Sunday.  That would have to wait until another day.

Haley was really good while we were in town, but once we started home, she was trying to stand in the seat and all kinds of things that she should not be doing.  She eagerly asked, "are we going to Grammy's to help unload the Thanksgiving food?"  Nicole told her yes.   She was just so excited about it all, that she just could not sit still.

We got to Casa and Nicole went to the door and told the kids we had the Thanksgiving food and we needed help unloading it.  Kids began pouring out of the house.  They are not usually that eager to unload groceries.  Everyone grabbed a bag or two and headed toward my house.  Ana asked me when we were going to start the cooking.  I told her it would be two and a half weeks.  Her face fell.  Some of the kids looked in Haley's bag and saw she had the marshmallows.  There were some squeals of delight.  They all knew what those were for.

Nicole to the rescue.  Yesterday she found cans of pumpkin, the butterballs, and the crunchy onions for green bean casserole.  The Aunt Jemima yellow cornmeal is arriving tomorrow on the Delta flight, thanks to Donna Griffith. 

We will get the onions, celery and other vegetables in  two weeks and then we will be good to go.  I can already smell those good smells.

October Newsletter

Casa de Esperanza

Making a difference, one child at a time

P. O. Box 9222

Columbus, MS 39705

cdehonduras.org/casa.acklenavenue.com

Amigos de Casa,

This year has flown. The kids are taking exams this week. This is the final set of exams for this school year. Soon school will be finished and the kids will have a three month break. I hope everyone does well on exams.

Many, many things have happened at Casa since the last newsletter besides another school year passing.

Groups continued to work on the wall and several sections were completed. I am quite sure that many groups will get to experience the wall again next summer.

On July 11, someone came to the gate and told Karen that Brayan had drowned. Karen went to the hospital in Ojojona where Brayan was. He was being prepared to be transferred to Tegucigalpa. Karen climbed in the ambulance and went with him. I jumped in the car and went to town, also. Neither Karen nor I thought he would make it through this. Because of many prayers and the grace of God, in less than one week he walked out of the hospital completely healthy. There was no permanent damage. We witnessed a miracle and we were grateful for it.

One morning in August, Pamela walked out of the gate and did not come back. Her grades were failing and she thought she had made such a mess of things that there was no way out. Had she talked to someone, something could have been done, but in her mind, there was no solution but to leave. We were, and still are, so sad.

Shortly after that, Brayan let his anger get the best of him and he, too, left and went to live with his mother again.

And, even more recently, Antonio made some bad decisions. Decisions that endangered other people's lives. For the safety of everyone else at Casa, the judge placed him back in the care of his mother.

We love these kids. We have wept and prayed over the three that left. We continue to pray that they will make good decisions. That they will go with God. That some day they will remember the things we taught them.

Please join us in prayer for these three precious souls.

I hope you don't think only bad things have happened at Casa de Esperanza. Many good things have happened also.

In August, Rosy turned 15. Turning 15 is a huge event. The school gave her a quinceañera. They borrowed a dress and went all out on the decorations and the party. Rosy was beautiful. I was honored to be there.

Guadalupe finished at Teleton and had a little party. We are proud of her. Fernando got to start working in the store. He is proud of himself.

Every day a battle is raging here at Casa de Esperanza. The devil wants to claim these kids and we do not want him to claim even one of them. The issues some of the kids are facing are hard and the decisions we sometimes have to make are harder. Please, I beg you to be on your knees every single day praying for these kids and praying for us. We need every ounce of strength, courage, and wisdom that can be found.

We do appreciate your continued support and prayers. We could not keep on keeping on without them.

If you have not yet decided on your year end contribution, please prayerfully consider Casa de Esperanza.

If you have any questions concerning anything at Casa, please email me at

terriltindall@yahoo.com

Sincerely,

Terri

P.S. Please feel free to share this newsletter with anyone with whom you think is interested.

Ladies' Seminars

This weekend was a very special weekend.  Our friend, Michelle Goff led ladies' seminars.  On Friday night and Saturday morning, Michelle led a seminar in the Santa Ana church for the ladies of Santa Ana and Ojojona.  On Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, she led the same seminar in Los Pinos for the ladies of Los Pinos and Lomas Diamante.  Since I go to church in Santa Ana, I know for a fact that the ladies here were very excited for this seminar.  The ladies prepared all things as they welcomed Michelle.

Luci opened by leading a few songs.

Others led songs and prayers,also.

Michelle led three great lessons.

The ladies listened intently.

Small group time was beneficial for everyone.

And, what ladies event would be complete without food?

My friend, Marta, came all the way from Danli for this event.

Michelle has written a Bible study book, which the ladies in Santa Ana are currently using.  Many brought their books and asked Michelle to sign them.

These ladies' seminars were very successful and it has been a great weekend. 

Michelle is the founder of Iron Rose Sister Ministries.  She does seminars and retreats in English or Spanish.  She also does bi-lingual ones.  If you are looking for a great speaker for a retreat or seminar, I can put you in touch with Michelle. 

This Is Hard

Dear God,

We knew when we entered this, it would be hard. Children coming from all sorts of brokenness.  Brokenness that was hard for us to understand.  We have prayed over these children and looked to You for wisdom.  We have done our best.  But some of them just are not getting it.  Why are some of them still so broken?  Why can't we fix them?  Why can't we teach them a better way.  We knew it would be hard, but not this hard.  I beg that their young hearts turn toward You and seek You.  We continue to seek Your wisdom, Your guidance.  Help us to say or do something that will help turn their young hearts toward You.  Give us the courage and the strength to keep on keeping on.  Protect them from the evil one.  We do not want to see these children lost.