Newsletter - September, 2010

The Least of These My Brethren

August, 2010

Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Matt. 25:40

Published by the Society of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 122, Amberson, PA 17210. (717) 349-7033

The Piñata Maker
Glenda Fúnes grew up watching her mother make piñatas, and that is how she learned the art of making them. A piñata is a brightly-colored decoration made from either a wire or cardboard frame, covered with paper or papier-mâché. At parties, children take turns being blindfolded and then trying to break the piñata with a stick. When the piñata is broken, candy or other treats spill out.

Knowing how to make piñatas is a particularly useful skill in Honduras because there is such a great demand for them. No birthday party in Honduras would be complete without one or more piñatas. Piñatas are also used in Honduras for other festivities, especially Children’s Day. Children’s Day in Honduras is a holiday dedicated to children.

As the years went by, Glenda Fúnes was able to perfect her technique of making piñatas through the help of other people who make them. Six years ago, Glenda decided to start her own business, making piñatas to sell in the community where she used to live.

Glenda and her husband have two children, and he is currently the pastor of a local church in La Paz. Although pastoring a congregation in Honduras is a full-time job, very few congregations are able to fully support their pastors. So typically pastors and their wives have a side-business that maintains them in their ministry. Glenda’s piñata business is extremely important to the Fúnes family, as it provides a good portion of their family income.

Two years ago Glenda and her family moved to the town of La Paz, one of the places where the Society of the Good Shepherd carries on its microloan ministry. Glenda learned about the Good Shepherd Society’s program, and she recently received a loan that she plans on investing in raw materials to grow her business.

A few weeks ago, Luis Vega, the Bercots, and I had the opportunity to visit Glenda’s business in La Paz. She showed us her work shop and explained to us the process of making piñatas. The advance preparation includes cutting the crepe paper that is used on the outside of the piñata, getting wire for the frames, cutting the newspaper that will go around the frame, and mixing the paste she uses as glue. She told us that once the advance preparation is done, it takes her about 30 minutes to make one piñata. She makes a variety of shapes and characters, and she prepares at least 30 piñatas a month that she sells to a local bakery.

However, the amount of piñatas that she sells in a month can be much more than that. For example, the day we visited her, she was preparing an order of 300 piñatas for the city of La Paz. The city gives out piñatas to schools and churches every year in September for Children’s Day. Because of this demand, she has hired three other people to help her. In addition to selling to stores, Glenda takes orders from individuals. She also makes small baskets for candy, and she re-sells clay piñatas that she buys in a nearby community. Originally, piñatas were made out of clay, and some people still prefer clay piñatas.

For the Society of the Good Shepherd, it has been a joy to be able to help Glenda, and we encourage her to keep serving the Lord and working in her special business. Nancy Barahona

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