RECYCLE HOPE

(Helping Other People Eat) has a new home in Villa Esperanza! A mission team of 32 people came from First Baptist Church in McKinney, Texas (with many returnees from previous years) and worked in the extreme heat painting the new shop both inside and out, repaired the tables, hung the whiteboard and put the finishing touches on their sponsored shop. Now the jewelry ladies have a bright and spacious facility with which they can continue producing the paper bead jewelry that provides most of them with their only source of income. Words of thanks were given at the dedication to Lois, for starting this endeavor and especially to God for placing this on her heart to teach these ladies “how to fish.” Sales of the jewelry have steadily increased throughout the last 3 years making this a viable business which truly does Help Other People Eat. Ismaela’s son is one of the children to be blessed with proper nutrition because of their work. He was playing with a toy made from an old CD attached to a recycled sardine tin.Please contact Jane at janehuizinga@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing or selling the jewelry to help support this project.
In order to accommodate such a large team their work was divided between 2 villages. While some painted the jewelry shop, Lois taught the ladies new things to make, some repackaged three barrels of soup mix from the Ontario Christian Gleaners into family size portions, while others painted the entire school of Nest of Love in villa Emmanuel inside and out to make ready for the new school year that is fast approaching. During their afternoons, the team was involved in many ministry opportunities such as the children’s juice program in which Marilyn’s dramatized storytelling kept the children captivated while hearing about Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the showing of the Jesus film one evening. The resized soup packets were also included in the 225 bags of groceries that were given out in the village feeding in villa Esperanza. Below are just a few of the items included in the bags. Pastor Dale met with some of the local pastors and presented each of them their very own Bible dictionary and concordance in Spanish. “This was one of the best gifts I have ever received” was their overwhelming response to this gift; something which they could never have been able to afford on their own. The days were long and hot, but very fulfilling. Many new friends were made and tears were shed when the team needed to depart for the airport. An early checkout at the hotel enabled them to spend their last few hours together after the shop dedication Saturday morning.

John & I would personally like to thank First McKinney Baptist for their ongoing personal support for us as we serve in the Dominican Republic. It was fabulous to spend another amazing week with y’all from McKinney, Texas. May God continue to bless your lives as you have blessed us.