The Dorothy S. Farnet Sewing Center
hope center
A place of HOPE in the midst of La Limonada
The Dorothy S. Farnet Sewing Center has been established in La Limonada, the largest urban slum in Central America. With God’s guidance and help and in partnership with Hope Renewed, the family of Dorothy S. Farnet has created a Sewing Center to serve the indigent population of this Zone 5 ghetto in Guatemala City, to train the participants how to sew, and to empower them to establish small businesses and to procure jobs in the clothing industry of Guatemala.
This is what happens when the love and respect of family meets the desire to make a sustainable difference! Dorothy’s family became aware of the life changing work of Hope Renewed International and started to get involved. The struggles of those living in the Red Zone of La Limonada reminded them of their own family struggles during the Great Depression. Knowing how Dorothy’s perseverance through grief, hardship and challenge forever changed their own lives, gave them the desire to extend that gift to Guatemala.
Who is Dorothy S. Farnet?
Dorothy Farnet was born in Louisiana, in July 1903. She married and started her family in 1924, shortly before the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Because of this, she taught herself to become an accomplished seamstress in order to clothe her family of five children. Becoming widowed in 1938 at the age of 35, she took a job outside of her home and spent most evenings at her sewing machine making everything from undergarments and play clothes, to suits for her sons and prom dresses for her daughters.
As her children grew, married and started their own families, “Dolly” made pinafores and pajamas for her grandchildren and even wedding gowns for several of the generations. In addition, she taught her daughters, granddaughters and nieces how to sew and instilled in them a love for the pleasure of making something useful with their own hands. In later years, she and a dozen close friends formed a “Sewing Circle” as a time they spent together working on special projects for those they loved.
Dorothy S. Farnet taught her family how to sew, embroider, crochet and knit. In addition, she instilled the love of family and the importance of creating a caring and tidy home. Dorothy often told her family that sewing was one of the things that saved her life after she had lost her husband. She poured herself into sewing projects for her children during those long and lonely nights of grieving. This SEWING CENTER was established to honor her as a lovely and special seamstress who cherished, supported and inspired her family with her life and handiwork.
Dorothy left a legacy in the lives of her family! A legacy of perseverance, reliance on Christ, skills as an accomplished seamstress among others. Through Hope Center, now being built in La Limonada, that legacy will extend to hundreds of Guatemalan families. The women who will be cared for, loved on and taught at Hope Center will be forever changed! The tools and training necessary to develop sewing skills, the opportunity for sound Biblical teaching and the development of a supportive network (not unlike Dororthy’s Sewing Circle) will be offered at Hope Center.
Hope Renewed International’s Hope Center is under construction right now. Hope Center will house the Dorothy S. Farnet Sewing Center AND a Water Store - Sign up for our newsletter to follow the progress!
If you would like to join in this life changing opportunity - please consider donating toward Hope Center.