a miracle story

how many of you have gone into a big mall and then come out and not been able to find your car?  i know i have.  it is terribly frustrating to say the least!!   it happened last week to bob's mom while she was shopping in a mall in florida.   she ended up going back into the mall to ask security to find her car (smart idea!)

while she was waiting (for a long time!) she struck up a conversation who was working there.   the lady happened to mention that she was taking a cruise.  bob's mom mentioned that we lived in roatan, and that we were helping the people down here.  she mentioned that we were taking donations for kids clothes and toys to help out at christmas.  the lady decided to help!!

so on tuesday, they docked here in roatan and rolled off a HUGE SUITCASE up to the Made in Roatan shop!  How wonderful is that?

taken in our livingroom!  what a blessing!

do you think it was a coincidence that Bev couldn't find her car?  that the lady who usually doesn't work in that department was there?   that she had a kind and giving heart?  NO i don't think any of it was a coincidence!  i believe that all things work together for good for those who love God.

we were so blessed to open the suitcase and see so many wonderful clothes, toys and candy.  as Bob opened it he said that so many faces came to mind that will really be so blessed to have these gifts for Christmas!

we enjoyed meeting sue and garry.. a truly wonderful Godly couple.
thanks so much for catching the vision and going the extra mile to help people in need.

God bless YOU!
i wrote a letter asking for my canadian friends to, as well, rise up and help here.  i am incredibly overwhelmed by the loving response from all of you!  thank you, thank you, thank you!

we will be handing out food in toys once the parcels arrive after december 20.
how exciting!

Miracles at the shop

I love alot of things about Jesus but probably my favorite thing about Him is that He was a man of the street.  By that i mean He wasn't corporate, or super religious in the synagogue, or in a palace somewhere ... He with the people.

He was in markets, on the road, on the hillside, in a boat.  He was with His friends, with strangers, with sinners, with the sick. He was, as we say in canada, 'out and about'.

Well on Tuesday He was at the shop. 

Bob and I always pray before we go to the 'Made in Roatan' shop.   We realize the world is coming to roatan, and many of them see the sign on the shop, and meander in.   many of them need an invite from Bob as he stands in the hot sun all day and says:  everything here in made right here on the island, come on in and have a look.   and some people come in. it's wonderful.

the day started out slow, as usual, it always is.  i use it as a time to dry to take a layer of filthy street dust off all the carvings, my photos, the jewelry stands... everything has a gritty film to it!


but little by little people start to meander in.  and we share about our vision to help people on the island.  so many people are amazed that it isn't our business.  we aren't making money (except for my cards and bob makes some 'man jewelry'... yes that is a plug haha!).

i love telling stories about the people that we are selling for.  i make the artists tangible and real and when the people hear about their life they move from being 'shoppers' to 'helpers'  it is a small but huge difference.

 okay so here are few 'God showed up stories for you...':

one drawback to the shop is that we don't have a bathroom so when it isn't busy i run (yes literally) down a little road to zenola's place to use her bathroom.   i was hurrying past koke, the artist who sells next to us and he started jabbering in spanish, very fast and i could see he was upset.  now i understand fairly well but not fast spanish, so i asked him to speak slower (in spanish) he told me that a group of guys (muchachos!) were standing and talking right in front of where he sells his painting and no one was coming because they couldn't see his work.  he hadn't sold anything all day!!!!   of course as he is talking he is getting more upset and speaking faster.  i told him that i needed to go to the bathroom (mildy desperate at this point) and that i would be back in a minute and i would talk to the guys!

while i was in the bathroom i was moved to pray and ask the Lord to bring someone to buy his painting.  even if the guys moved what koke needed was a sale, right?  yes.  so i left with Him and started to walk down the narrow muddy road towards the shop.  as i was walking towards the guys a lady was walking towards koke paintings.  in my heart i knew she was going to buy!!  and guess what she did!!!   immediately that prayer was answered.   Jesus showed up.  the Gospels all have parallel stories but each |Gospel is a bit different. one thing i noticed once while reading the book of mark is the word 'immediately'.  mark said that alot.  that is because Jesus is able to do things faster and better then anyone i know!!

i told koke that i had prayed for him and he kept gracias debi.  and i kept no no no... gracias Jesus (in spanish it is pronounced hay-zeus.. which i love)   it wasn't about me 'fixing' the problem with the guys it was about 'asking'.  i think we often forget about asking.   Jesus said, 'until now, you have asked for nothing in My name, ask and you will receive so your joy will be made full'  (john 16:24)  now i am not advocating that we will get everything we ask for, like the name and claim whole mentality because it isn't up to us it is up to Him.  and for koke, and for no one else, Jesus showed up.

isn't that wonderful.  i think so.

another story is that a guy came in who works for cruise critic.  i have his card somewhere but i can't remember his name (sorry mr. cruise critic guy...)   we had a great time together!  he had lots of questions about the shop and wants to run a story about it.  which is fantastic.   so in the midst of all that chatting and laughing and fun when and how did He show up?    well the God moment for me in the midst of all of that was when a tiny sweet little yellow bird flew into the shop.  it was so incredible.   so beautiful. so unexpected.  so 'like Him'.  at first he just flew around, landing on things but soon he wanted to get out (of course) so i got a towel and tried to steer him towards the door.   i was praying that he'd find his way out when he went behind the door on a window ledge and i just reached back with the towel and gently laid it on him.  i took him in my hand and i held him.  as i looked at that bird i thought.. oh my goodness.. HE takes care of the birds.   i doubt if either the critic guy or even zenola had any sense of what was happening in my heart but i thought... why do i worry???  He takes care of the birds,  they do store in barns but He feeds them.   it brought such JOY to realize i don't need to worry nor do i need to take care of people here on the island. it is HIS JOB!

was beautiful.  for me.  i think He did that for me.. but then again maybe as you read this you will realize the same precious truth and then it can be for you too.


 a post note:  things we don't like also happen at the shop.  a couple of weeks ago i slipped and fell going down zenola's stairs and a couple of days ago i started to experience pain and numbness in my heel.  i went to the clinic today and it turns out that i have a slight tear in my achilles tendon.  not happy with the news but it is what it is so for the next few weeks i will be resting.

i appreciate all prayers for quick healing of this tendon.  thanks and Lord bless you  xo

a day at made in roatan

we spent the day at the shop when we heard the epic was in port

people set up their 'wares' and hope to make some money

see those little purses.. i bought one and use it everyday

a local lady dressed up and ready to go to town ~~ snazzy!

how precious is this? a little sweet something in a box!

remember pedro, the man who recently passed away? this is his jewelry... so beautiful

traffic: pedestrians, buses, taxi, people riding double:  craziness!!

we stopped at pizza inn on the way home.  yummy!

a couple of highlights today:

a lady came in from the washington post and she did a story about our shop

how cool is that?

it will be running two sundays from now.

having this type of 'business' is rare.

who does non profit these days?

only those called to serve by the Living One

because even though we aren't making tons of money here

our reward is great in heaven.

also met a lady who wants to contribute to 

clinic esperanza

she works in a dentist office and wants to ship down supplies

i am encouraged that people see the value of giving

and want to help

it is wonderful.

thanks to all of you who continually pray for us 

we appreciate your support as we continue to serve and love the people here

today i read

'do not grow weary in doing good because in due time you will 

reap a harvest if you do not give up'

i know it is your prayers that help to give us the passion and the energy

to continue to serve here.

thanks so much.

xo

dare to be remarkable --- a story from llewellyn

 

yesterday the epic norwegian cruise ship came unexpectedly

into the coxen hole port

they had to re-route due to hurricane earl.

so bob and i headed down to the 'made in roatan' shop

to try to sell things for our island friends.

it was a great day all around.

not only did alot of people come in but they were

also interested in what we were doing,

many were touched by how the Lord could change our hearts,

draw us from our own culture to come help the people here

and change our focus from ourselves to helping others

and on top of that: fortunately many bought too!!

i want to tell you about one young man that came in late in the afternoon

his name is llewellyn

he worked on the cruise ship and was from st. vincent

as soon as i heard that i began to talk to him about the garifuna 

since that is where the garifuna that live in punta gorda originated from.

he was happy to talk with someone who knew about the history and cared about the people

we talked for quite some time

then he said 

'i think i was meant to come in here'

i can see you have a giving heart and you love God

he asked if he could tell me a story and

i love a good story so i happily said yes.

here is his story

"a few years the ship docked in belize on christmas day. i didn't want to get off the ship and had slept in late.

there is no reason to go into port on christmas day because there wasn't anything open but i was really prompted over and over again to 'go ashore' so reluctantly i did. when i got off the cruise ship it was as i expected: empty streets and nothing much going on! 

i almost turned around and went back on until i noticed a lady with her daughter sitting nearby and when i smiled they asked me for some change to help them since the mother explained that her daughter was expecting and had lost already 2 children and they needed money for food to eat.  the father had abandoned them and they were desperate!  i gave them a few small bills and set off on my way.

   i walked for awhile and then headed back to the ship.   as i was heading back, the mother i saw earlier  had prepared some simple food and invited me to come and eat with them. i didn't have anything else to do and since it was christmas day i decided to be with them for awhile.  we had a good time talking and getting to know one another.  as it was time to leave i felt prompted to give them some money but the problem was that i only had large bills and i didn't want to give them that.  but the prompting continued so i  reached into my wallet and took out the money, smiled and said, "merry christmas!  for you and your unborn baby. don't worry everything will be fine."  believe me it was the first time i ever gave a total stranger 100.00!!!

i left belize feeling happy in my heart knowing i had done the right thing.  the next week the ship once again docked in belize so i went ashore to see how the girl was doing. we talked further about the baby and she shared her fears about losing her child .  i laughed and said, "you aren't going to lose that baby.  let's go into town and buy it some clothes, and blankets."  so began a weekly visit with this family where i continued to support the girl and the baby.   many people thought i was the father but i wasn't.  i just felt i was supposed to continue to encourage and support the girl.  

 one time when the ship docked in florida i decided to go ashore and go to walmart where i bought all sorts of clothes, toys .. everything you'd need for the baby!!  it was very crazy but i felt so good!  i knew in my heart that this was what i was called to do. 

i enjoyed my visits with the family where i would bless them, talk to the unborn baby, hug the mom  and i grew to love the family very much.  many people thought i was crazy for getting so involved but i knew that i was supposed to continue to do all i could to prepare for it's birth.  each visit gave the mother hope that indeed she would be able to carry the child full term.

in february i once again landed in belize and was surprised to not see the girl anywhere around.  i was worried that she had perhaps lost her baby but the family assured me that the baby was born prematurely and both of them were doing fine!  i was happy to be able to see the little girl and even had the privilege of naming her.  (he told me the name but i can't recall what it was.  it sounded like a female version of his name.)

the baby grew and was healthy.  i continued to provide for the family each time i came to port. one day the young girl told me that the father of the child had come back and wanted to be back in their life. she wanted him back too.  i didn't feel any resentment  but was just happy that the father had finally came to his senses.  i knew my job was done.  i had done what i could."

you might think this story is 'too out there' 

'too bizaree' 

' too risky'

but i believe it is 'SO LIKE GOD!

he told me that he  looks back over that experience and says it has changed him forever. 

  he knows that the most important thing we can do is to think of others.  

that is why he was so thrilled to come in our store and meet kindred spirits. 

i admit i cried several times during his story 

because i could see what a beautiful generous heart he had.

further evidence of his good heart is this:   

before he told me his story

i told him about pedro

  pedro is from punta gorda. 

he is garifuna.

i had just found out that day that pedro had died 

2 weeks ago 

due to diabetes that he had been battling for some time. 

i told llewellyn that i had gone to the market to pay him and saw a young boy sitting there. 

i asked, "donde su papa?"   (which means where is your dad?)  

when he told me in spanish that his dad had died.  

i couldn't believe it! 

i was sooo shocked

it is so sad because his wife now needs to take care of 5 children

and this young boy, maybe 10 at the most, was at the market trying to provide 

for the family.

i was overcome with sorrow and it brought tears to my eyes immediately.  

when i told this story to llewellyn he immediately said, 

"i need to buy something to support this family."

immediately he took action

he didn't think about it 

he just said,

i am going to buy one of his necklaces to help support that family!

he did.

dare to be different

dare to care

dare to give

dare to go the extra mile or two or three

dare to consider the poor where ever you are

dare to open your wallet

dare to love as Jesus loved

giving time, energy, food .. 

dare to be... different.

blessings

xo

this is the epic cruise ship where he works.

