Our first boxes of supplies!

The first boxes have arrived! The journey took two weeks longer than I anticipated for them to both arrive and get cleared/taxed by customs, but I finally got the call to come get them. A grand surprise was to find that the sunday school class that were sending us hats they had made, also sent receiving blankets! My friend who's children made hats, had also purchased with their own money, diapers, washcloths, and blankets.  I now have all the items needed to go for our first visit. Please keep this in your prayers that we will be well received,  have grace with the hospital staff, and most importantly that God will use this as He chooses.  

Baby soap and water bottles

One must learn the art of finding great joy in little things. As I have continued my quest on providing packages but making the most of any donations that come my way, I turned my attention to the baby wash. Wow, a small sample is $1.00 .  Then I began researching "baby soap" which lead me to the idea of just making some. As I  researched on I  read that making homemade soap could be "As easy as baking a cake". I stopped to consider my fame as a cook which can be summed up by one of my multiple kitchen magnets. "The last time I cooked, hardly anyone got sick". So, I did hesitate for a moment.  But as I read on I realized that this may be just the answer I was looking for. And what's more, I have on hand the best ingredient: Goats milk.  My venture began and I made hot process soap to not have to worry about curing time. I purchased some cute duck and carriage candy trays. So far so good . Yes, it is much more work than just buying but I enjoy it and it is better for the babies and for the pocketbook. Not to mention that the two weeks we have been using my homemade soap it has been wonderful for our own skin.  Now for the water bottles. I had finally come to the conclusion that If nothing else I would put a plastic cup with a straw in the packages because I wanted to make sure that these moms have something to drink water out of. While I still wanted to be able to use a water bottle, I realized that  that money was better spent on diapers than on the $1.00 water bottle.  While walking around town I went into a plastic store...yes, that is what it is called. I was going to buy the bags for the packages. Here you can buy plastic bags of all size by the kilo. I had never gone into this particular "plastic store" before. It was quite busy so after I took my number waiting to be attended I started to look around. What a fun store. If you need any kind of plastic item you could most likely find it here. And then I saw it. Empty water bottles with the pop up top. While I had seen theme online for less than the collapsible bottles, I had ruled them out because I knew that by the time I paid shipping and taxes I was better off just buying an actual water bottle at my local grocery store.  But there there were at an ever cheaper rate that I had found them online!  I made quite the scene as I hollered "Hey, look! Water bottles! Water bottles!", across the store to my husband who was busy picking out  a funnel.  A funnel which, much to his dismay, seeing as he was equally excited about finding his funnel as I my water bottles,  has since been confiscated  for my soap making. But no worries, I will replace it when I return to  "Mundo plastico" (Plastic world) of which I am hopeful to become a "cliente frequente" (frequent customer).  So, there you have it. Finding joy in baby soap and water bottles, and apparently plastic funnels too.

Receiving blankets

 The babies are put in a little gown and can not be changed out of that but they are allowed to have their own blanket. The hospital does provide material to wrap the baby in but it, as well as the robe, is made of hard heavy cotton like you would use for curtains.  A little blankets either the fleece or a light cotton such as the reciving blankets would be very nice and comfy for newborn baby.

The Dollar Tree sells fleece blankets. You can find them in the store or order a case of 36 from their website. I also have found instructions on how to make your own receiving blanket for those of you that are handy with a sewing machine. We can use any baby blanket.

This is a great way for churches to be involved that don't have a way to make hats but can have people willing to make or purchase blankets.


Dollar Tree:



http://www.dollartree.com/health-beauty/baby-children/Max-Grey-Fleece-Baby-Blankets-30x30-/817c818c818p299768/index.pro?method=search

Instructions to make blankets:

http://www.ehow.com/how_8497176_sew-sided-baby-receiving-blanket.html

Contacting us.

Email: chubbycheekschichi@gmail.com
US Tel: 205-690-0477
Costa Rica Tel: 011-506-2269-6215
 

Preparing the literature....Megan Breedlove.

As mentioned earlier our goal for Chubby Cheeks Chi Chi is three fold. One, to meet a physical need. Many of the mothers do need the items we will be giving them.  Two, to meet an emotional need. The exhaustion and task of being a new mom can easily lead to post pardom depression and having been in this same setting I can attest that even the smallest gesture to these moms can help to prevent this. Mine came from one of the cleaning ladies who stopped to "ooh" and "aww" over my baby.  Three, and by far the most important is the spiritual need. We will be including in our packets written literature of God's gift of salvation for us. 

My desire was to be able to give a message to these moms that could relate the love they feel for their new baby and compare it to God's amazing love for us, that He would give his precious child for us. As I was praying about and beginning the process of designing the literature I came across the website www.mannaformoms.com. Author Megan Breedlove writes devotionals designed specifically for mothers. She has written a book that has wonderful reviews and I was very impressed with her writings. The beginning and end of one of her blogs "Letter to a New Mom" was precisely what I was looking for. On another of her blogs she has written out a clear and caring way of presenting the gospel. I contacted Megan to see if I could translate parts of her writing and use them.

I am happy to say that not only has she has agreed but informed me that she speaks Spanish herself, and offered to come speak if I needed her to. What a blessing! I look forward to one day hosting Megan and setting up speaking arrangements for her. The "visionary" side of me that takes after my father, Dr. Bob Wilmarth, Veterinarian and Founder of  the ministry my husband and I serve under, hopes to one day see Megans book translated and be able to give that to these ladies. But for now I am just excited to have her be a part. I invite you to visit her website. www.mannaformoms.com.

Even a child is known by his doings. Proverbs 20:11 KJV

I am pleased to say that we have started to receive some items to begin making our packets. We received a $40 donation and 20 hats have been given to us. I was also able to find a few new crochet hats at a consignment store in the USA.  Currently there is a Sunday school class that have been working on hats for us and a church group is gathering supplies that they will be bringing in June. I would like to mention a dear friend of mine that took this as an opportunity to involve her children. Her two young girls have made and taught others to make hats and with their money have purchased other supplies and are sending the remainder to help with shipping and taxes. She expressed to me how excited her girls are in doing this. Our children desire to think outside of themselves and want to be helpful to others. This is a great way to let them get involved. I find too that my boys are much happier when they are involved with work and in helping others than when they are only doing for themselves. It is a gift we can give to our children to teach them to serve and love others.

 

 

Where to mail items

I have created an account with a shipping company so that you may send items to an address in Florida. They in turn will be shipped to us. We will pay the shipping and taxes upon arrival .

Items such as hats, and blankets can be sent to the following address.

Do not send any liquid or diapers as they require a special permit for each time sent.

Send items to Katie Parsons at the following address:

Katie Parsons

Casillero 20137577
	1710 NW 96 AVENUE
	DORAL, FLORIDA 33172.
	U.S.A.