Delvin's Dolls

This is Delvin. Isn't he cute!? He's the child we sponsor through Mayan Families. Last year, Eli decided to give $25 of his birthday money to Mayan Families and it just so happened that Delvin's family went to the Mayan Families office asking for food at the same time. When we found out that Delvin needed sponsorship to go to school - and that he's in the same grade as Eli and the same age (4 days apart!) we knew we had to sponsor him.

Delvin is 7 and is in the first grade. He lives in Panajachel, Guatemala. He has three brothers and three sisters. A year ago, his dad died and this past May, his grandfather passed away. His grandfather was the main income earner in the family and they've been really struggling since then. Actually, they were struggling A LOT before then, so the situation now is pretty dire.

One thing that's been on my heart for a long time is that Delvin and his older siblings sleep on the floor. And it rains a lot in Guatemala, so basically they're sleeping in the mud. And that breaks my heart.

We'd love to be able to buy two beds, two mattresses, and four sets of blankets for Delvin's family. Yes, they'll have to share beds, but it's culturally acceptable. In order to do this, we need to raise $400.

That's where Delvin's Dolls comes in! You see, my friend Amy is doing a blog roundup of all the things people are selling to raise money for adoptions or orphans or charities. And, honestly, I'm not crafty at all. Need I remind you that I made a "D" in 8th grade home ec? But I love the idea of clothespin doll ornaments and thought I'd give it a try. So I'd like to introduce you to Delvin's Dolls! Each doll is $15, which includes shipping, and all profits (about $10 per doll) goes towards buying Delvin and his family some beds. If we meet our goal and any extra money is raised, it will go towards Delvin's school fees and, hopefully, maybe, we'll be able to send some of Delvin's siblings to school next year! Wouldn't that be awesome??

There are five dolls to choose from - China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, and Korea. I'll have pictures of the Indian & Korean dolls posted by Monday.

Each doll is about 5 inches tall and is ready to hang on your Christmas tree! Don't want your doll to be an ornament? Just let us know and we'll be sure to send your doll "hook-free". Each doll comes with a little stand and would look adorable sitting on your shelf!

I plan on making the Indian and Korean dolls this weekend and will have pics up by Monday. Amy had a deadline, though, for her blog round-up and I wanted to get in there. That's why all this is a bit rushed. Hopefully, Delvin's Dolls will eventually get its own blog and it'll all be done properly, but, like I said, I was in a rush to get this up.

I don't have any boy dolls and probably won't be making any before Christmas. I know. I know. I have two boys, so I know it's not fair. But the truth is that I don't know how to make their clothes. Like I said, I don't claim to be the best crafter. Not at all. I'm just a mom who has a soft heart and who wants to do her part. So I hope you like them, but it's all a work in progress.


But, yes, boy dolls. On the agenda! =)


Here's the specifics....


1. Each doll is $15 and includes first class shipping. If you want it shipped via priority mail, you'll need to pay the difference. You can pay via paypal with our email addy - recoveringnoah@yahoo.com . If you need to pay via snail mail, please email me at recoveringnoah@yahoo.com for our mailing address.


2. All dolls must be ordered by Saturday, December 11 in order to reach you by Christmas.


3. I have no idea how many dolls we'll sell (or if we'll sell any), so I can't tell you how long it'll take for your doll to reach you. I can promise, however, that I will keep in contact with you and you can expect to receive your doll within 10 - 14 days after placing your order. (Hopefully sooner!)


4. I only have enough of the Guatemalan material to make 15 dolls. I am ordering more material this weekend and will post pictures after I place the order. It will probably be different material because the material I'm currently using is some we bought 6 years ago when we were in Guatemala adopting Eli, but it'll still be colorful and beautiful!


5. While all the profits from the China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Korea dolls will go towards buying Delvin and his family some beds, 1/2 of the profits from selling the India doll will be sent to Sarah's Covenant Homes in Ongole, India. Most of you know that SCH has a special place in my heart - as sooooo many of the kids there remind me of Noah. I really want to do something for them, too, and I think it's only fair that the India dolls go towards helping out Sarah.


SCH and Mayan Families are my two favorite organizations and it would be great if we could not only help out Delvin, but also the sweet 81 children that Sarah cares for in India.


That's all for now! I'll work on getting a Delvin's Doll blogsite up and running and will keep you all updated. Please feel free to email me with any questions at recoveringnoah@yahoo.com

Leslie