   it is a huge ship but isn't it encouraging

that there are people there who not only work but those who serve as well.

made in roatan shop

 some views from the 

made in roatan 

shop

 coxen hole

 

i marvel at how the ladies can carry stuff on their heads

this lady is selling casava bread

it is a type of thin flatbread

made by the garifuna tribe

this is koke

he sells paintings

next to our shop

many days he doesn't sell anything

sometimes i go over and help him sell

he is spanish and therefore his english 

isn't that great

but he is trying

just like i am trying to speak spanish

he is a wonderful man

anyone who can look this good in pink

is good in my books!  :-)

this gives you an idea how close the cruise ship is to the shop

it was taken across the street from the shop

it is a short 5 minute walk from the port to the shops

the other day i went walking and invited people 

into the made in roatan shop 

and many people came in.

 we are happy to be making money for the island people.

they are sooo poor that every little bit helps.

when the ships are in everyone is in 

'selling mode'

you see people selling souvenirs,

fresh cigars,

hats,

donuts

but my favorite guy to see is the fruit guy

isn't this ingenious!!??

that is a really heavy load.

i didn't have much money on me but i bought 3 bananas

one for koke, one for samuel and one for myself.

the day i was taking these pictures was the day for 

people walking by with things on their heads wasn't it??

i had to laugh when i saw the lady walking with a stack of bras

on her head

because i always think...

so where do we try them on???

i guess you don't!!

and then a lady walked by with a cooler on her head.

i couldn't believe it!

 

times are tough on the island right now

please take a moment and pray for these people

they are poor and they are trying to stay alive

 trying to feed their kids,

to pay their bills

and this is how they do it.

they carry what they can on their heads

or on their bikes

and hope that someone, somewhere

will buy something.. anything....

totally gratified!

At the end of yesterday i said to bob.. wow this day has been totally gratifying!

Let me see if i can paint a picture for you.
on cruise ship days bob and i share the work load at the shop.  he goes in the morning and i go in the afternoon.

So what is so gratifying about working at our 'made in roatan' shop?? It is the people and it following His still small voice throughout the day.

Luma is one of the artists in the shop who does paintings and we wanted more variety so I said to Zenola (who was at the shop with me) that I wanted to walk down the road to the Methodist Market to see if he had some for me.

I also wanted to look in shops for some things to send the kids from the states (cheaper then sending from Roatan!)  I was looking for a tshirt with a barracuda to send to Mattie.  Shhh don't tell him!   No one had it so I was going from shop to asking "Tenge que la camisa con una barracuda?"  Suddenly an american couple tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I lived on the island.   I guess my speaking in Spanish was the clue I don't know.  Or maybe I am starting to LOOK like an islander.   Either way, I said yes.   They proceeded to say that they had a very big problem and needed my help.  I was all ears (not literally of course!)  They told me that had a huge duffle bag full of shoes, clothes, and toys to give to the kids here but they missed the customs officer and now they won't let them bring it off the ship.   They were very upset, and felt it was clearly for here and not Mexico or Belize.   I wasn't sure what to do but I said I would go to the ship and talk to them, as an islander and see if they would allow me to take it off the ship to distribute to the needy.

As we were walking along, I started to pray.   I told Him I didn't really know what to do.  What should I do?  (here is a clue about hearing from God:  ask Him questions.. He usually answers when we are listening)  So suddenly it popped into my head, "call Miss Peggy at Clinic Esperanza."   Cool!   So I did that and within 5 minutes the problem was solved!!   Praise God!   She told me to tell them to take it to Customer Relations, and tell them it was for Clinica Esperanza, Miss Peggy, her phone #, my phone # and it would be released in 2 weeks.   They were overjoyed!!!!   :-)

I called Peggy back later and I said, "so how does it feel to know that He knows you have the answers to life's problems!!"

I walked back to the shop (tshirt-less) but happy to know that I was an instrument in His hands.   All we need to do is be willing to help and ask for the help we need along the way!!  :-)

We had our BEST day at the shop.  It was incredible.   So many people stopped in, caught the vision and bought the local fair.   It's exciting.   I love talking with the people.   Everyone wants to know why we are doing what we are doing and we have many opportunities to share our hearts and our passion to help the islanders to help themselves!   I didn't realize the shop would become a ministry but it is becoming just that.

