Insanity Dec 2012-Jan 2013

Happy New Year, y'all!

Well, happy blog-followers, it's been a very insane and interesting time mid-Dec to mid-Jan:

<>holidays,
<>a construction project that has dragged WAY past plans,
<>travel to see (ailing) parents in Michigan
<>travel to see grandkids (well, Chris did, to Texas...)
<>end-of-year ministry book-keeping (you have NO IDEA how much book-keeping work we have to do...)
<>some health issues, and
<>some major storms...

well, not been able to get south to San Vicente.

We will have some stuff posted, more of the 'Annual Celebration Pages' with tons of pics...

Plz keep us in your prayers, many major transitions going on.

your bro, Chris

Christmas sewing projects by Lori Dec. 2012

This week's sewing classes were filled with 5-9 students during the morning and afternoon sessions. I focused on reaching out to invite new students with posters in a couple of local stores and churches as well as personal invitations. Nine new participants came by and created an assortment of Christmas items that included napkins, stockings, and aprons. I designed these aprons using pre-printed holiday fabric panels for vests. For two years I offered for ladies to sew vests for themselves or as gifts. But, the response was "no one here in the community wears anything like these vests". So, I decided to re-purpose the vest fabric into aprons by adding pockets along the bottom edge. There a hit. I often have to think "outside of the box" to find uses for some of the items that are donated. "Brainstorming" a mandatory skill for mission work.

Camelia's aprons by Lori

Camelia (pictured in the center) is moving onto her next product in launching her own home-based sewing business. This past week, I taught her you can get a variety of aprons by just choosing different fabrics and trims. What a lovely batch of aprons she sewed. She is hoping to sell enough of her three current products, small zippered bags, aprons, and hand-sewn bookmarks to be able to purchase a used sewing machine at the beginning of the new year.

Albina's new jackets by Lori

This past week was filled with long days as new projects were launched into the micro-enterprise area of our ministry. It required advancing the sewing skills of Albina (pictured on left). She needed to learn about body measurements and how to determine the size of clothes as well as how to make adjustments for a better fit. Oh, and of course how to create requested additions like belts and belt loops. There were lots of challenges. The biggest one being that Albina still lacks the self-confidence to represent her sewing business to others. So, after teaching her how to make two different styled coats that were for her daughters, I gave her homework. She was asked to show her samples to at least five people with the goal of getting some orders while I was in town. Well, she received an "A" for her effort as she talked with eight people and received orders for two coats. As you can see above, some pretty cute styles.
 Much of my work with Albina is discipling. We had a long time of sharing about past hurts in her life. I know the Lord is breaking through and bringing healing.  Pray I find a good balance between encouragement and pushing one forward.

Be Blessed!! 02 Dec

Chris here...
Since I spent 2 months in Ndola, Zambia in 2009, I have had regular email communications with some of the amazing friends I made there. One is Peter, who I had the joy of recording with, and another is Pastor Chris, a wise Christian leader with a beautiful soul and a kind heart... they recently sent me this amazing 'Be Blessed' bit, which reflects a bit of the JOYFUL heart of Zambian believers... enjoy...

Thanks 2012

Thanksgiving Day 2012

To all our
   ministry financial supporters
      prayer warriors and intercessors
         church supporters
            hat-makers and sewing material supporters
               advisors and friends
                  "behind the scene" keep-us-going supporters
... thanks!!
Chris and Lori

Meditation: Giving Thanks

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Meditation: Giving Thanks   November 2012

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I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness;
    I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.  (Psalm 7:17 NIV)

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
    and His courts with praise;
    give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
    His faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5 NIV)

 

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I am learning a new habit. When I awake from sleep, rather than allow my mind to race down the track of ‘what to do today’, and bring with it all forms of anxiety, I stop that ‘train’ and turn my heart to the Lord Most High, and say one thing; “thank you… thank you…”.  - crisbaj

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“G. K. Chesterton, when he wrote his autobiography near the end of a long and useful life, set himself the task of defining in a single sentence the most important lesson he had learned. He concluded that the critical thing was whether one took things for granted or took them with gratitude.” —James Reston

“We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is "good," because it is good; if "bad" because it works in us patience, humility and contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.” —Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963), Letter to Don Giovanni Calabria [August 10, 1948]

Thankful in this season of Grace,

Chris