The King's Gallery

King's Gallery hosts sale to aid Haitian women

By AZIA LI FORREST, DAILY SUN

THE VILLAGES — The King’s Gallery in Spanish Springs hosted a bag sale Friday evening that meant more than fashion. It was intended to help save the lives of women in Haiti.

Dan and Sheila Lynch, founders of God’s Plumbline Ministries and the original owners of The King’s Gallery, brought the one-of-a-kind designed bags from Haiti.

“When we sold this business to John and Candy (Coldwell), we had planned to go to Haiti,” Sheila said. “The people of The Villages donated all the sewing machines that we shipped to Haiti. So it’s been incredible to watch in two years’ time lives be transformed by the people here. It’s really incredible.”

Now the couple lives in Haiti full time and runs four programs: sewing, literacy, prenatal health and early childhood development.

“Those are all parts of making it a ‘whole woman’ program,” Sheila Lynch said. “We found that learning to sew wasn’t enough. Some ladies couldn’t read. Some couldn’t write or use scissors. Some didn’t know colors or how to take care of their children.”

She said the average Haitian family subsists on $200 a year.

“I was dumbfounded that people were living only 700 miles away from the United States, and people were dying because of no food, clean water and no medical care,” she said. “And that’s how we got started.”

Fifty percent of every bag sold will go toward the women and the program, which supplies teachers, housing and other expenses.

Lynch said they have 15 women who are sewing and supporting themselves.

“They don’t get handout donations: They are completely supporting themselves and their children,” she said.

On the inside of every bag is a label that includes the signature of the women who created the bag.

“It shows that (she) made this bag and it is a part of who she is,” Lynch said. “It’s even more meaningful.”

The bags will be available throughout the weekend in the store while supplies last.

For more information on Haitian Creations, visit www.HaitianCreations.com.