Orphanage day 2

The weekend has been amazing thus far! Saturday afternoon we arrived at the airport and we were greeted by 2 beautiful women from the church in Guatemala. 

Betzy is to the left and Karla to the right. We stayed with Betzy Saturday night and went to church with her Sunday morning. On the way to service she got a flat tire :( a taxi driver stopped and helped her put on the tire. 5 months ago people donated money to buy her new tires and the front tire now has a huge hole in it. Her life convicts me because at 72, she does not work, but he sells her inheritance of beautiful glass and crystal antiques to make ends meet as well as to  have money to give to church (tithe and special contribution). I reassured her to to worry about the tire because God will provide. Let's just say she got a new tire ;)

Sunday after church we came to the orphanage (Hogar) to drop off our things, play with the kids. 

This morning we woke up to kids screaming, crying, laughing ❤ we played with them, made breakfast and they are now playing outside. 

Here are more pictures of today's playtime with the kids. 

Last fundraiser before departure

This past Saturday was the last opportunity I had to sell jewelry. There was a women's day at church and other vendors were invited to sell their product. Typically, I don't sell much when there's other vendors. 

Driving to the event, I will admit, I was feeling a little faithless. I prayed on my way there and asked God to allow me to sell at least $100 worth to pay for the bus that will take the children of the orphanage to the medical mission that will be held at the church building in Guatemala City. As soon as I walked in the door the first vendor was selling jewelry. It wasn't handmade jewelry, it was one of those catalogue type. Many women came to my table to look and I made sure to let them know where the funds were going. At the end of the night I counted the money and it was A LOT more that $100. I laughed because, once again, God wanted to show me that His plan is bigger and my thoughts are not His thoughts. My goal has been $1000 and throughout these 6 months there have been many donors and buyers. Therefore, the amount raised was double my goal :) WHOA! I went and bought vitamins, cough syrup and some Airborn tablets for the nannies. 

I still have a handful of things that I still need to complete before I start packing. I can't wait!!!! Sometimes the clock goes too fast and other times I feel like Friday night will not be here. EEEEKKKKKK I can't wait!!!!!

Proverbs 31 Bracelet and medical missions.

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible (ok I have a handful of many favorite scriptures that I go back to) is Proverbs 31:10-31

The section is called "The wife of noble character" 

A few months ago, possibly a year ago. Hahaha! I know, but time now a days goes by way too fast. Any how, a coworker asked me to if I could join her youth group for one day and teach the girls how to make a bracelet. I was really excited for this opportunity to not only show them something that I love to do, but to be able to share the skill with a scripture as well as the mission. My coworker wanted to make a bracelet that represented some of the things mentioned in the scripture in proverbs 31. 

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. (Proverbs 31:10, 16, 18, 21, 22 NIV)

Red, green, yellow, white and purple. After that session with the girls I eventually came up with my own version of the proverbs 31 bracelet. 

I changed the color sequence a little bit and the charms that I use the most say "peace", "love" and "hope" and sometimes instead of peace I will use "faith". Along with the cross I always make sure to have my "handmade with love" heart charm

One of my favorite part of Proverbs 31 is in verse 20

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy" (Proverbs 31:20 NIV)

To me this is a reminder of why Handmade with Love is what it is today. It's not this huge company, it's not this profitable organization it's just a mission. A mission that reaches out to the poor. A thought popped in my mind about it the other today as to how Handmade with Love connects the people who buy the product to the children and adults who are being helped through the sales. The shoppers may probably never meet these young children at the orphanage or the families who are being provided vitamins and other medications from the medical brigade but it's the knowing that they contributed to something greater every time they put on that bracelet or those earrings or that necklace. The product is just that, product. However, the result that God turn it out to be is what it's important. 

One more week! Orphanage here I come

It has been  a very busy month. I've been busy making jewelry, staying up late  trying to complete my continuation education hours for my speech assistant license, driving out to Long Beach selling jewelry, picking up family members from the airport, doing progress reports for my job, and the list goes on. It may seem that I am complaining but I am not, I'm actually super thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to be away for five weeks. I'm constantly thinking about Guatemala and the activities I want to do with the children. I've also been thinking a lot about little Diego and if he will still be there when I arrive. It's all in God's hands and I will still give all of my heart to the mission. 

