Wonderful friends,
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart again for your generosity towards Rupali and her village mission. With the funds that came through, we were able to purchase everything that they need for the sewing center in the village. I got to call Rupali and surprise her with the news last week that because of the generosity of my friends in America I was able to come up with the money to essentially deck out their center. God was even gracious to stop the rain today. Rupali kept saying this was a dream come true. I wanted to include a piece of an email I received from her that is directed towards you all:
"You have contributed to a life changing project that would make a significant difference in the lives of many many girls. Thank you so very much from the depths of our hearts. Please do convey our love and thanks to your friends who have contributed to this project. May the dear Lord bless each of them in abundance. May they not lack any good thing that God has stored for them..."
What I love about this project is that it is both sustainable and is contributing to the prevention of trafficking, something very close to my heart. These girls will be able to use the tools purchased today to learn a skill, to be financially independent and to contribute to their families. With this skill there will be no need for them to be sent for marriage at age 13 or 14. With this skill they can see that they have worth and are able to produce something valuable and beautiful. With this skill they, for the first time in their lives, can have their own money. And with these machines, an innumerable number of girls can come to the center for their lives to be changed. There is no exaggerating in this either: these sewing machines, something so simple and basic to us, make all the difference in the world to them. Praise God.
So our newest intern, Melissa, and I met up with Rupali and her husband bright and early this morning for breakfast. Then we hit the markets. They had gone to price machines earlier in the week and decided to go with the most high quality and reliable brand, Singer. The manager had talked to them about all the necessary tools for a complete tailoring shop, so we went with his advice: a few double power machines, a heavy duty machine to make bags, and one super fancy embroidery machine. It was soooo fun to pick them out and be able to buy them all at once. Singer is delivering them to the center on Monday while I'm there :)
Then we went to a market area that specializes in sewing equipment, and I told her to get absolutely everything that she needed. We got an iron, ironing board, lots of needles, threads, a button machine thing, mats for the floor, measuring tape, meter sticks, snaps, buttons, etc. It was SO FUN! Then we went to New Market to pick out a bunch of starter fabrics for the girls. Rupali let me and Melissa pick out whatever we wanted, so we went with lots of girly colorful prints. And it was all pure cotton and super, super soft.
This coming Monday I will be going to the village to meet the girls and spend the day with them at their center. I seriously can't wait. Rupali told them they have a huge surprise coming, and apparently I will be the first white person they have ever seen! I will send them all your love as well.
Friends, thank you for being a part of real Kingdom work and helping to elicit a tangible change in lives of girls you have never met. I will post again about it this week!! Here are the pics!
One of the heavier duty machines we got - they are kinda old school looking and come attached to their own table!
Getting the best possible price at the Singer store
They even threw in some free Sprites :)
One of the sewing supply shops. Can't say I could have found this hole in the wall myself!
The market with all the sewing supplies
The incredible couple
Bright mats for the floor
Headed to New Market
Fabric heaven
Some of what we got for the girls
End of the day..
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