The Black Friday Alternative – Gifts that Matter!

If you are like most people, you are thinking about Christmas shopping this time of year. Black Friday is a time for scoring good deals on lots of merchandise.  What if you could skip the early morning crowds and the lines and all the craziness this year?  What if you could give gifts to your loved ones that will make a difference in someone else’s life?  What if instead of one more tie or cookbook or electronic device you gave the gift of food, books, or clothing to a child in a developing country?

robertawithboy  boywithballoon

 

This Christmas consider giving those hard-to-shop-for people on your list the gift of helping a child in their name.  For $25 you can give the gift of either one pair of tennis shoes for a child or school books for one child.  A gift of $50 would purchase 5 days worth of milk for the children’s home or one 50 lb. bag of beans for the nutrition center. When you click on the link to donate, you will be able to “add special instructions to the seller” where you can include the gift you are choosing and the recipient’s name and address.  We will then send them a card with the information about how you have honored them through this gift.  You also have the option of having the card sent to you so that you can present it to them when you choose – just include that information in the special instructions.  Cards will begin going out on Dec. 15, unless you specify another date.  You can also let us know if you’d rather receive an emailed certificate to print out to give as a gift.  You can add one address for every gift given.

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What other way can shopping for a gift be so meaningful?  So, skip the crowds, and do your shopping right now.  Honor your mom, dad, grandparent, boss, teacher, or friend.  This is one gift that won’t ever get old, and it will be a blessing to a child who desperately needs it.

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Don’t hesitate to email haitimissions@esteschurch.com or call 731-989-7990 if you have any questions.

Click below to give and don’t forget to give the gift address details!

$25 – One Pair of Tennis Shoes for a child  

$25 – School Books for one child                       

$50 – 5 days of milk for all the children at the children’s home                                       

$50 – One 50lb. bag of beans for the nutrition center




Shop with a Purpose – The Dorcas Sewing Ladies

“Women make up half the world’s population and yet represent a staggering 70% of the world’s poor. We live in a world in which women living in poverty face gross inequalities and injustice from birth to death. From poor education to poor nutrition to vulnerable and low pay employment, the sequence of discrimination that a woman may suffer during her entire life is unacceptable but all too common.”  -The Global Poverty Project

womeninhaiti

Image from huffingtonpost.com

“Studies have indicated that when women hold assets or gain income, the money is more likely to be spent on nutrition, medicine, and housing, and consequently their children are healthier.  For every dollar a woman earns, she invests 80 cents in her family. Men, on the other hand, invest around 30 cents and are more likely to squander money on alcohol and other vices.” – halftheskymovement.org

haitimom

Image from fmscblog.com

Much has been written about fighting poverty through empowering and investing in women.  When a woman is able to earn a living, she can and most likely will change everything for her family.  What can we do to help?

 

Through Roberta’s work with the Dorcas Sewing Ladies in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, we have a unique opportunity to play a small part in directly empowering women who live in poverty.  These ladies were taught to sew, have received donations of fabrics and machines, and now they need a market so that they can stand on their own as their business grows.  While they do sell some of their bags in Haiti, it makes good business sense to create a market for their goods here where we have such an overwhelmingly large amount of disposable income.  They have been willing to learn a trade and put in the hard work to create bags and skirts, and we have the easy job of buying the beautiful, hand crafted goods.  They are not asking for a hand out, they are asking for an opportunity to make a living.

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Almost every woman carries a bag of some kind at some point.  It may be a purse or diaper bag or book bag or a teacher bag or a travel bag.  We get to choose when we purchase that bag.  Do we choose to buy a cheap one that might have cost some woman around the world her freedom because she is subjected to what is essentially slave labor in a sweatshop? Or do we choose a bag that will actually give life to a woman and her family somewhere in the world?

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The money that you spend on your next bag can really mean the difference between death and life.  Does $20 seem like it has the power to give life or take it away? When you purchase a $20 bag from the Dorcas Sewing Ladies of Haiti, your $20 is giving a life, a livelihood, to real women. They will use that money to invest in their business, to send their children to school, to get food and medicine, and to give back to their congregations in Haiti. If you want to be a part of changing the world and helping end the cycles of poverty, let your dollars do the talking next time you make any purchase.  Find out where your goods come from, and who made them.  If you want to make a difference and change the world, shop with a purpose, and empower women to change their own world.

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*If you would like more information about buying a bag from the Dorcas Sewing Ladies, please email haitimissions@esteschurch.com  Bags are managed and sold in Henderson, TN, but we can ship to you!

Large totes ($20) are reversible with a print fabric on the inside. Small bags ($7) come in lots of prints.

 

Estes Dinner Meeting

On Saturday, September 20, the Estes Church of Christ will be hosting a dinner for anyone who is interested in our work in Haiti. Roberta Edwards, missionary in Haiti, will be speaking on her current and future projects.  If you are not familiar with the work in Haiti, this will be a the perfect opportunity to get information and ask questions.  If you are a current or past supporter of this work, this will be a great time to talk with Roberta and hear about new things that are happening.  All are encouraged to attend.  The evening will begin at 5:00 p.m. and dinner will be provided.  We ask that you share this invitation with anyone who is interested in the work being done in Haiti.  Please R.S.V.P. by emailing haitimissions@esteschurch.com with your name and the number that will be attending by September 15 so that we can make appropriate plans for the meal.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Shipping Container Update

If you missed the last post about the shipping container that is going to Haiti this fall, you can read about it here.

