Denisse Daw

St. Petersberg, FL.

If there is one thing that fills my heart, it is a smile from a child who is humble, shy, poor. I once was that kind of child. But many invisible hands cleared my way and helped me become strong and secure.

So I began to ask myself: What can I do to help those in need, anonymously? How can I repay the help that I received? What can I do to bring a smile to the face of others and inspire them in their struggles?

I go to garage sales almost every week. I enjoy the sales not only for the treasures I find but also for the opportunities to talk with people and to understand behaviors that I don't always agree with. Every Saturday I return home with a lot of stories, some funny, some crazy, many that touch my feelings and leave me on the verge of tears. I try to buy only things that I need or can give to someone so that I don't accumulate stuff and have to hold a garage sale myself to get rid of it.

Lately, I have run into a lot of fabric, thread, lace and all kinds of things for sewing. I used to sew but I don't anymore. Yet my attention continued to be caught by the beautiful sewing material I found. Two weeks ago I couldn't resist any longer, and I spent most of my garage sale time choosing spools of tread, cloth, and linings that I could see would go together so beautifully. I thought maybe I could give it to someone who would have fun sewing.

One day I was reviewing my e-mail and I saw a message from the Largo Library. The Library is very active in the community and conducts many good and interesting activities throughout Pinellas County. I was excited to see that they were inviting women to join in a new project called "Purses for girls in Kenya". Wow! My heart jumped! I was so enthusiastic that I decided to buy a pattern right away, but --wow again!-- I saw that the pattern was provided free of charge! I immediately pushed myself into the project. My search to help others the way I had been helped was fulfilled. At that moment I thought: "Here is the way to make many little faces smile and many hearts feel content." I was amazed at how everything was falling into place. The only thing needed was a sewing machine. I have one, I shouted to myself. I starting thinking of all the thread, fabric, elastic, and lining I had accumulated from the garage sales. I don't have to find someone to give it to; I can use it for this project, "sewpowerful.org".

I hope that whoever receives the purses I will sew will smile when they receive them and feel the love and devotion I put into them. I believe that when you do something with a smile on your face and happy thoughts in your mind, those feeling are transported to the person who receives what you have made, and the circle of blessing gets stronger.