Two Sewing Machines Find A Home

Have you ever seen the comic strip where the mom asks her son to go next door and ask the neighbor for a cup of sugar? Then you see a map of the two houses side by side, just a few steps between them but the footprints show the route that the son walked. His steps show the longest route possible. The son went in the backyard and played ball, swung on the swing, played in the sandbox, where eventually he goes into the alley, which leads to the park and many steps later he ends up at the neighbors. We have all experienced that, right? I know I have just recently.

Last year a donor asked how they could help one of our partner deaf schools who had a vocational program. The need was quickly discovered and the plan to have a sewing machine shipped to our partner was in place. We then learned someone else provided a sewing machine for this partner!  Consequently it took many steps to finally find a partner who could use a sewing machine.  This simple request took many steps but it didn’t stop there…more steps were to come.

“Two sewing machines are now safely in the hands of a partner in Mexico and being used to help the deaf students develop sewing skills.”

The means of how to get the machine into the partner’s hands lead to many more questions like, “how do we ship it?” The mail is not the most reliable in this particular country.  One of the questions was can we get a non-electric machine because the partner didn’t have access to electricity all the time. Finally, many steps taken paid off and questions were answered. The plan was in action, but a last minute glitch halted the machine from being delivered. This whole map of a plan which had taken six months was now needing to do an about face and retracing steps to set up another plan.

Many steps lead to many more discoveries. Could we buy a chain to help lock up the machine to help prevent it from getting stolen? Could we afford to pay a teacher to come and show them how to use the machine? Finally, a partner was found and many steps, and almost a year later, two sewing machines are safely in the hands of a partner in Mexico and being used to help the deaf students develop sewing skills.  This skill will allow them an alternative income when they graduate from the school. Isa 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways my ways” declares the LORD was brought to mind and put this little map of steps into perspective. Like the comic strip the simple request was accomplished and the need meet but the in between process took many steps!

Leah Morgera

Deaf Child Sponsorship Coordinator & Office Manager