HANDCRAFTED GIFTS FROM MEXICO

Paper flowers, handmade and decorated with glitter and ribbons.  The flowers are on long, green wrapped stems.

Parting gifts, handmade and from the heart, given to us on our last visit of the season to the church in Nuevo Progreso. They are reminders of very precious times with fellow believers, brothers and sisters in Christ, until we meet again.

On our arrival for church that Sunday evening, we were handed bouquets of sparkling paper flowers, so skillfully made that they looked real. Large tin foil butterflies graced our places later at the dinner table.

Many of the women used their talents and gifts in the kitchen, serving us favorite Mexican dishes and their specialties. The tables were decorated with unusual placemats, also handmade. A lot of artistic talent went into this special event.

A hand painted clay tile is made to hang on the wall.  The wooden plaque has three dimensional flowers made from foil.

Another gift was made from a clay roof tile that had been embossed with the design of a basket of flowers. The jewel like colors on the tile were outstanding. Then we received a wooden plaque upon which a three dimensional flower had been fastened. The petals and leaves of the flower were separate and shellac covered the surface. This project had taken a lot of time.

These gifts had been made with items our friends could find around the house, bits of foil and paper and small pieces of wood. This made them even more special to us.

This handmade picture is skillfully made from foil.  It says in Spanish:  "El pan nuestro de cada dia, dánoslo hoy."  (Give us today our daily bread.)  Matthew 6:11

One of our friends handed us a glossy sign made to hang on the wall. Spanish words graced the sign, along with the symbolic silhouette of praying hands and a loaf of bread. The words were from Matthew 6:11 - "Give us today our daily bread."

Now, when we look at the items we received that night, we really believe there’s nothing more priceless than a gift that is given from the heart.