The local sewing group, Stitchers of Hope, is excited to be sending supplies to missionaries again.

The coronavirus brought overseas missions to a halt. The local group continued its work, sewing masks and taking part in other local projects.

The Stitchers, in the last month, have sent five suitcases on mission trips loaded with 200 washable menstrual hygiene kits; 138 pairs of shorts; and more than 200 dresses.

They are working on materials for four more suitcases and hope to have two additional volunteers to travel to Belize with two more bags, for a total of six.

The Belize Mission Project has been providing dental, medical, audiology and vision services to the people of Belize for nearly 30 years.

Two teams of 50 people each fly to the country for one week each year. The teams fly to different areas of Belize each year, where the needs are greatest.

This past year has been especially challenging for the people of Belize due to the tourism slowdown during the pandemic. For more information on the Belize Mission Project, visit belizemissionproject.com.

Stitchers also work with missionaries in Africa. Marcia Schrage, a Stitchers volunteer, recently met with African missionary Jacinta Mulwa to deliver 100 washable menstrual kits and 100 bikinis to take back to Kenya.

Mulwa is a missionary who works under Pastor Leonard Mwashigadi at the Kenyan Assembly of God in Mombasa.

In addition to her duties in Mombasa, Mulwa also focuses on bringing Christ to the island of Funzi, about an hour away from Mombasa by boat. The island is home to about 2,000 non-Christians. There is no electricity, cars or plumbing, but there is one school.

Mulwa has been to Funzi four times, each time bringing books, school supplies and uniforms. She told Schrage almost the entire island showed up for her last visit.

Schrage shared that as other stories the Stitchers volunteers have heard, the school girls miss several days of school each month when they get their periods. Many girls ultimately drop out of school.

Mulwa said she hopes the kits will be one more way to reach out and educate the women, as well as provide an opportunity to share the gospel. Schrage said when Mulwa and her host family saw the Stitchers’ kits and bikinis, they were amazed at how “beautiful they were. They couldn’t stop looking through the assortment of gorgeous bikinis,” according to Schrage.

She said they also loved seeing the samples of how the group engineers the pads and appreciated all the small details that make them so functional. They sent their appreciation to the group for their dedication and service.

Stitchers of Hope is accepting new volunteers. The group has more supplies and invites those interested to reach out for more information.

Church missions also may contact the organization to become involved.

The seamstresses are still sewing at home due to COVID-19 protocol but hope to meet in person again starting in September.

For more information, email Eileen Danko, eileendanko@gmail.com or call her, 480-220-8329, or Wendy Dachel, wendydoc@aol.com, or Joan Pittsenbarger, joanpittsaz98@gmail.com, or call Joan at 602-677-1619.