i would like to introduce
you to Pedro
our youngest, and a truly hard working artist!
and also to Victor, his older brother who helps
to make the jewelry that we sell in the Made in Roatan shop
(update: victor is no longer making jewelry at the shop as he
has gone to the Mainland to continue on with school. we are very proud of him)
has gone to the Mainland to continue on with school. we are very proud of him)
the first time i met Pedro was not under good conditions
i had gone to pay his father, Pedro senior, and
i saw this young boy sitting at the place in the market where
his dad usually is
i looked at him and said
Donde su papa?
(where is your dad?)
he said
mi padre murio
(my father died)
i felt as if someone had punched me in the stomach
i was so shocked
we had been in Canada for 6 weeks and while we
were gone
Pedro Sr.'s diabetes began to act up,
he ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks and that is where he died.
my first thought was:
what can we do to help that family??!
the next cruise ship day i went and met his wife
Wilma
i gave her my condolences and asked if we could buy her some
food.
that small act of kindness opened up a door for a friendship that continues to grow to this day
i first met Pedro Sr. on our first trip to Roatan
he had a little booth set up by 'the View'
i fell in love with his delicate necklaces and bought one
next time we came to roatan i bought an anklet
once we started the shop i went looking for him and asked if we could
sell his jewelry in the made in roatan shop
i still had a few necklaces of Pedro Sr.'s in the shop
but i realized that soon there would be no more and there
wasn't any one else on the island making the chain link jewelry
so i went to Wilma and asked if perhaps the boys could learn to do
the same style of jewelry that their father had made
she said that they could try.
i am happy that both Pedro and his brother Vincent
have mastered it and are continually developing the art of chain link
now each day that the shop is open
we have Pedro who comes to work at the shop
making beautiful necklaces and bracelets
i believe God has him there because i am not shy about telling
his story
my heart is touched by this family and i love promoting his work!
he is working so hard to provide for his family of 6 brothers and sisters
i am so proud of both of them
if you come to the shop
please check out their work
take your picture with whoever is there at the shop,
encourage them to stay in school
pray for them....
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| Pedro is Garifuna and lives in Punta Gorda |
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wilco came and visited us at the shop one day
he is the twin to pedro
when they were born pedro weighed in at 5 lbs.
and little wilco entered the world at 2 lbs.
he was on oxygen and in the hospital for a long time
and we are thankful he is with us today
 | |
| we had a staff party and Pedro and his mom spent the night at our house |
A current photo of Pedro goofing around with us on our deck.
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