God's Economy 101

So, we were starting our jewelry class in La Carpio...with practically no beads with which to make jewelry!  It's tempting to just spend my own money to buy supplies, but we've all committed to waiting for the proceeds from the sale of the jewelry we've already made to buy more beads.  It's a great exercise in patience and good money management, but it's hard to wait!!  (At some point we may look into micro-loans for these ladies, but we're a pretty humble enterprise at the moment.)


While the ladies worked on a few necklaces, trying out new varieties with the remaining meager collection, we ran into a snag of needing some basic supplies.  More to remember what to buy when we had the money than as an act of faith, we made a list: Scissors, hot glue guns, beads, earring "holders", ziplock bags...


Amanda went into the supply closet thinking she'd seen scissors in there at some point.  Right away she came back with a huge smile on her face!  A giant bag of scissors--and we could use them every week!


She headed back to the closet, and I don't even remember praying she'd find anything more for us.  In general, life in La Carpio is an adventure, and God works in surprising ways to bring things full circle for His glory.  I've kind of stopped wondering and started waiting -- one of my favorite things about how spending time in La Carpio has changed me.  


This time was no exception.  Five minutes and three trips to the previously mysterious supply closet, and we had a huge box of shell beads and necklace "fixings", hot glue guns and sticks, and various other jewelry items.  We all squealed with delight and I said a quick "Thank you" to God for providing!  


As we compared our list to the provision, we ALL thanked God!  We're still waiting on the funds to come in from the sale of the ladies' jewelry in the States, but now we have a little wiggle room...and another testimony of God's involvement in our lives!

Above: Sorting and taking inventory of our God-given supplies!