Sewing Masks Sowing Seeds (SMSS) Ministry Testimonies

We thank the Lord for five testimonies that represent the heart of the many in the Sewing Masks Sowing Seeds (SMSS) ministry under The CARE Team at Evergreen SGV. We pray it will bless and encourage you of the depth of God’s love for you and His hand in every situation.

Alvin Lai

I remember March 12, 2020, like it was yesterday. Thursday evening, I started receiving emails concerning the ongoing developments of COVID-19. A few days earlier, the World Health Organization made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic. Emails from my kids' schools notified parents the last day of school will be on Friday! Within hours, I received an email from Evergreen SGV, postponing Surge and Bridge. By the following Monday, my kids were enrolled in online learning at home, while my wife was recovering from brain surgery, and my business’s sales were down 60%!

A few weeks later, Pastor Kenny asked me if I would help with a new ministry called the Care Team at Evergreen SGV. Initially, it was created to assist the elderly with errands, grocery needs or any other kind of assistance, during the COVID-19 situation. Even though COVID-19 had dramatically changed my life in a negative way, I agreed to serve. Almost overnight, we had over 40 volunteers willing to support this ministry! A few days later, we were asked to assist with the Sewing Masks Sowing Seeds (SMSS) ministry. The SMSS ministry has made over 1,274 masks and the Care Team has delivered close to 500! I’ve received so many “thank yous” from many people for helping in this ministry, but the truth is that by volunteering, God gave me life, and strength when I was weak. It is I that has received so much more. The Care Team and SMSS helped me with my self-esteem, by counteracting my personal stresses and frustrations. It has allowed me to be strengthened by God, giving me opportunities to become closer to my church family, while defining and affirming my role as one of His children. I witnessed so many of the willing volunteers that opened their hearts to serve God and help many people in need. God is amazing. He has given me life, so nothing I do for Him is a sacrifice.

Diane Hara

It was March 22, as I answered the call from a sister to sew face masks to "fight this war already won by God". Little did I know what a blessing it would become. My intention was to sew, but the Lord had another task for me to help equip His church family. My task was to coordinate the efforts of the wonderful women who lovingly sewed the masks, sterilized, and packaged them for the grateful individuals. It brought me great joy and blessing to re-connect with long-time friends and get to know new "faces" while dealing with all the emotions from this pandemic. It brought a sense of community that I knew always existed, but I learned firsthand through this experience how much our church staff really cares for our church family, how our church family really cares for each other, and most importantly, how they all exemplified the love of Christ.

Our masks are special. They are sewn with love, prayed over, and are conduits to reach those the Lord puts upon our hearts. I am grateful to the Lord, blessed by the numerous messages, how everyone enjoyed receiving them, and touched, from people sending photos holding masks from individuals, hospitals, and medical and dental groups.

I am grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to serve Him by serving others.

Wendy Takao 

As I consider myself to be a fabric hoarder and a “fabricoholic”, I always wondered what I would do with the fabric that I have in my house. Diane Hara, asked if I had fabric to donate to her church that were sewing masks for those in her church with needs. Without hesitation, I told Diane that I definitely had fabric to donate for the Sewing Masks Sowing Seeds ministry. Little did we know that material to make homemade masks was something that suddenly became scarce because the government moved to make wearing masks mandatory. I quickly began searching patterns, seeking elastic, and began cutting out kits for the volunteers to sew. It was a blessing to see how God knew our needs and how He provided through the body of Christ! I thank God for giving me the opportunity to serve Him, and reconnect and grow ever closer with my friends in the Sewing Masks Sowing Seeds ministry. Galatians 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” I look forward to meeting those that were involved in this ministry when your church is able to have service again.

May Zacher

As our world, church, and families have gone through so many changes the past few months, I am blessed and honored to be part of Sewing Masks Sowing Seeds Ministry! In early March, I remember having a conversation about how to give out our masks safely, not only for the recipient of our mask, but also for the drivers. I know there was discussion that autoclaving was unnecessary, even possibly inefficient, versus washing and using baggies. Yet, I felt God saying it would be the safest way to distribute not knowing how contagious or deadly this Covid-19 would become. Placing a Bible verse on the sterilized pouches was an idea that God had given me so many would know God loves them and is protecting them. 

Being a dental hygienist, I had two of my dentists I work for, Dr. Ezaki and Dr. Nazari, who let me sterilize the masks using their autoclave in their offices. After sterilizing masks, I distinctly remember how I saw an elderly man in a walker who could hardly walk, with only a tissue hanging from his mouth. I asked him if he would like a mask. He was so grateful he immediately put the mask on. I thanked God that I could offer him what he needed most. This situation, and hearing how the sterilizing and the Bible verses on the sterilized bags as well as every step making these masks, have given others peace, hope and most importantly, God's love! In a time of uncertainty and fear, as I was afraid of not working, God gave me His work to help others in His Kingdom!

Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

God has touched so many lives during this pandemic with these masks given to our church family, our neighbors and to people in New York, Hawaii and East Asia. I thank Jesus for the opportunity to love others during this Pandemic! To God be all glory forever and ever, amen!  

Prudence Lu, on video: