Update: The Sewing Program has been in operation since August 2008. Ana is teaching sewing skills to 13 women from the poverty stricken area on the outskirts of Chihuahua City. The lessons are held 5 days a week in the new sewing room.These women are grateful to learn a skill that is practical for everyday life and is helpful for their children and families. The Sewing Program is self-sufficient and has not required further funds from DavTee Society.

 David, Teresa, & Denise (& Denise's husband Greg) traveled to Mexico in July 2008 to continue setting up this sewing program. We have been partnering with Pastor Jorge (pronounced Horhay) & Ana who run a charitable organization Brazos de Dios (Arm of God) in a poverty stricken area in Chihuahua, Chih, Mexico. Ana is in charge of this program as she is an excellent seamstress and a teacher with infinite patience and compassion.

Prior to our trip the sewing program was set up. Five sewing machines were purchased & drop in sessions were taught by Ana. These lessons were done in the Soup Kitchen on the tables used to feed the children. The lessons had to fit around the soup kitchen schedule & had to be packed up after each session. Brazos de Dios received a call from the US for a donation of 3 truckloads of material. They now have enough material to last a few years. They built a storeroom in the soup kitchen yard.

Ana teaching a lesson

Ladies cutting material & sewing

They also had ladies from Ana's community sewing clothes for disadvantaged households. One of the things they sewed for these destitute people was school uniforms. They distributed some of these uniforms when we fed the children at the soup kitchen.

Pastor Jorge & Ana (back) Chidren with their new uniforms (front)

Boys being boys!

There was a need for a permanent room for the sewing program. The storeroom building could be easily extended to accomodate a new sewing room. We hired a local crew to construct the room. They did the brickwork, electrical, roof, walls, windows, doors, and plastering the inside walls. We learned more Spanish as we worked with them and stayed with Pastor Jorge & Ana. There are always a few funny stories because of learning a new language. The construction crew were amazing, enthusiastic & energetic. Everything is done the labor intensive way, sorry guys,... there are less power tools used in this project than in Canada!

We cleaned up after the construction, sealed & painted the walls , built tables and set up the new sewing room. We also painted the outside of the soup kitchen a peach with red accents.

Beginning construction of the sewing room.

Mixing cement by hand.

Since Ana and the women of the area love colorfull walls we decided to surprise them & painted the room bright yellow and orange. We would not let them see the room after the construction crew were finished. We drew a line in the dirt and said to everyone (especially Ana) that they were not allowed to cross. NO PEEKING. There was a lot of joking about it and people pretending to try to look. Hugo (Jorge & Ana's son) 'accidentally' came in so we put him to work helping us with the tables. We had little helpers as well.

Little helpers

We finished the sewing room & set it up. At the ladies request we purchased an industrial strength serger. We also bought extra thread, scissors and other sewing supplies. We had a grand opening of the new sewing room before church on our last Sunday in Chihuahua. We showed Pastor Jorge & Ana first and then let everyone wander thro. We set out clothes that Ana had made for demonstration and a large bolt of cloth. It looked spectacular when we were finished. Everyone was extremely pleased with the end result.

Brazos de Dios now has a beautiful, practical and functional room right next to the cloth storeroom. This room will be utilized to assist women living with the devastating effects of poverty. They will be able to clothe their families and learn a useful skill. They will also be able to sew items for sale in order to create an income.

This program is mainly for single mothers who have little or no education. Social programs are inadequate and there is a lack of employment opportunities in Chihuahua, Mexico. These women have no way to earn a living and provide for their children. This project is a very cost effective way to assist these women in helping themselves and allowing them the dignity we all deserve.

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