In September Lyle and I had the opportunity to go with a team to a small town outside Zacapa, Guatemala. It was about a 3 hour drive East of Guatemala City towards Honduras. We were there to build a church in a community called El Oregenal where our church is doing a total village transformation. (Water well, Church, School, Houses) This village had homes built with sticks and mud and bathrooms which were a cement circle over a hole in the ground.
It was humbling and life changing to see human beings living in these conditions in the mountains.
While there we had the opportunity to be a part of Operation Baby Rescue. They are rescuing code red babies from the mountains of Guatemala who would die without medical attention. Some of these families are more than 6 hours from a town and there is no way they could ever make that trek...especially when they have no money for the care when they get there. Many of these families even believe their children were meant to die there in their homes and are resistant to the help. They provide them with medical care and follow up with long term provision physically as well as spiritual care for them and their families. Several evenings when we got back from our village we had the opportunity to help feed these babies their dinner. One night they had just brought in new babies that day (they rescue about 1000 a year). They pointed me in the direction of a room I walked in and the tears started rolling as i looked about at these babies. One had encephalitis and her head was close to the size of her body,one had a cleft pallet, one was 4 and was tiny and soooo sooooo skinny, one was several months old and weighed just a couple lbs.
It was at the moment when i held that 2 lb baby in my arms and tried to feed her that I knew I had to do something. Holding these ailing babies in the baby rescue center impacted me in a way where I couldn't just have pity on them...i was moved with compassion...I had to do something to help....
While we were there one baby was rescued BUT it was too late....A sweet little one was gone from this earth and present with our heavenly father...
Here is a link to a video of a 12 hour baby rescue....We actually got to meet this little Blanca Olivia & her mother while we were there just 8 months after her rescue....She was happy and healthy...It was A-MAZ-ING! http://www.youtube.
Each baby rescue is $1200. Over the next 12 months I am going to do a variety of things as well as getting other families on board to try to do 10 baby rescues. My husband and I will be doing projects with our children to raise money for the first of our baby rescues and then I'm trying to raise money for 4 rescues through a craft event I'm doing December 8th called CRAFT4LIFE. As part of that I will be having several bundles for a raffle AND my hope is to have those bundles made up of homemade craft items. (they could also be items from ladies who do direct sales.....)
So....as I am reaching out to all the crafters in my life to see if they might be willing to donate an item (or several) for this event. Anyone who donates will get their Etsy site (if they have one) on a sheet which will be in every ones favor bag as well as being mentioned the day of the event. You are also more than welcome to send 100 business cards if you have them for the favor bags (we are looking at 75 women BUT would love to have 100 and want to have enough for everyone) We would love for people to see your item at the event and choose you for their online Christmas or future shopping!!!
If you are a crafter and would like to be a part of this event I would be honored!!! You can send your item (or items) to Becky Hartwell 3009 Westside ave, Rotterdam , NY 12306 and I would love it if you included a little note about who you are, where your from and the love that went into your item.
Also if you aren't a crafter BUT want to donate you can go to our church website www.sonrisebible.com/
One other way I am raising money for these baby rescues is through Thirty-One. I recently signed up as a consultant. As a Thirty One Consultant you make a 25% commission. Until I've finished these 10 baby Rescues 20% is going to baby rescues and 5% will go into building my business (catalogs, order forms, etc). If you are interested in hosting an online party and earning free stuff while helping this great cause you can email me 4hartwells@gmail.com OR order on my sitewww.mythirtyone.com/bhartwell .
Thank you for taking the time to read about what God has laid on my heart. He has called me to be an advocate for these babies and I would love for you to join me in these efforts!
