March. 31, 2009

Weaving Hope Update

Recently we hosted a Vision Team from Brooklife Church in Mukwonago, Wisconsin. Phil, Cathy, Heather and Micah (Heather’s six-month-old son) arrived bright and early after taking the red eye from Chicago. After a bit of down time their first day to help them recoup, we kept them busy with opportunities to see the many different Weaving Hope projects.

 

 

They started the week off by visiting with the Estradas and meeting all eleven children: the Estrada’s three biological children and the eight foster children they are caring for. The Vision Team saw where the Estradas are living now and the future house now being built. A work team from Emmanuel’s Heart arrived on Friday to spend a few days putting together and installing windows at the Estradas’ future house.

Mike took the group on a road trip to Salquil Grande where they were able to visit Light and Life School and the property where the hostel and widows’ houses are located. They enjoyed seeing a lot of the countryside on the six-plus hour drive in the truck (each way).

They also got a tour of El Refugio. They had the opportunity to hear from Pamela and Karla about their background and life stories, plus their perspective on how things are going at El Refugio. They also met with Vilma and Evelyn, who openly shared their stories with them.
The group traveled down to El Cortijo on Friday. They got to see where the clinic is being built as well as to see firsthand how the Community Development project is actually working. They had more time to visit with Dr. Estrada and meet some of the nursing students that Dr. Estrada is training, and they spent some time visiting the school in that community. The crowd fell in love with them, especially with Micah, who was a big draw.

 

 

 

I grabbed Cathy just hours before their return to the States and took her back to El Refugi, where the ladies received their first sewing lesson. It was wonderful to have the ladies learn from someone who actually knows what she’s doing. The ladies will be sewing typical sacks to hold one-pound bags of coffee to be sold. A couple involved with PWM have a side business growing coffee, and we have formed a partnership with them. They provide the material and all the coffee the ladies can drink, and the ladies learn a trade that could grow into something more for them in the future.

 

 

We are grateful for Brooklife’s Vision Team. We pray that other groups will take the opportunity to come and visit to see what’s happening in the life of our ministry and consider the possibility of forming future partnerships.

In His Service,
Mike and Chris