By Karen McBride
Dillon Hawk was 32 years old when he went home to be with the Lord. He had an immune disease and spent much of his time in and out of hospitals. He didn’t let this slow him down though. He was an accomplished artist and avid learner, earning 3 degrees in college – Spanish, French and Art, and he loved people.
“He had real compassion for other people in the world. His spiritual gift was mercy,” said Cheryl, his proud mother. It was his spiritual gift of mercy that pushed Cheryl forward to starting a sewing ministry.
This is how it began…
Dillon’s last months were spent in ICU at Tampa General Hospital. Even though he was gravely ill, he maintained a Godly attitude and that drew people to him. In his last days, out of the blue, he told her she should start sewing children’s clothes, specifically girls’ clothes. Although she had sewn dresses for her daughter, Devon, when she was 5 years old, Dillon had never seen her sew, so this was an extraordinary thing for him to say.
A few months after his passing, Cheryl was still in a dark place dealing with her grief when she read an article about a ministry in Naples. She remembered what he had told her, and it was the first time in months that she felt a brief moment of joy, piercing through her sadness. She immediately called the woman in Naples.
God had planted the seed…
Because of Dillon’s history with foreign languages and his interest in third world countries, it became
Cheryl’s focal point for the ministry. His love of the global landscape made her interested in foreign ministries.
A therapist who met Dillon during his stay at Tampa General stayed connected with Cheryl every day after his passing. When Cheryl returned from Naples and told her about the ministry, she said “it is more than just clothes. It’s a discipleship.”
After her visit to Naples, she contacted Jody Montgomery, head of the women’s ministry at Idlewild Baptist Church, and the two discussed a new ministry. Cheryl didn’t really know many people in Tampa as she had only recently moved here and most of her time was spent taking her son to the doctor.
But God had a plan…
Jody put her in touch with Linda Dennison, who knows “almost everyone” at Idlewild! Sadly, Linda had lost her son in a diving accident, and the pair had an instant connection. The two discovered each had strengths that complemented the other, bringing their special qualities to the ministry. “I have the heart and Linda has the brains!”
After their first meeting, Linda’s phone rang while they were still in the parking lot. It was a woman asking if they needed material. And not just a little – hundreds of yards of material! God was opening the door to this new ministry. With a few “beginners” sewing machines found in a closet at Idlewild and the newfound wealth of material, Sewing Little Seeds ministry began!
They started with sun dresses. The first shipment of 150 dresses and boys’ shorts were sent to Uganda. Meeting with missionaries and listening to the needs, they discovered that women in Uganda needed menstrual pads. The team of seamstresses began working on prototypes of what would work best and would allow them to make a huge volume in a short amount of time.
A few months into the ministry, another tragedy struck when one of the volunteers, Helen, lost her husband. She asked that all donations in his honor go to the Sewing Little Seeds ministry. With the donations, Cheryl was able to order seven sewing machines with his name on them. When Helen was finally ready to return to the ministry, she was the first to sew on the machine with her husband’s name on it.
“The ministry is more than just about supporting women and children in other countries. It is about discipleship. Women need to feel useful and to have a purpose in life. And this is one way they can find purpose,” said Cheryl.
It has been a learning experience. One of the funny stories she shared involved hair bows. A few of the women enjoy making hair bows and were ready to send hundreds to Uganda. Luckily, one of the missionaries reminded them that the women of Uganda don’t have hair! Quick thinking ensued and they took the bows from the box to Uganda and saved the bows for South America!
Another important tip from a missionary was when she mentioned the pads should have strings. She further explained that women generally don’t wear underwear, so they need to tie the pads. Well, this insight just started Cheryl on another mission to collect underwear to send with the pads.
God is opening more doors to expand the ministry…
Recently, Cheryl and Linda were invited to be guest speakers at the Holiday Tables event at Idlewild. That is how I learned of their ministry and asked if I could interview Cheryl for this article. Other women in attendance belong to two large groups of women, one in Hudson and the other in Brooksville. They contacted her requesting that she teach them how to make pads so they could contribute to the Sewing Little Seeds ministry.
She couldn’t do all this without the support of her husband, Bruce. Whether it is driving with her to Naples for a teaching event, lifting and moving all the heavy boxes, or even putting snaps on garments, he is there for her.
“I think the ministry is helping both of us as we go through our grief. There are lessons that only God can teach through suffering. When significant tragedy happens to you, you have to dig deep and trust that God still has a purpose for your life.”
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV)
Sewing Little Seeds meets every second Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Room E112 at Idlewild Baptist Church, 18333 Exciting Idlewild Blvd., Lutz, FL. For more information about the ministry, please visit https://www.idlewild.org/women or contact womensministry@idlewild.org.