Las Chacaras and La Ceiba update ...

Sandra makes the first sewing machine loan payment

Gerald and Melissa make jewelry in Las Chacaras

Holly takes pictures of the 'ladies' ...

The hens lay 85-90 eggs a day

The community of Las Chacaras is in full swing making jewelry and sewing purses. The pig pen is also half-way constructed, and we're no longer concerned with what we think is a reasonable time frame for its finish. We'll hear from the men when they're ready to make the next step! We're learning (though it isn't always easy).

Word has spread that purses are made in Las Chacaras, so buyers walk into this community to purchase them - making it unnecessary for the ladies to take the purses to the marketplace. They currently sew 24 purses a day, and have 'graduated' to a much nicer/more firm fabric ... which brings a better price AND doesn't require a layer of interfacing to make them stiff. The ladies have figured out price points and have made adjustments that improve the product, improve sales and improve margins. They are amazing! Most recently ALL 7 machines used for purses quit working entirely (rusted due to climate). The warranty covered the repairs, which were made yesterday. They're back in business and will use '3-in-1' oil to lube the machines in the future.
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Holly and Melissa visit the communities with us weekly ... and recently we all sat around a small table and made different styles of necklaces and bracelets, showing one another our creativeness (not really bragging, but excited for new ideas): "Look at this ... this is how I made it!" etc. While entranced in our own worlds, a GIANT GIANT!! butterfly landed on Melissa (I think it was a moth by the size of the body) and she became paralyzed ... mouth open ... no words came out. Gerald saved the day and gently removed it, and then we all went into laughter that comes from release of nerves. The picture above shows them after the hysteria (when we were able to hold a camera).

We visited La Ceiba and swept the soiled rice husks from the dirt floor and replaced them ... a task they do monthly. The hens are comfortable with humans in their space - and it was nice to lend a hand and experience their work. Last week we collected 60 eggs (with more laid and gathered later in the day). We no sooner put the eggs into "cajillas" (which hold 30 eggs each) than they were SOLD! Yesterday we wanted to buy a cajilla, and before we could ... a boy rode up on his bicycle and ordered 2 cajillas (60 eggs) ... and we lost out again! The eggs are selling as fast as they're laid. While we were there, it rained SO HARD that we took cover under a tin roof (the church structure) and we could NOT hear each other for 45 minutes when the downpour finally stopped.

Life is good ... and the people of these two commuinities are proud of their success (and we are too).