One of my horror stories from high school was the fear of failing home economics, because I could not pass sewing class. My mother could sew anything, but she couldn’t teach me and neither could the home economics teacher. The culottes required to pass the class my mother finally had to make for me. (Admission made after 52 years.)
Fast forward to the present and my friend Linda Schnorr is determined to teach me to sew. I believe she might succeed when she and her husband, Joe, are not in Belize where they spend at least 4 months every year with their Threads of Hope ministry.
In 2013, Joe and Linda Schnorr began Threads of Hope Ministry with the goal of helping the ladies of the area develop sewing skills that could be used for both personal as well as for-profit ventures.
Their ministry began in one village, Los Tambos, and has expanded to more villages. Beginning in Los Tambos before there was electricity, they used batteries or inverters to power the machines. Once the ladies’ talents developed, the group took on the responsibility of fabricating uniforms for Los Tambos School’s students. Other opportunities presented themselves as the ladies developed finer skills.
After a few years, the ministry expanded to include a sewing room in Buena Vista village. This second village also proved to be a good venture when the ladies were able take on jobs that could provide them with basic income. The largest venture was the fabrication of graduation caps and gowns for the local school.
In 2023, Threads for Hope began a new training class in Unitedville village in the same building where the Fountain City Presbyterian’s mission team began its work with In His Will Ministries 18 years ago.
There are many outreaches that have benefited as a result of the Threads of Hope Ministry. Two of those are Hope for Life and Embrace Life, both are pregnancy centers that assist women through the process of their pregnancies with life training as well as material support.
Hope for Life is a center in Belmopan where both sewing groups have helped support its mission in the fabrication of robes, tote bags and blankets. At present, several of the ladies who have passed through Hope for Life are participating in Threads of Hope sewing classes as part of their life skill training.
Embrace Life is a new pregnancy center opened in another area of Cayo and will offer the sewing groups opportunities to sew and train some of the women in life skills.
The women being reached through this ministry have said, “This was possible through God, the church, and our friends both here and in Belize.”
Linda and Joe live by this scripture from 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
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