 
On the way home I stopped at Miss Norma's to bring her some Canadian  flower seeds.   She is a wonderful gardener in Flower's Bay  (actually I think she lives in Pensacola)  Anyways, we had such a great visit.

She makes the most delicious sugar cookies and last I visited she gave me a bag for free.  This time I bought a bag ( a big bag full) but she only charged me .60!!  I tried to give her more but she wouldn't take it.  How do these people ever make money??!!   :-)   She has some cow manure that I am going to go get once the weather dries out a bit.   As I was leaving her place this huge black and brown PIG went squealing it's way around the front of her house.  I said, 'Miss Norma, you got a pig?   cos it just ran away!!"  She said, "nah that ain't my pig, that be neighbor's pig!"   She didn't seem alarmed that it was running like mad down the road. I was hoping to get a picture of the big pig on my way home but it went into hiding somewhere.   I am thinking.. did someone say "pig roast??"   :-)

Bob met a wonderful Canadian couple in the morning that he told me about and they came back in the afternoon to buy another necklace.   We had such a wonderful visit together, she couldn't decide on the necklace to buy and I told her that Yourgin made one to look like a sunset with the dark horizon and she said, oh yeah I saw that right away.   I told her.. well that is the necklace you should choose because you saw what the artist saw.   Sounds like a fit.

Her husband was showing me pictures from Carambola Gardens and showed me a hummingbird shot.  Now folks, I gotta say, it was not the best shot ever so I said, You like hummingbirds??!  Oh they did.  So I went to and got one of enlarged photos of a hummingbird  in a 8 x 10 matte and said, "here take this!"   They said, Oh we can't just take that!!!   I told them they could because I was the artist and if I wanted to give it away I could do that!  They almost cried.   I just started to laugh and they joined in saying they won't forget us.  I don't them ... just don't forget the Lord because that's what really matters!

Small things matter.  It isn't big things. It is small things like helping, like listening to God, like giving instead of taking, and at the end of the day I tell you my smile was pasted on!   Yes totally gratified I was!!


And then to top off such a great day we were invited to Don and Jeanette's for a wonderful dinner made by Kris!   Great times with great friends!!

open for business

Bob standing outside the 'Made in Roatan' shop

you can see me in the reflection of the left window

The day finally arrived for the Made in Roatan shop to open!   We are grateful to be able to help islanders in this way.   Presently we have 6 different people featured in the shop and are happy that it will mean income for them.   We have wood work, carvings, jewelry, a natural remedy book, island made dresses, paintings, and my photography in there presently.   It feels good to be supporting people in this way.  It is different from most shops since we have made it more like a gallery and we wrote bios of each person.  I think it is good for people to 'see' who are are buying from.

some of Yourgins stone jewelry.  very popular!! 

But I tell you, selling stuff is hard work!!   People on the cruise ship just don't seem to be buying like they used to.  Times are tough.  Fortunately though our shop is more then just selling: it is a vision of being helpful and having an "other then me" focus.

The Honduran wood cutting boards are made by an islander named Enrique...excellent work and our prices are reasonable!

I have been going down there to help out.   Usually I just stand in the doorway and 'chat'.   People are intrigued about a Canadian living on Roatan and they want to know what brought us here.  I invite them in to stand by the fan (yaaaaaa fans!!!) and then I am able to share about our desire to help islanders to help themselves.   Most people are rather blown away.   Once they catch the vision that they will actually be helping a family to 'eat something' tonight they are more inclined not to shop but to help.

another view of the shop

We are on the 'sunny side of the street' which is unfortunate because most tourists walk in the shade.  It isn't easy to get them to come in on our side.   Bob is going to make a sandwich board and a 'made in roatan' sign which I think will help.    In the meantime I just keep 'hailin' them over' (to quote the islanders) Once we get the store 'wired' it will be great to have ceiling fans, but presently we are running a cord from Marco's house to provide the coolness from a fan.   Tourists like things to be comfortable... we will do all we can to make it just that for them!!  :-)

bob happy to have a 'project complete and  a dream realized!'

I thought sales were slow, but apparently Zenola said that other vendors are happy if they make 10 dollars a day.(i can't believe that!?)  We have brought in close to 200.00 in two days.

So thanks for praying!!

It makes a difference.