Operation B.F.H.

Blankets For Haiti.

I mentioned a couple of times before that I was working on a sewing project. We're coming down the final stretches so here's the story. When we were at my class reunion in February one of the ladies brought her sewing machine along. Yes, that's right, a Mommy of 6 brought her sewing machine along on "vacation." I have to admit it puzzled me a bit too. But she explained that she had been working on patchwork blankets to send to Haiti Earthquake victims, but being a homeschooling Mommy with several preschoolers, there really isn't much time for sewing in her days. She was right, it worked fine to run that machine around all our many conversations and she even got some help.

Here's a bit of background info. Melanie (Mommy of 6 mentioned above) has a sister who is married to a Haitian pastor and together they have given a home, a family and the love of Jesus to 11 Haitian children. They have an amazing story and an incredible heart for Jesus and for Haiti. They do not live near the earthquake but there is a community close by of people who relocated after they lost everything in the earthquake. A relief organization built homes for them but Melanie's words were, "they just have n.o.t.h.i.n.g."

This is something I could do. Sometimes Mommies with preschoolers have a hard time "reaching out." I know that wiping noses and changing diapers and all the other things that Mommies do are a ministry all there own but it's still good to see beyond our own little world, to be a blessing to someone else, to give to those less fortunate.

I found some old fabric and set to work cutting and sewing squares. The sewing machine and I had to get reacquainted, we hadn't spent much time together recently, but old friends pick up quickly where they left off. And I had some great little helpers too.

This little guy was my pattern maker. He just loved helping me lay out coordinating colors and make patterns with them. There was even tears a few times when bedtime came around and he had to let Mommy finish without him. 

This boy found it more fun to "drive" the sewing machine. He caught on quickly and did a really good job but he did get some seam ripper experience too. =) It's part of the process for all of us! My mother also got involved and made LOTS of blankets on her own too.

The goal was to have as many as possible by the end of March. I thought probably 20-30 was a reasonable goal, maybe if it went really well we could get close to 50. With all my little helpers, Mom's hard work and the help of a few of ladies from church  a morning or 2, {thank you!} there are now NINETY-FIVE

blankets (almost) finished and ready to ship. (My slightly OCD brain is having a little trouble with that number. Wouldn't an even 100 be so much nicer?? I could do one more, that would make it 8 dozen, but that's not right either, cookies and doughnuts come in dozens, not blankets. I know it's silly, and I really do need to get finished and move on to other projects around here but.......ok, take a deep breath girl, it will be all right!)

 I am humbled and amazed at the way God takes our small offerings and turns them into incredible things. Not only will every house in the community receive there own blanket, my children have learned a valuable lesson about other people who do not have all the things they take for granted. As we sewed we talked about the children in Haiti who don't have soft beds, who don't get to choose between 3 kinds of cereal for breakfast and in fact sometimes go to bed with hungry bellies. We talked about how they don't have lots of toys to play with or shoes to wear. I don't know if there little minds can wrap around those ideas but seeds were planted and they truly were cheerful givers!

UPDATE: That was all written a week or 2 ago. This week my sweet hubby volunteered to take 5 boxes packed and ready to the post office and send them on their way to Haiti. Pray with me for their safe arrival and for God to use them to speak His love and hope into the people who receive them.

{boxed and ready to ship. and in the end there were 99.  so close but....

I'm still struggling a bit with the whole number thing but with a bit of counseling I'm sure it can be resolved.}