We are going to Nicaragua with our friends, the Rickenbachs, owners of Persnickety Clothing Company!

We will get to see all the dresses and school uniforms that have been sewn down there in conjunction with Persnickety’s Buy One, Give One program. From the beginning, Persnickety has committed to donate a portion of profits from each sale to the production of clothing for donation and gifting to a child in need. This started with sewing dresses for girls in orphanages and lower income families in South America. This program now includes sewing school uniforms for children from poorer families who can’t afford the uniforms. These help the children be able to attend school when they haven’t been attending.

The Rickenbachs are taking their three oldest children, who are each slightly younger than our three oldest, who we are taking as well. They are great friends and are so excited to be taking a trip together.

Here are the 4 oldest Rickenbach & Wilson kids

My husband, Mike and Craig Rickenbach went down to Nicaragua last year and found some great seamstresses  to do the job. The Buy-One-Give-One program also benefits the families of these women who sew the clothing, because it gives them steady work and increases their income significantly. The dresses are much more simple than what we’re used to. Here’s what some of the dresses look like.

I’m so happy that these girls are benefiting from the program! When we first launched Persnickety, we created the program and talked about modeling it after TOMS Shoes, but we didn’t know at that point how well Persnickety would do or if any of our dreams would actually become a reality.

Here are Mike and Craig at an orphanage last year.

Persnickety dreams have become a reality and we are overjoyed about it! Isn’t this sweet?

So now we get to come along to see how Persnickety is changing the world for good!

When we first met the Rickenbachs, we had some other friends and teachers in common that inspired us and convinced us that we had the power to change the world for good. I agree with what they taught, that we all have genius within us. We all have the power to influence others and our small and simple actions of influence can affect powerful change in the world.

We mothers have a magnified power to change the world. We have great influence on our children, and the principles we teach them will strengthen them throughout their lives. They will find ways to change the world positively if we show them how through our example.

We don’t have to go out of the country or even away from home to do important service. The sweetest service happens in quiet and personal ways, without fanfare or publishing. However, I know I’m inspired when I hear about how others are changing the world, and that is empowering.

I’ll be sure to post some pictures from our trip when we get back. The kids are hoping we get to see this volcano, and that it’s still smoking when we’re there.

We’ll pray for safe travel!