We started Hawa Creations in May to give women in our community an opportunity to make jewelry to sell and get an income in order to support their families! Felismina and Maria come two times a week to make the jewelry. We then try and sell it one other day of the week, usually on a saturday. We decided to name it Hawa Creations because Hawa means Eve, or "the beginning of womanhood" in Arabic. This was perfect since my desire is to give women in my community a hope, a dignity, a "new beginning" with Christ. Hawa is also one of the babies at our Baby House. She is Felismina's daughter. I remember when Felismina arrived with Hawa and social welfare to ask for help last May. Hawa was skin and bones- literally. To say she was extremely sick would be an understatement. She was almost 3 years old and weighed less then 6 kilos- about 13 lbs. Hawa is also HIV+. We decided that if we didn't take her into our house for intensive care, she would die soon- possibly the next day.
We could also tell that Felismina was not OK. To be a mother and let your daughter get that sick without getting help - something's not right. We asked her if she wanted an opportunity to work and create jewelry. Can I just tell you that she is not the same girl since that day?!
She now comes to work singing, laughing, happy! She has told me many times that she had no idea she could make such beautiful jewelry! She also told me that she is so grateful for a job. That she no longer has to just "sit at home and think about her life".
You know, I got to thinking. If I was Felismina... She is 20 years old, with 3 children. The oldest is 5 yrs old. She watched the father of her children die of AIDS, she watched Hawa wilt away because of AIDS, Im pretty sure her youngest son has AIDS, and she is HIV+ as well... Where is the hope in that? Maybe she didn't take care of Hawa because she was in denial? Who knows? But what I do know is that the Lord came to give her Hope - regardles
s of her HIV Status - and I so badly want her to
understand that.
I am encouraging her to get started on Anti-Retrovirals. It is the AIDS Medicine. It is a long drawn out process. I have gone with her to the AIDS clinic to start the process. But since then, the hospital is giving her the run around. The thing is, if she does not start the treatment soon- her health will deteriorate rapidly. I am scared she is not going to come to work one day and I'll call to find out that she died.
I look forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays when they come to work. We sit together and chat about boyfriends, husbands, kids, families, life. They teach me Changaan (tribal dialect) and I teach them English. We sing worship songs, talk about God. Im also encouraging them to open up bank accounts and save part of their income. Not to spend it all on hair or cell phone products! Trying to teach them how to be wise with money. I want to start a series on Proverbs 31- how to be a Virtuous Wife.
Please continue to pray for Hawa Creations. For Felismina and Maria. That they would walk in that Hope and Calling that the Lord has for them! Pray for a special blessing on our jewelry
when we sell it so that they can take care of their families.
For recent Pictures of Hawa Creations and the Baby House go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/allisonscarlett/