For those of you who have asked about how you can help with items for the shipping container, here’s a great idea: You can shop online and have your items shipped directly to Healing Hands International.  Many websites offer free shipping on larger or heavier items (Amazon.com, Walmart.com, etc), so you can find a great deal and send things directly to the place where they will be loaded on the container.

When filling out shipping information make sure to include Roberta’s name so that Healing Hands will know what to do with your package when it shows up.

Roberta Edwards
c/o Healing Hands International
455 McNally Drive • Nashville, Tennessee 37211

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to email us – haitimissions@esteschurch.com

Would you like to receive updates in your inbox?  Click here and scroll to the bottom of the right-hand column to subscribe to the blog!

The list for the shipping container is copied below.

Needs:

  • Powdered Milk (150 cases)
  • Baby Formula
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Sanitary napkins
  • Deodorant (men and women)
  • Rubbing alcohol and peroxide
  • Shampoo and conditioner (moisturizing types)
  • Toothpaste and toothbrushes
  • Clorox or Lysol wipes
  • Mosquito spray (with DEET)
  • Canned meats:  tuna, mackerel, salmon, pork, ham, viennas, spam, chicken
  • Canned fruit:  fruit cocktail, peaches, pears, pineapple, mandarin oranges, apple sauce, tropical fruit, apple and cherry pie filling
  • Canned vegetables: corn, tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato crushed, tomato whole, green beans, lima beans, mixed vegetables, peas
  • Commercial rabbit food
  • Chicken food for laying hens
  • food for the security guard forces ( 50lb bags of dog food)
  • 6 foot white board for the school of preaching
  • sewing material: remnants and bolts welcome.  Cotton, washable and bright colors. (to support the Dorcas ladies of Santo)
  • square fold up card tables or 4 foot rectangular small table (4)
  • Kitty litter for our rodent exterminating crew
  • Computer printing paper (1 box)
  • 2 – 12 foot stepladders
  • heavy duty extension cords  (6)
  • oscillating and box fans
  • Gas stove for the guesthouse (propane gas connectors)

Haiti Shipping Container

The following is a wish list from Roberta.  The list includes items that can be purchased and added to a shipping container that will go to Haiti in September. Please consider contributing items or donating money to go toward the shipping costs.  You can also help by sharing this list with your congregation. Estes in not currently a collection point for donated items, but if you have questions regarding the container shipment, the contacts are:  Larry Waymire  Lwaymire@gmail.com or 731-798-0136 and Harry Hames maximed5119@aol.com or 256-616-5235.

 

Another 40 foot container is being prepared to be sent to Haiti.  The items collected will be used to support the needs of approximately 350 children in the Port au Prince area and the new school of preaching.   Healing Hands International in Nashville, TN has agreed to be the collection point and shipper of the container.  All items to be clearly labeled in boxes or plastic totes with an explanation of what is inside of the box.  If more than one box is given, please have a inventory listing what is in each of your boxes.

When purchasing food items, if at all possible, please purchase items in cases for easier shipping.

Funds are also being raised for the shipping and customs fees for this container.  The cost will be $12,000.

Needs:

  • Powdered Milk (150 cases)
  • Baby Formula
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Sanitary napkins
  • Deodorant (men and women)
  • Rubbing alcohol and peroxide
  • Shampoo and conditioner (moisturizing types)
  • Toothpaste and toothbrushes
  • Clorox or Lysol wipes
  • Mosquito spray (with DEET)
  • Canned meats:  tuna, mackerel, salmon, pork, ham, viennas, spam, chicken
  • Canned fruit:  fruit cocktail, peaches, pears, pineapple, mandarin oranges, apple sauce, tropical fruit, apple and cherry pie filling
  • Canned vegetables: corn, tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato crushed, tomato whole, green beans, lima beans, mixed vegetables, peas
  • Commercial rabbit food
  • Chicken food for laying hens
  • food for the security guard forces ( 50lb bags of dog food)
  • 6 foot white board for the school of preaching
  • sewing material: remnants and bolts welcome.  Cotton, washable and bright colors. (to support the Dorcas ladies of Santo)
  • square fold up card tables or 4 foot rectangular small table (4)
  • Kitty litter for our rodent exterminating crew
  • Computer printing paper (1 box)
  • 2 – 12 foot stepladders
  • heavy duty extension cords  (6)
  • oscillating and box fans
  • Gas stove for the guesthouse (propane gas connectors)

 

Thank you for any support that you can give to this project.  Please continue to pray for the work in Haiti.

 

 

Welcome to the Haiti Blog!

The Haiti Missions Committee at Estes is excited to announce some new updates to the Estes website, including this blog and a new donation page that will allow more people to be involved in contributing to the work in Haiti. Our hope is that through these new avenues those who are interested in supporting this work will be able to learn a little more about what sponsorship entails, receive regular updates on what is happening in Haiti, and be able to streamline the donation process. No longer will donors need to remember to write a check each month to sponsor children in the Santo Nutrition Center or in the Education Program. You can now click and sign up to have your monthly donation automatically taken each month. It couldn’t be easier!  All the information about getting started can be found at esteschurch.org/haiti

Many things are on the horizon, and our prayer is that everyone who has a desire to help will be able to find a way to serve.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the Haiti Committee through our new email address haitimissions@esteschurch.com