A new employee?

Yesterday I spoke with Sinta about trying to find another sewer.  She mentioned that she had a friend who trained with her, and earlier in the year she asked about work... So we rang her up, and she visited today.  She is very shy, but seems sweet.  Her name is Blundina. Sinta suggested starting her on a lower wage for a month as a trial, at $3/day.  Oh im finding it hard to swallow... I asked her Sinta a few times...only $3? She assured me that was the right thing to do.... hopefully she can start ASAP, too help sew the cloth books.

better books....

Well, we finally sent off the 50 bags to Darwin... All bagged and labeled.  The lovely folk from Palmerston stashed them in their bags for us yesterday afternoon as they headed home.  Sinta took today off, as she worked pretty hard last week getting them all ready.
So last night I was thinking...hmm, what shall she do now?  I dont really want to pay her wages just to potter, the uniform and bag sales to locals have slowed down, and Im not quite up to fully marketing/canvassing our cloth pads.... 
Anyway, im not sure i even offered it up as a verbal prayer, but God must have heard my sigh, cause this morning who should appear?

Sweet Beth from the library in Ermera...can she order 15 more cloth books for the library?  The people love them!  And while your at it another 2 for personal use....
Wow.  She even returned later this afternoon to pay a deposit, so we can source some fabric and get started ASAP!!!
She also asked if Sinta would be willing to run a workshop for a sewing group there.  teaching them how to make the books.  They will cover her wage for the day and any material costs.  It just seems to keep coming.  Im really not putting a lot of effort into it myself as i am just trying to cope at re-adjusting and focusing on educating the kids, and feeding us all.  Meals and school are about all i can cope with.  (Not that i am doing an exceptionally good job at either of them?)  So I am so grateful that God seems to be doing the legwork and finding work for Bellekria!

Some Pictures!

 This is the brand spanking new machine - pink of course!

 here is a cute little $1 calico lolly bag....

 And here is all 24 of them,

 here are the 50 bags, so colourful!!

 It doesnt look like 50 from this angle....??

 The extra 8 we have to sell to locals...
For people who understand repurposing.... This was a large secondhand dress ($1)which we cut up and made 2 beautiful bags out of, then Sinta used the scraps to make a cute little top!

Well arent they all lovely???

Work work work

I forgot to mention how Sinta worked non stop to get the 50 bags completed by yesterday morning.  They look fantastic! (ok i am biased)!!
We made them in a variety of colours, and she even made a few with different pocket variations.

On Thursday afternoon i was rung with a request fro some simple calico party bags.  So I drew up a pattern and went and chatted with Sinta and we discovered... we had exactly enough calico to cut the 24 requested!  EXACTLY! not a cm spare.  Miracle? Anyway, she being the special person she is, after finishing the last bag, started cutting the calico, and had party bags all finished by closing time.... Another filled order.  So whats next week???
I promise i will take some pics and add them soon!

Friends bringing gifts!

Wow! Yesterday we had a group of 5 lovely people from Palmerston Cross Roads (Baptist) Church visit us on their way to Los Palos with Samuel.  They pulled a large bag out of the car and inside was a brand new elna sewing machine! Thankyou to Dorothy!  Not to mention a large donation and a collection of patterns as well!  We set it up in the sewing room, and as soon as the power came back on, Sinta began using it.  It was so simple to thread, has matching feet and bobbins as the singers, and is so quiet!  Of course Serenity loves it because it has pink designs on the top :)  Will try to get a photo up when i can.
They are also returning on Monday and will collect the large order of bags to be taken back to Darwin.
(They also brought lollies for the kids, and we had asked for a tin of milo for a treat for them, and they brought 3 over!!!)  Too sweet...

More Exciting News

It never stops!

We have been asked to make 50 bags and send them over with some men from Darwin in a few weeks....A huge order.  Sinta will be sewing like mad.  We really need to train more women.

WOW, new developments!

Ok, so you know how I mentioned some machines in Australia?  THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY!!!!
We are so excited!  My y parents packed them into crate, a local truck company delivered them to Melbourne (half price!!) and Rotary packed them into a chipping container due here in Timor in May!
I told Sinta about them, and how I would like to get them out to women with a rent/buy system.  She told me later that she couldnt sleep that night she was so excited and plannig how she could use her salary to pay one off and then start her own mending business from home on the weekends.  Perfect.

Now that we know it can be done, we may plan anothewr delivery in a few months, so maybe I'll stick up a wish list and you can all start collecting :)

So the sewing room looks lovely.  Sinta has set it up with all the products displayed around the room.  She launched bravely into uniforms, and has been selling a few each week.  She was very proud to tell me that she buys the black fabric for $4.5/m, can make 2 skirts from it, then sell them for $4.50-$5 each!  Double your money!

She also had some lovely news to share with me.  A relative (widow with 5 living children) gave them a baby boy (5months old) to care for (they have been suffering infertility for 8 years) So i was so overjoyed to hear she has a son to care for, even if it may only be for a few years.  She said she was so scared at first as he was very small and weak.

ALSO
I just recieved an email from Greenbeans AU offering me some heavily discounted stock!  I really hope we can buy it.  I just need some cash.....  Anyone????