My friend is still selling jewelry on her Etsy account and she's having a "sale" for one week since I will be leaving soon. I'm super grateful for having her in my life and for her willing heart to help me provide things that are needed at the orphanage. Visit her site and take a look! 

www.etsy.com/shop/beautifyyou 

We shall see how much more I will be able to fundraise before I leave. Eeeekkkk 9 an a half more days!!!!

Fundraiser; jewelry for diapers

He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. (Luke 17:6 NIV)

Yesterday was such an adrenalin rush! There were two jewelry parties right after 2 church services. The first one was in the city of Carson and there was approximately 3-4 hundred people there. I was given the opportunity to speak for a few minutes regarding the mission and I was super nervous! I kept having to pray to relax! After the first party, it went super well! I have an overall goal to fundraise these past 6 months and I was a little over half way and after the first party the goal was almost met. We then drove 30 minutes north to the next church service and I was also able to share about the mission. The crowd was less, about 40-50 people. In my mind I knew that since there were less people, we probably would not sell that much. Well, God totally threw me out of the water because not only did the jewelry sell, we sold more than the previous party!!! When we got back in the car and counted the money, all I could do was scream! I was so excited because I know where this money is going towards. 

This woman bought the most jewelry. I was super encouraged to see so many people come to the table to look at the jewelry, but most importantly the message of the poor was spread. I hope that at least one person was inspired to do something for "the least of these"

Jewelry making machine.

Every free time I get I use it to make jewelry. It has been a very busy week and it's only Wednesday but I have 2 jewelry parties scheduled for this weekend. Family is visiting from Mexico for the next month and two of my little cousins have been helping me organize my beads as well as putting beads together on the string to make bracelets. On Monday I had a coworker and two of her friends come over to help me make some jewelry. this was very helpful because I was able to accomplish more than I thought I would. I Still have to make more necklaces and earrings but one day at a time. My friend Carolina was able to put several of my pieces on her Etsy website and through word-of-mouth She has been able to sell several bracelets. I have completely ran out of turquoise beads which means I need to stalk up! I was thinking about what I was going to wear tomorrow for work and realized that I haven't done laundry. Ha!

A good friend of mine came into my job today and dropped off two boxes of diapers. Lorena, who is going with me to Guatemala for the first three weeks,  is actually going to ship a huge box of diapers to the orphanage in Guatemala. There is a company whom her mother ships with to El Salvador and it's quite reliable. Our goal is to fit as many diapers as possible in this box and use some of that money from the jewelry sales to ship the box. Friends and family have donated diapers and that's how we are able to maximize the money that's coming in through jewelry sales as well as other people donating financially. 

I have about 16 days left and I get excited and nervous anticipating the departure. Soon, very soon. 

Bracelets and much more!

The next three weeks are going to be super busy. Today was spent working then making jewelry. It was 5 hours of it! I have family visiting and one of my little cousins was helping me out, then a coworker came over with 2 of her friends to help. I was able to get 20 bracelets done as well as two necklaces. That is definitely more than what I can do by myself in 5 hours. This upcoming Sunday I will be having 2 jewelry parties and I'm super excited to be able to spread the news of the mission to a new group of people. The following weekend I will be selling jewelry at a girls night out for a church event. There will be other vendors there and it will be an opportunity to network. Making jewelry is definitely something that I love to do. It relaxes me and it gets the creativity juice running. I have $500 left to fundraise but I have faith that I will be able to surpass my goal. We are also sending a large box of diapers which we are hoping to have people donate dipers to send. so far we hace 2 large Costco size boxes to send. 

I have been able to witness how God has opened floodgates in the past and even now. I strongly believe that for the sake of spreading the news it will continue to impact others or hopefully encourage others to do more for those in need. Living in fancy Orange County can definitely put a layer of fakeness and we can forget that there is so much need out there in the world.