Last week the ladies of our church used our Mother - Daughter - Friend banquet to raise money for families in Haiti by having a jewelry party to sell the items made by moms and dads employed by the Apparent Project. Many of the "earthquake orphans" have parents living who are unable to feed and clothe them. These children end up in orphanages. The mission of the Apparent Project is to help parents earn the money needed to keep their families intact. (We also heard about one orphan facility in Haiti meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the children placed in their care.)
The jewelry is beautiful even though it is all made from trash! The workers take thin cardboard boxes, like the kind that hold cereal, to make beads, and discarded tin cans to make medallions. They also use clay ayiti, the dirt the natives eat to soothe the gnawing in their stomachs when hunger gets unbearable, to make ceramic beads.
The jewelry is beautiful even though it is all made from trash! The workers take thin cardboard boxes, like the kind that hold cereal, to make beads, and discarded tin cans to make medallions. They also use clay ayiti, the dirt the natives eat to soothe the gnawing in their stomachs when hunger gets unbearable, to make ceramic beads.
The decision to hold this party was made when I read the February 22, 2014 edition of WORLD magazine on my Kindle Fire. (A BIG SHOUT-OUT to WORLD publishers for sending several paper copies of this issue to be displayed at the party!) I had been looking for something slightly different to do than our usual at the banquet. Not, you know, that there is anything wrong with the things we usually do, but after reading the lead article (link here) a plan began to form.
Let's see. . . . What might we need to pull this off?
- Women who like to shop? ü
- Desirable products for them to purchase? ü
- Good food for them to eat and at a reasonable price? Hmm. What if the men grilled steaks to hold down the cost of catering so the women would have more funds to spend for shopping? ü
- A speaker who has been to Haiti on a mission trip? ü
It seemed so doable! And it was! We sold over $500 worth of jewelry and 100% of the proceeds go to the artisans who made them.
Even having a fire at our church that damaged our fellowship hall couldn't stop us. Praise the Lord!
Many thanks to our wonderful speaker, Debbie!
Many thanks to the wonderful men who cooked, grilled, and served. And ate. :)
Many thanks to the ladies who helped with the logistics including the Plan B facilities, the decorating, the clean-up, and the desserts. Yum!
And many, many thanks to all who bought necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. I know the Apparent Project and their employees thank you, too.
As a pastor's wife I am always looking for ideas that combine ministry with food, fun, and fellowship. I thought this might describe some of my readers, too. Feel free to share what you've tried at your church's ladies events. Like I said, I'm always looking for ideas.
Many thanks to our wonderful speaker, Debbie!
Many thanks to the wonderful men who cooked, grilled, and served. And ate. :)
Many thanks to the ladies who helped with the logistics including the Plan B facilities, the decorating, the clean-up, and the desserts. Yum!
And many, many thanks to all who bought necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. I know the Apparent Project and their employees thank you, too.
As a pastor's wife I am always looking for ideas that combine ministry with food, fun, and fellowship. I thought this might describe some of my readers, too. Feel free to share what you've tried at your church's ladies events. Like I said, I'm always looking for ideas.
