12th Annual Women’s Trip

Our annual women’s trip has just concluded for yet another year. Gayle Edwards, trip leader, said,”This was the best one yet!” (Which she says each year.) For us at Mission Emanuel, it is the way these ladies come from all around the country for the sole reason to bless the women of Cielo and the employees of Mission Emanuel that makes us so excited each year to receive them.
21 Women from North Carolina,
Wisconsin, and California

Each morning, the day opens with prayer and a time of devotion. Then, the “business of the day” begins. New craft ideas are taught and demonstrated by the team to the Co-op members. It’s another opportunity to strengthen their skills in creating beautiful things to sell. The Women’s Co-op serves as a way for women in Cielo to come together, to encourage each other in the Lord, and build a business by making and selling their crafts. This ministry has completely changed the lives of these women over the years, as they are seeing themselves through God’s eyes and are becoming the women who God intended them to be!
Prayer, devotions and crafts…”and the greatest of
these is LOVE”
Later in the morning the group breaks for community time, as Dominican women from the Co-op join the Mission Emanuel’s women’s team and walk throughout the community delivering bags loaded with rice, beans, oil, pasta, and other food items to families in need. Heartfelt prayers sweeten this time as they gather around and encourage these families.
Bags of rice, beans oil, pasta, and other food ready to be delivered

In the afternoon sessions, more women of the community are invited to join in for extended time in Bible devotions, testimonies, and time for making a craft for their homes.
Learning how to make and use journals

 

The third afternoon concludes with a very fun fashion show giveaway that leaves everyone laughing and giving lots of hugs!
Thursday afternoon Fashion Show

On Thursday morning, we take a trip to visit our beloved friends at the Leprosarium. We visit and bring small gifts, but truly, we are the ones who leave blessed by them. God’s presence is especially sweet in that place.

The last morning ends with Minerva Fox’s Famous Employee Banquet. This year the themewas “Bees” and the decorations were outstanding! Blessings overflowed, as 80 Mission Emanuel staff members came together to enjoy a wonderful meal and cake together. There were carefully crafted gifts given to them all from the American women who came on this special trip. Many individuals and churches supported these ladies throughout the year leading up to this trip, so a huge “THANK YOU!!!” goes out to everyone who helped make this happen!
Club Cana transformed into the banquet hall

Even while this trip was unfolding, these women began to plan for next year. We already see that 2016 will be a year of expansion, as the Lord is leading this trip to go deeper with spiritual growth and leadership development for the women of the Co-op. It is clear that God’s desire is to reach all the women who live in the Cielo community; drawing them by His love for them and their families. It’s very exciting! Ladies….have you been on this trip before? Thinking about it? Start making plans now. You won’t want to miss the 2016 Annual Women’s Trip!

Blessings, Cindy Sweeney