For the remainder of the week, members of the Apostolic Christian Church will sell hand-made Haitian items to help the impoverished country of Haiti recover from three hurricanes that ripped apart the already struggling region.
Three hurricanes, Ike, Gustav and Hanna, pounded Haiti in August and September, killing about 800 people and leaving hundreds of others missing.
The country’s economy heavily relies on agriculture. After this season’s numerous storms, many animals were killed and a large number of gardens and crops were destroyed.
Now, the Apostolic Christian Church in Morton is stepping in to offer help by selling items made by the women of Haiti.
For many of the people of Haiti, handiwork is the primary source of income for their families, said Cheryl Wuthrich, a member of the church.
“We have been working with several missions in Haiti for years and years,” Wuthrich said.
In the past, Haitian items have been sold in America, but workers in Haiti were asked to stop making products for sale in America after they were told the items were not selling well, she said.
“This is an effort to get people to know about these items,” Wuthrich said. “They are very high-quality embroidered linens and crocheted items.”
Wuthrich said she hopes the sale will be a small help to those in Haiti trying to recover from a tumultuous hurricane season.
“(The hurricanes) really devastated the country,” she said. “Many homes were destroyed.”
“This is a new strategy to help sell these items and help those in Haiti continue to make money,” she added.
Among the embroidered items being sold are Christmas tree skirts, kitchen towels, aprons, pillow cases, pillows, bibs and table and decorative linens. Crocheted items include sweaters, shawls, pillow covers and purses.
The sale is from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday and from 8 a.m. to noon Friday at the Morton Apostolic Christian Fellowship Hall, 2201 Veterans Road.
