Mighty Hands Group Helps Those In Poverty In Haiti

October 3, 2024 at 6:16 p.m.
Pictured are mats made by members of Mighty Hands. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
Pictured are mats made by members of Mighty Hands. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union

By JACKIE GORSKI Lifestyles Editor

Several women from Dutchtown Brethren Church have made it their mission to help people in poverty areas in Haiti.
Waunita Andrews, Marilyn Klinefelter and Jane Swinehart organized the group six years ago. The group is called Mighty Hands, taken from the Bible verse Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
The group meets monthly and crochet sleeping mats from plastic grocery bags, Andrews said.
The mats go to help people in extreme poverty in Haiti.
The population of the country is about 11.5 million people. According to the Haiti Partners website, 59% of the population in Haiti lives on less than $2 per day and 24.7% lives in extreme poverty on less than $1.25 per day. Poverty is mainly rural, at 75.2%, vs. 40.8% in urban areas.
In order make the mats, the bags have to be cut into looped strips. The strips are then made into balls and crotchet hooks are made to make the mats, Andrews said.
Missionaries Dave and Ceres Stockland visit Dutchtown Church once a year and update Mighty Hands on what is going on in the area they serve.
The Stocklands minister to people who live in the mountains in stick houses. Andrews said the mats provide a little bit of buffer from sticks, the dirt or mud floors.
Additional projects are sometimes made at home and brought to work on with the monthly group meeting such as baby blankets, scarfs and crocheted dolls.
Mighty Hands have made personal pads for women’s use, replacing rags and men’s T-shirts. In total, they have made over 1,000 personal pads. Ceres said she has gotten compliments on how well the personal pads are made. On at least one occasion, she was asked where people could buy the personal pads.
Dave said he has had husbands and pastors tell him how glad they were their wives were able to get the personal pads due to them losing pieces of their own clothing.
“That’s the reality,” Dave said.
Dave said he and Ceres distribute the mats to the Haitian people living in huts. They get all the thanks, and said he wanted to pass the thankfulness of the people that are helped by mats onto the members of Mighty Hands.
Anyone interested in helping or knowing more about the group can contact Dutchtown Brethren Church.


Several women from Dutchtown Brethren Church have made it their mission to help people in poverty areas in Haiti.
Waunita Andrews, Marilyn Klinefelter and Jane Swinehart organized the group six years ago. The group is called Mighty Hands, taken from the Bible verse Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
The group meets monthly and crochet sleeping mats from plastic grocery bags, Andrews said.
The mats go to help people in extreme poverty in Haiti.
The population of the country is about 11.5 million people. According to the Haiti Partners website, 59% of the population in Haiti lives on less than $2 per day and 24.7% lives in extreme poverty on less than $1.25 per day. Poverty is mainly rural, at 75.2%, vs. 40.8% in urban areas.
In order make the mats, the bags have to be cut into looped strips. The strips are then made into balls and crotchet hooks are made to make the mats, Andrews said.
Missionaries Dave and Ceres Stockland visit Dutchtown Church once a year and update Mighty Hands on what is going on in the area they serve.
The Stocklands minister to people who live in the mountains in stick houses. Andrews said the mats provide a little bit of buffer from sticks, the dirt or mud floors.
Additional projects are sometimes made at home and brought to work on with the monthly group meeting such as baby blankets, scarfs and crocheted dolls.
Mighty Hands have made personal pads for women’s use, replacing rags and men’s T-shirts. In total, they have made over 1,000 personal pads. Ceres said she has gotten compliments on how well the personal pads are made. On at least one occasion, she was asked where people could buy the personal pads.
Dave said he has had husbands and pastors tell him how glad they were their wives were able to get the personal pads due to them losing pieces of their own clothing.
“That’s the reality,” Dave said.
Dave said he and Ceres distribute the mats to the Haitian people living in huts. They get all the thanks, and said he wanted to pass the thankfulness of the people that are helped by mats onto the members of Mighty Hands.
Anyone interested in helping or knowing more about the group can contact Dutchtown Brethren Church.


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