Familia Ramerez – A Talent for Hammocks

As a missionary in South America, I personally gained a great love and appreciation for the traditional hammocks. At one point, I taught a family that made me a hammock that I still have to this day. These are not the little Hammocks of the thrift stores or camping supplies, these are fit-the-whole-family-in-and-swing-for-hours type of hammacks. They take a lot of time, training, and patience to make, but are a staple piece of furniture in virtually any home in Venezuela. Even the poorest of poor families generally had a hammock that they slept in, lounged around in, or bundled the baby up in for some sleepy sleep time.

For this reason, we were intrigued when Familia Ramerez applied for a grant so that they could purchase the raw material to make several hammocks and start a business to help support their family. They were elated with the news that Operation Family Freedom was willing and able to facilitate this effort. Here are some of the photos they sent about the hammock business they had started. They expressed immense gratitude for the donations that eventually helped them become more self-sufficient in a time and place that desperation is so abundant.