By Erin Odom



MOORESVILLE – Lisa Ward rarely clicked on news articles posted online, but when a Facebook friend posted a Herald Weekly story about women sewing “little dresses,” she felt compelled to read it.

Ward didn’t know it at the time, but those little dresses would change her life.

“It was 100 percent God,” the Mooresville woman said. “This is like a dream come true for me. I want to make a difference for Jesus Christ for people who truly have a need.”

The March 3 story entitled “Little dresses that will make a big difference,” reported on the “Little Dresses for Haiti” project that Cornelius’ Grace Covenant Church had started to make and distribute pillowcase dresses for impoverished and abused girls in Haiti.

“I had been searching for a way I could make an eternal difference in the lives of others globally,” the mother of two boys said. “After reading the article, I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

Ward challenged herself to sew 200 dresses by June for Dress a Girl Around the World, the organization that inspired Grace Covenant’s women’s ministry to start the “Little Dresses for Haiti” project. Dress a Girl Around the World is an international charity provide every young girl at least one dress.

Once Ward decided to get involved, she petitioned for donated supplies on her Facebook page. Friends she hadn’t seen in years who live all across the South started sending her sewing materials in the mail.

Through Dress a Girl Around the World, Ward’s dresses will make it to Haiti by the end of June.

But she has no plans to stop sewing. “I must say I am a little addicted to sewing these dresses,” she said.

Recently, Dress a Girl Around the World took notice of Ward’s passion and made her the state’s representative for the nonprofit group.

“Lisa’s enthusiasm and love for Dress a Girl caught my attention,” said the charity’s founder, Rachel Eggum Cinader. “I believe that Lisa’s faith and love will allow her to represent us well. I have a feeling that Lisa Ward is going to cause Dress a Girl to explode in North Carolina.”

In her new role, Ward will serve as the go-to person for anyone in the state who wants to get involved with Dress a Girl. She will also collect donations and send them to the organization, which will deliver the dresses to little girls all over the world. She will also teach churches, schools and civil organizations how to sew the dresses and ways to get involved as well as take donations for the group.

As part of the ministry, Ward may get the opportunity to deliver some of the dresses to the girls herself.

“I have prayed over each dress for the little girl who would wear it – that it would protect her, she would feel the love I put into making it and the dress would be a bridge for her to know Jesus,” Ward said. “As I am sewing each dress, I know that I am helping to clothe and protect little girls all around the world.”

Ward can be reached at littledressesnc@gmail.com.

Find more information on the organization at its website, www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com.

Grace Covenant’s “Little Dresses for Haiti,” which inspired Ward to start sewing dresses, has now become an on-going project. For more information, contact Cammie Wilson at CWilson@gracecovenant.org.