The artisans have given testimony after testimony about how the basket project has changed their lives. They had no way to make money, no jobs. Now the money they earn has paid for entire new homes, healthcare for sick, and paid many school fees so their children can go to school.

The smiles and testimonies we see and hear each week from the artisans make it worth it!

Each Monday the artisans can come to my house with new baskets! All day is reserved for them. During this time they come with many medical problems that vary from scabies to Tuberculosis to machete wounds and much more.

Due to the basket project we have been able to help arrange two medical trips into the villages. All through donations from our supporters!

-Health screenings, Medications, healthcare education, and most importantly AUDIO BIBLES IN THEIR TRIBAL LANGUAGES!

Audio Bibles are important since many don’t read or don’t know any language other than their tribal language. Having audio Bibles is incredibly important and we have been able to use special donations to the basket project to take these into the basket making tribes along with medical teams and healthcare.

Each Monday I pray with the artisans before we start.

“Lord thank you for these people, You gave us different skin color, different hair, different languages and different cultures, but because of You we can be family.”

We pray the basket project blesses the people, but it is about much more than money. God can, and is using baskets to point people to Him.

What an honor to be a part of this.

The artisans search for the wild rotan vine that grows up trees. It is covered in thorns, which makes it hard to harvest. The thick and steep forest make the trek to search for rotan difficult. Sometimes the artisan must sleep in the jungle many nights before enough can be found. Seven different plants are used to add color to the baskets. Many of these plants are even more difficult to find than the elusive rotan.

Color can be added with flowers, leaves, berries and mud. The beautiful grey color is added by soaking rotan in a mud pit for at least one month.

The rotan is split open, usually with their teeth, smoothed with rough knives, dried, color added, and then weaving can begin! It can take weeks to even years to finish a basket from start to finish! This depends on the size of the basket and the age of the artisan. All made by hand, and in some of the most remote villages in the world.

Once baskets are completed they are usually walked hours to days to make the trek to my house. Some artisans can’t make the journey, so they will send their baskets with others, or wait until our family comes into the village and can take baskets out.

It is truly an honor to serve these people. God is using baskets!

The art of basket making has been considered an almost lost art for many years now in the special, rugged and remote region of our island.

About 9 years ago I started asking my local friends if they knew of anyone who still remembered how to make baskets. My dear local friend relayed my message to her family in their village, that if anyone remembered how to make a basket, I would be happy to buy it from them. It turns out, one elderly man (Napio) heard the message, and 12 months later he showed up on my doorstep from his far away village with 2 large baskets. I was so shocked, after 12 months, and no other leads, I thought the door was closed, but God had other plans. Napio was so happy and thankful to sell his baskets. His smile said it all.

Another 9 months went by, and he showed up with more baskets, it continued this way for a couple of years until I heard that he was too old to continue making baskets. I was so thankful for knowing him and having his baskets, and I thought that was the end of it. Little did I know, Napio’s entire village had been learning basket weaving from him. Imagine my surprise as more and more people start showing up to my house with their baskets.

These people live remote, and are often overlooked, looked down on and even taken advantage of. They have the skill and the motivation, but they don’t have the ability to sell or market their work. This is where I come in.

I never planned for this to become a ministry; I didn’t know this would become so big! But God did! As more and more people came, I needed to get organized, and quick! I made an excel sheet, sought wisdom from more seasoned missionaries, and jumped in! Every week I was meeting with new artisans. I made sure to explain my heart to them.

“God gave you the talent to make these beautiful baskets, and He gave me the ability to help you sell them.” We always pray together at the end, and ask God to bless this basket project, that we are all His people, and we give the whole project back to Him!

There have been several times I have been worried, hoping that I can sell all their baskets, but I am always reminded that God opened this project, and He is in charge of it. The artisans get 100% of the money for their baskets.

Today this has grown and grown, we now have seven villages making baskets and hundreds of artisans!

I designed a logo and name for the project. “Honai-Made” Honai is the name of their grass hut homes where they make the baskets.

Recently my family made the long trek to the three villages making baskets to meet the people and encourage them! We were so humbled. The entire village greeted us with a feast, and decorated the village for our arrival, we received over 300 baskets!

The people were so proud and excited to show us that they built two more grass huts just for the basket project! This project has breathed new life into the village. I met with each and every artisan. There are children as young as 7 years old making baskets, all the way to elderly people who make baskets mostly by feel because of severe cataracts.

The village all gathered together, and people spoke about what the project means to them. They shared that they have been able to pay for their kids to go to school for the first time, that they can improve their houses, that they can buy medicine and other things that they need. I am incredibly honored and thankful to be a part of this. Thank you, Jesus for opening this special project and using it to bless your beautiful people.