Monday, September 21, 2009

Navajo focus


The focus for August was the Navajo nation. Bill & Bettye Roberts, the directors of Native American Partnership Missions, will soon be receiving a box filled with very colorful baby blankets and warm fleece lap robes.

The girls took great joy in learning to sew while making these blankets. One of my favorite things during the month was watching as Mrs Pam and Sarah sat patiently with a child helping each work a sewing machine.

The baby blankets are made of 100% cotton fabric with a very warm flannel lining sandwiched in-between two colorful coordinating layers. The lap robes were made for the elders of the tribe and are colorful fleece, made plenty big to keep out the cold during the harsh winters on the reservation.

The girls of Child 2 Child also made bracelets with 6 different color beads signifying:

Black – North
Turquoise - South
White – East
Beige – West
Red – Earth
Blue – Sky

Genesis 28:14 = N/S/E/W
Genesis 26:4 = Earth & Sky
Revelation 20:11 = Cross

The following weeks they made leather wrist bands in the style of ketohs in two designs, one with a cross branded in the leather and another with a peace symbol brand.

New Hope was awesome in purchasing the blankets and yet leaving them to be sent to the Navajo. Their hearts are so generous in both their love for others in Christ's name and also in their giving. In addition to the baby blankets and lap robes, the girls will be sending a check for $370 to help the Roberts minister to the tribe.

And the King will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of My people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for Me." Matthew 25:40

Thursday, September 3, 2009

His love continues

The King will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of My people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for Me." Matthew 25:40

The girls have been working so hard during the summer months. They've crafted some great coasters made from river quarry stone, jewelry of all types, leather wrist bands with crosses and peace symbols branded into them, swaddling blankets for babies, and sweet smelling bath salts. Those are just a few of the items that New Hope has purchased from these kids.


Here's the deal: 100% of all the monies brought in goes directly to the focus ministry of the month. New Hope may be small in numbers but she is huge in her heart for Christ. We have a couple who has pledged an amount toward taking care of all the supplies, so every penny the girls bring in goes straight to the African orphanage or to help give clean water to people in India and/or Africa.


The needs are so great but our Lord is greater. It amazes me as I watch Him work through His heart for the impoverished, the orphans, and widows. He doesn't stop there. He takes it further in a way that only God can. He begins with a group of little girls. He changes their world view. He uses His scriptures to help them see His heart and then He works continually, through His great love for all, to change their hearts for those the worlds deems "unimportant."


Each month their totals are different, sometimes larger and sometimes smaller. In July New Hope as a whole had a "beans and rice" week. Our adult couples class took the lead and our Child 2 Child girls packaged up dried beans and rice packets complete with spices. they were able to add $200 to the adult's very generous gift to help with Amazima, an incredible work God is doing in Uganda. Last month, these 12 kids crafted and sold enough items to give $580 to The Water Project. That means clean water for 58 people for ten years in Africa or India.


This month our older girls group, Niara (an African name meaning "higher purpose") has been working, pairing up with our younger girls, helping them to learn more intricately skilled crafts like sewing. The Child 2 Child girls really love and look up to these older girls. Again, New Hope may be small in numbers, but oh, how the Lord has blessed us! To have these teens so willing to give of their talents & time to the younger girls - and do so with Christ-hearts - well, it's something to behold.