Hiccups in Honduras

Good morning our prayer partners!  We are so blessed to have you in our lives, praying for Alegria.

The last week and a half have been full of one challenge after another.  Moving things back and forth across borders isn't for the faint of heart.  Several times a month, we wire money to Honduras to pay bills and wages and purchase materials.  And once a month we ship jewelry to the US.  The exciting thing about February is that we sent one of the largest wire transfers we've needed yet.  Because of your faithful support through shopping, wages and bills and materials would be paid in full!  But days later, when the wire should have already been there, we were tracking it and it was not going to get released by the bank into our account.  And not just that, but it will take nearly a month for the wire recall and for it to return to our US account.  Through the faithfulness of God, we were able to send the wire again, but not before bills and wages were late.  Because this caused a work stoppage, our production is delayed for the March launch.  It should have been in the US a week ago but it is almost finished and will ship this week.  Pictures and packaging still have to be completed when it arrives.  So launch will most likely be late this month.

First, please praise God with us that we were able to put our hands on the funds to resend a huge wire transfer.  He always cares for us in so many ways.  But still allows trouble so that our faith can increase.

Second, please pray with us that production is completed on Monday and that the DHL box will move quickly and without any delays so we can dive into the work here in the US to get it ready and launched.

Third, please pray for the wire to return to us quickly as these funds are needed too.

Finally, would you pray that many would be delighted by the new collection and choose to shop with us online in the next few weeks.  There is no source of funding for Alegria other than sales.  Alegria can continue only when US customers choose to channel their shopping dollars towards our missional jewelry company that pays its artisans fair, living wages rather than make purchases of fast fashion with low prices, often produced by people and even children trapped in slavery.  You DO make a difference by not asking for the lowest price but instead asking if the person who made it can live in freedom on their wages.