The Women on Mission at Southside Baptist Church have been making pillowcase dresses for children in Haiti.

Debbie Blackmon, director of the Women on Mission, said there are about 10 or more women sewing the dresses.

“They can be made out of a pillowcases but they can also be made out of a fabric,” Blackmon said. “It’s just a old, straight dress that has ribbon in the neckline and they call it pillow case because you can use a pillow case and cut arm holes. You don’t know what the little girl’s size is going to be, and it can grow with her.”

People have been donating fabric, ribbon and money for postage.

“Part of the dresses are going in the Operation Christmas, and we have two other avenues in Haiti,” Blackmon said.

The women started sewing in June, and it started when Blackmon saw an email from Samaritans Purse talking about a little girl who had a dirty dress.

“She didn’t have another dress to change into,” Blackmon said. “I got to thinking that we could sew some dresses for little girls that didn’t have one much less two to wash one and wear another.”

The dresses are sent to an orphanage and medical clinic that can accept the dresses and know how to give the dresses out.

“We just hope it’ll be a ministry to keep on, because Haiti is really impoverished and they can use it any time we can send to them,” Blackmon said.

On Sunday, Sept. 18, the women had a ceremony to bless about 130 dresses before they were sent to Haiti.

Blackmon said she would love for other churches to start the ministry as well.

“If their church would like to start a ministry, we’d be glad to give them a pattern and give them some information, because it’s really easy to sew,” Blackmon said. “That’s what we’re hoping. It’s not just necessary to help us but start it for themselves, because most of the fabric and the lace and buttons are things that people already have and just not being used. Just being good stewards of things you already own.”