The Diocese of Toliara in Madagascar has recently opened a Women’s Center, where they are teaching women skills like sewing, jewelry making, and culinary arts skills. Patsy McGregor a SAMS Missionary in Toliara is excited to announce that at the Women’s Center they will be making sanitary napkins for the Days for Girls organization. Jacky Lowe will also be serving in Madagascar at the Women’s Center. Learn more about Days for Girls from the Program Director, Libby Daghlian :

With over 600 Chapters and Teams, 167 emerging Micro-Enterprises, 3 Centers, and 100+ countries reached, it’s fair to say that we have a lot of diversity here at Days for Girls! But we are all exactly the same in one respect: our drive to reach Every Girl. Everywhere. Period.  We know it might sound like an insurmountable goal, but anyone who is part of Days for Girls knows that the dignity of girls and women to understand their bodies and choose products they trust and love is worth fighting for! That’s what keeps us bent over sewing machines for hours on end. It’s what keeps us clipping coupons looking for the best fabric deals. It’s what keeps us on our emails coordinating last minute details late at night. Because dignity can’t wait!

If you’ve ever been part of a Days for Girls distribution, then you probably know that that feeling you get when you see what you’ve been working towards. The unbridled smile of a girl who can attend school now without fear of embarrassment. The relief of a mother who won’t have to worry about spending money she doesn’t have on something as simple as a pad. The song and laughter that erupts as girls hold onto something beautiful and unique, made just for them. That’s why we do what we do!

And yet, if you’ve been part of a Days for Girls distribution, you probably also know that feeling of nagging disappointment and discontent when you see the faces of the girls who did not receive DfG Kits. She might be the little sister who stopped by to see what was happening. She might be the mother who dropped by to check on her daughter. She might be the teacher who watches over the students. Whether we see them or not, they’re there – the girls and women who did not receive a DfG Kit during a distribution.

We can plan as much as possible. We can try to keep the sessions closed off from the rest of the community. We can make plans to come back again next year.  But this is the constant reality we face within the world of donations. Our supply is pretty impressive, but the need is even greater. That is why we are investing in sustainable sales points within the communities that we reach to complement our donated DfG Kits. Because we know that we won’t be able to reach every single girl with a free, donated DfG Kit. But we can reach her with access, education, and awareness. We can empower her to take charge of her menstrual hygiene and invest in her very own DfG Kit, whether that’s through making her own or purchasing one through the Enterprise Model.

Now, this might seem difficult, if not impossible, in some of the communities that we work in. But we have seen the impossible happen!

We have seen this in Democratic Republic of Congo. In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, our Micro-Enterprise is selling – yes, selling – DfG Kits to local women. This area faces recurring conflict from rebels, is troubled by drastic rainy seasons, and works with a depressed economy. Yet, through education and creative marketing of kit components, women are actually saving their small income and investing their money in DfG Kits!

We have seen this in Karamoja. Karamoja is one of the most economically depressed areas of Uganda and a high percentage of boys and girls have never attended school. We were funded to train girls to make their own DfG Kits, but we did not have funding for underwear. Initially we feared the girls would not be able to use the DfG Kits because we assumed they could never afford underwear. To our amazement, when we returned six months later, we talked to girls who had saved up small amounts of money to purchase their own underwear. Boy, were they proud! Not only that, they had taught their other friends to hand sew their own kits! We were floored.

We have seen the impossible become possible all around the world through education, investment in sustainable solutions, and valuing the voices of the girls and women we serve. We cannot allow ourselves to be discouraged by the disappointed faces, but rather motivated for new ways to include and empower those individuals!

So, how can we do this? Here are a few tips:

• Connect with a Center or Micro-Enterprise in the area where you will be distributing so that you can pass along their contact information to anyone who does not get a DfG Kit
• Emphasize the value of the DfG Kit, so that women will be encouraged to purchase them in the future, rather than always viewing them as free goods 
• Be intentional with your demographic: if you only have 25 Kits to distribute, try to find a natural group of 25. Maybe there are 25 nurses in a particular Center, or 25 girls in a certain club at school. People will understand when the parameters for donation are made clear in the first place.
• Encourage resourcefulness and don’t shy away from those sad faces. If girls approach you wanting free DfG Kits but you have totally run out, encourage her to make her own. It might not be as fun as a free item, but it can help to meet her needs.

We didn’t say it would be easy to reach Every Girl, Everywhere. But we know it will be worth it!

Original story and photos from the Days for Girls Website here.

In Advent we continue to trust in the promises and purposes of God through Christ Jesus our Lord. We invite you to share with us at La Trinidad during this time of joyful preparation and service.  We ask you to remember a specific area of ministry with us each week of Advent, as well as on the specific dates in bold.

First week of Advent – Puntiti Church Plant

We give thanks to God for the ordination of Juan Cris to the diaconate in October! On Sunday, November 27th, we will have our first confirmations in the Puntiti Church Plant. Please pray this day for Camila, Paola, Raquel, Jeremias, Ramiro, Ariel, David and Marcos as theysay ¡Sí! to Jesus.

Please also pray this week for:

• Deacon Juan Cris, Jahel, and their two daughters, Lucia and Valentina.
• The families participating in Bible studies, especially those of Jahel, Amalia, Valentina, Pacifico, Marta, Nardi, Julian, Irene, Charo, Reyna, Marcos, Belen, Felipe, Margarita, and Silvia, asking God for healing for Silvia´s son, Boris.
• A new house for the church plant, since our lease will end in February. Please pray for a home in the same area and price range which will allow for continued ministry and growth.

Second week of Advent – La Trinidad Outreach

We give thanks for the new additions to our ministry team, missionary intern Cara Ellen from Good Samaritan (Paoli, PA) and Sue from CMS England.

• Please pray that we at La Trinidad will continue to use our gifts and serve in unity.
• Please also pray  for the following events: Pedestrian Day outreach on Sunday, December 4th – that we can share Christ’s love with others by offering water, first-aid, bike repair and prayer on this day.
• The youth and adults at La Trinidad have started playing soccer in the neighborhood park on Sunday afternoons.  Please pray that we build relationships with our community.
• Pray this week for the team preparing for our Christmas Club workshops in La Trinidad and in Puntiti for the following week.

Third week of Advent – Children’s and Youth Ministry

Please continue to pray for our Sunday school ministry as we minister to the children at La Trinidad and reach out to neighborhood families. Specifically we ask for prayer for the following activities:

• La Trinidad´s Christmas Club from December 12-22nd – that we can reach un-churched families from our neighborhood.
• Our Christmas Project with children in Puntiti on December 17th.
• Continue to pray for our youth ministry.  Pray for Natalí and Cara Ellen as they work with and disciple adolescents and for the fundraising for the January diocesan youth camp in Santa Cruz.  Also pray that the camp and the Sunday afternoon soccer games will revive the university-age youth ministry at La Trinidad.

Fourth week of Advent – Firestone Family

We are so encouraged to know that you are praying for us and for our ministry in Cochabamba.  During the holidays please ask for God`s blessing on our time together as a family, especially after a really busy month and as we look to decisions in the coming year.

• Please pray for guidance as Thomas finishes up the college application process and decides where he will study.
• Continue to ask for the Lord’s guidance for Tammy and her mom as they make decisions regarding her mom’s increasing life care needs.

Remember all SAMS missionaries who are far-away from their families for Christmas, especially Sue and Ellen at La Trinidad.

We also thank you and your congregations for your financial support this past year.  You are providing for our ministry and are part of God’s transforming the Anglican church in Cochabamba into a missionary congregation.   If you would still like to give this year or consider supporting us in 2017, please contact us or SAMS.