Where have the Dorcas Ladies been? They’ve been sewing, sewing, sewing!
Missionaries and mission teams are gearing up to “go and tell”, and many of the Dorcas Group’s little dresses, little boy shorts, ditty bags, and man bags will go with them.
In March 2014, going with the Fussells and their clean water initiative in Haiti and the Dominican Republic were 50 little dresses with panties, 50 ditty bags, and 5 man bags.
Later in March, the Zimmer family, missionaries on the island of Yap, were furloughed and getting ready to go back to their mission. Through contacts with our sister group in SC, they were invited to SSI to receive items from the Dorcas Group. They spent one night in the Mission House. With Sylvia Martin as hostess, the family attended our Wednesday night services and presented an informational program and video about their mission.
After the Wednesday night service, the Zimmers and their four younger children met with Dorcas members in the Dorcas Room. They took the items with them that Dorcas had made for their mission so they could get the items to the container which would be shipped back to Yap with goods collected on their furlough. Their oldest son will remain here in the States to attend college.
Sent to Yap with the Zimmers were:
- 50 little dress with panties
50 little boy shorts
50 ditty bags
4 boxes of scraps and trims for a lady on one of the outer islands who pieces together scraps and makes skirts
Lori Adams, with whom Dorcas has sent items to Haiti before, came in person to present a program about her mission to the Dorcas Group on April 24th. The small Baptist Church she attends has built an orphanage, and continues to make trips in January and May to continue serving the people in Haiti. This is Lori’s 4th trip. This trip she is taking with her a limited supply of items because she has only 2 suitcases and a 50 lb. limit.
Dorcas ladies packed and sent with Lori Adams for this trip to Haiti:
- 10 man bags
60 little dresses and panties
40 ditty bags
44 little boy shorts
Mark Kreikemeyer of Alpharetta Baptist Church is going back to Venezuela to Bread of Hope mission in May. He has requested items
again from Dorcas, and will be receiving 100 dresses and panties, and we hope to complete as many little boy shorts as possible.
Lastly for their Alaska Mission, items were sent to Shiloh Baptist Church, Americus in January 2014. The team that was going took 50 ditty bags, 3 man bags, 7 sheets, 2 new pillow and blanket sets for children, 6 pieces of heavy fabric to be used for outer garments or bedding. These have been Dorcas Group’s international projects since January 2014.
Meanwhile, on the local front, many items have been shared with individuals and agencies here at home:
- 17 bibs to Hospice and individuals in home care
81 ditty bags along with personal hygiene items to Faithworks for distribution in their homeless and street ministries
7 walker bags to individuals in nursing homes or home care
2 catheter covers to Hospice
15 “fidget” blankets for Alzheimers patients in nursing homes and home care
10 neck pillows to Hospice and home care
3 cancer caps, 6 flannel blankets, 5 lap robes to Karen’s House of Hope
During these last four months the Dorcas Group has also been given generous donations of sewing supplies; but fabric is being cut into little dresses, ditty bags, bibs, fidget blankets, and our other items at an amazing rate.
Therefore, if you find fabric tucked away that you know you’ll never get around to using, please remember the Dorcas Group always needs fabric. Remnants are welcomed because they make great ditty bags. When you do your spring cleaning, remember Dorcas. Old jeans, boys, girls, men’s and women’s, make great bags!
Hearts to seek Him. Hands to Serve Him.