It's a Girl Thing: The Results!

This past September I was able to get involved with a country wide project called "It's a Girl Thing". Andrea, at Babe of My Heart headed the whole thing up and I was blessed to be able to connect with her and help! You can read about the beginnings of this here.


I decided I was going to host a Pad Party! Yup, you read it right, I sent out an email to lots of my friends inviting them to my house for a Pad Party...

"Subject: You're Invited to a Pad Party!

...you heard me right, I'm throwing a Pad Party! We are going to be making re-usable (washable) menstrual pads for the girls of Korah.

I would love for you all to come over to my house and help me make as many as we can crank out! We will have finger foods, fun, laughter, sewing, and prayer together as we create these simple things that we take for granted!

A beautiful blogger (and fellow adoptive mommy) wrote this on her blog: http://www.babeofmyheart.com/project-1-its-a-girl-thing/

Every month, I have to deal with what most girls deal with…a monthly cycle. Sorry if that’s too personal to say–but it should come as no surprise to you. I take for granted that every month I stock up on the things I need…and I can get them in any size, weight and style I would like. And not only that–I complain about my cramps. I complain that I am a bit inconvenienced and I remind my husband that he is lucky to be a boy and he doesn’t have to endure such hardship each month.

SO…let me ask you this—what do you think the women and young girls of Korah do during this time? What will it be like for the hundreds of girls who are (praise GOD!) being sponsored to leave Korah this Fall and go to a boarding school? What will they do as they try to sit in class during this time? What do the woman and girls we support in Zambia do?

(Sara)

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?

(Aunt Kim and me)

Well, let me tell you what they do. They squat. They wait for their week to end. On their heavy days, some roll up newspapers and make their own tampons. Many get infections. The infections make their parents and husbands think they have STDs and they endure being left or abused. Some use a single piece of old clothing–and when it’s soiled–they rinse it and use it again…although it’s still wet—it’s some what clean.

Did you know that in Africa the dropout rate for for young girls in school is 40% when they have no sanitary supplies? BUT when they are provided them–it rises to just 8%?

What can we do about it?

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

I know I can't sew...but I DO have a home I can open, I can cut, measure, and refill coffee and tea cups, and if God can use those gifts, I'm willing to let Him!

So, I'm ready to help...are you?!

(My Momma)

Who: You...and your friends! Seriously, I think there will be plenty of work for all, so gather a few friends and bring them with you!

What: A pad making party!!

Where: My house

When: September 16th at 5:00 p.m. - who knows when! When a group of women get together, you just never know what will happen!

Why: To help the beautiful young women of Korah who deserve to stay healthy, just like you and I do every. single. month.!

RSVP: To me! Shoot me an email or call me @ xxx-xxx-xxxx. I will ask that you bring some supplies with you to make the pads, so when you call (or email) I'll give you your "assignment"! :0)

ps - if you have a sewing machine that you would be willing to haul to my house, please let me know...the more we have, the faster things will go!"

(Marcinda - my mother-in-law, and me)

Although not everyone could make it that evening, lots of people donated material, drawstring, thread, sewing machines, and prayers!

So...we got together...and shared an evening of cranking out 107 bags! It was so. much. fun!

(Brittany)

Mindy wrote this blog post following our night together....

"Last week, Ashley invited a group of women into her home for an evening devoted to helping others. Specifically, women across in the world who do not have certain things that we take for granted here in America. Something we think is as simple as menstrual products for our monthly cycle can actually be life changing. To some women in Africa, their reality is missing out on school and living with infections because they simply do not have these supplies.

So we joined among other women across the country, with the project initiated by this blogger from Babe of my Heart, to make a difference in other women’s lives. The goal? ”To provide EVERY girl going to school from Korah and every girl and widow from Wiphan 10 washable pads each + 3 pairs of underwear” in a drawstring bag. That’s 300 girls, at least. Handmade and sewn with love for others who deserve the luxuries that we have, even down to sanitary pads.

(Mindy)

Our goal last week was to make as many drawstring bags as we could! With three sewing machines, many yards of cute fabric, and a small group of women, we did our very best! Ashley and I even learned how to sew the bags along the way! We started out just cutting fabric, but we somehow ended up behind the sewing machines. It was a great evening enjoying each other’s company, with good food and conversation, but best of all, uniting together for the same cause."

Well, I shipped them off, and waited to hear more...

and guess what?! They just got handed out in Zambia at Wiphan! Here are some of the sections from the report, but you can read all about it here.

"I am so honored to be a part of this project!!! I want to thank YOU–women from all over the country who read my blog entry that day…AND CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! And when I saw women ALL over America–I mean ALL OVER. I can’t tell you how many packages arrived at my door. I would look at where they each came from and REJOICE!!! From Canada to Florida from New York and California!!! Sarah Titus and I collected…sorted…resorted…and then off they went! I heard stories after stories of women who volunteered wanting to bless these girls and women–and in turn, they ended up being the ones blessed!!! I even heard a story of someone going in a JoAnn’s fabric store in Oregon and the lady behind the desk asking a lady, “By any chance is this for Baby of My Heart’s “It’s a Girl Thing?” AND guess what? They were giving DISCOUNTS!!! SO…you think God just MIGHT have His hand on projects like these??? Ya think God cares deeply for the details of these girls and women????

And do you think it makes HIM rejoice when HE sees His beloved Zambian children getting these!!! And when He sees this widow CLAPPING because she can’t believe God has provided this for her?!

I can get SO WRAPPED up in my little world and get worked up over the dumbest little things. And guess what. MOST of them in the big scheme of things–DO NOT matter!!! I want MY LIFE to be all about investing in others and making a difference in the world. WHO’S WITH ME?!?!?

And they line up to get their very own kits—I promise these are their MOST treasured possession now!!!!

If you were a part of this project…REJOICE!!! Rejoice in how HE has used you!!!!!! And if you would like jpeg files to print and share with the groups that sewed with you—PLEASE email me (via the contact page on my blog…if I write my email here I’m a spam target!) and I’ll send you lots of pictures to share with your sewing teams!!!! Now…some people (like our husbands;) might poke at us mommas for being bloggers…for reading blogs daily…BUT truly we can use things like blogs to CHANGE the world as we come together for projects like this one!!!!!!!

Thank you to everyone who took part in this project!!!!!!!! Hold tight…I have something else up my sleeve:). You know me…always up to something;-).

Off to do a happy dance!!! Go ahead and join me…isn’t it fun to be a part of things like this?!?!!??!?!"

What better way to start another year?

I am simply rejoicing today...because He is faithful, He is good. All the time.

* Pictures courtesy of myself, Mindy, and April, via Andrea.