Jewelry Workshop has Begun

I can hardly believe it is already July!  The jewelry workshop was finally started up a few months back.  Christina with House of Hope Safe House, whom I have been partnering with since I first moved to SA, has allowed us to do the workshop in her Wendy House (this is a shed/cabinish bldg in her yard).  The main people whom are working with me are the same ladies whom I had worked with when doing the greeting cards project.  I am training them to be able to run things. 

We started with just 2 ladies, the next time we had 4, then we jumped up to 8.  The numbers continue to fluctuate, but there are always enough of us to get some jewelry made.  We have had numerous volunteers come to help out and mostly work with women whom are staying at House of Hope.  A safe house in Muizenberg (30 minutes away) has asked if they can start bringing their ladies, too. 

The ladies are amazing!  Seriously, I can not express that enough.  I thought I would have to train them for quite some time, but really they are quick learners and have a basic idea what to do already.   So many of them have made amazing necklaces their first or second time making them.  They are naturally talented!  When I have bandwidth again, I will have to post pictures. 

The workshop is set up to make jewelry for the first 2 hrs, stop for lunch and to read a devotional, then another 2 hrs of jewelry.  I have to force the ladies to stop making the jewelry, they love it that much!  Susan - the woman I am training to run the project - is an amazing marketer and we hope to sell some jewelry soon.  (She sold our first piece ;-)

The ladies have asked to start up the greeting card workshop again.  I am working to get our supplies again and hope to start doing the cards this next month.  We will be starting to make Christmas cards, so be sure to get your order in now.  I will be in the States for Christmas, so I can personally deliver them to you! 

My heart is so blessed by this workshop.  Mostly due to the amazing women I get to work with!  They constantly teach me so much.  I also get the pleasure of being with Christina's 7 foster children often, now that I am working at their place.  I love those kids so much!  I wish you all could meet them and be blessed, too.