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How often do we say, "I don't have a thing to wear"?
Usually we really mean that among the array of clothing stuffed
in our closets, there's not an outfit that is suitable for a
specific occasion. Either our choices are not the right style,
color or size, or they simply don't satisfy our immediate mood.
Rarely is this statement spoken literally.
Not so in a small rural village in Burkina Faso, West Africa.
In this village, there lives a woman who has so few articles
of clothing she is ashamed to come out of her home. Aside from
having no clothes, she no longer has her husband or her children.
They have all died, leaving her completely isolated and alone.
This is an extremely sad situation for any woman, but especially
bleak for a woman in Burkina Faso.
About a year ago, this woman had an unexpected visitor. The
visitor was from an organization called Dakupa, a partner of
Lutheran World Relief (LWR). As is Dakupa's custom, they determined
that the widow was among the neediest and poorest in the village,
so they delivered a beautiful, hand-made quilt to the widow.
She could have used her bright new quilt in a number of ways-as
a bed, a cover, a tent, a curtain, or a room divider. But she
did not. Instead, she cut her quilt in half and used one half
as a skirt and the other half to wrap around the top of her.
Finally, she had clothing good enough to wear out in public.
Her new outfit allowed her to interact with villagers and participate
in community gatherings. And it provided her with a new sense
of dignity and pride. Now she dances, sings and celebrates with
her neighbors.
For LWR the widow's story is unique, yet not uncommon. It
is unique in that she gives a whole new meaning to the phrase
"wrapped in love," sometimes used to describe the intent
of LWR's quilting ministry. It is common in that LWR provides
this kind of life-changing, life-saving ministry everyday. As
one elderly villager said, "I've never in my life seen a
sharing of materials like this." He was referring to the
abundant material resources shared by Lutheran World Relief such
as quilts, layettes, health kits, sewing kits, school kits, clothing
and soap-all gathered, packaged and donated with love by U.S.
Lutherans.
Although quilts are often used in emergency situations, they
are also used to assist with long-term development projects.
When a village is not over burdened by their material needs,
they can focus more on sustainable efforts. For example, in regions
where villagers are supplied with quilts, it is no longer necessary
for them to use up valuable trees for wood to make fires for
warmth. This holds true for other material resources as well.
When basic material needs are met, energy can be put into harvesting
crops, fighting AIDS, educating children and longer-term projects
that benefit the community. Men do not have to leave their homes
in an effort to find work or to find materials that are often
too expensive or unavailable.
Last year LWR shipped 406,560 quilts to many places around
the world-places like Afghanistan, China, India, Liberia, Palestine,
Thailand and Zambia. They were received by refugees, AIDS orphans,
widows, and victims of war, poverty or natural disaster. These
quilts are not simply pieces of fabric thoughtlessly handed to
some stranger in another land. Rather, they are offerings of
peace, comfort and compassion, carefully pieced together as expressions
of Christian love. They are creations of gratitude to God for
the overflowing materials that many possess. Quilts allow U.
S. Lutherans a way to use their hands to reach out to those in
need. They are the quintessential symbol of LWR's motto, "To
Others, Through Others"-a beautiful concept that keeps LWR's
ministry thriving.
Working at Lutheran World Relief, I have the joy and privilege
of witnessing the deep expressions of appreciation from those
who receive material resources. Recently I read a letter from
a child in China who received an LWR quilt and wrote, "I'm
so grateful to the donors. The quilts are very beautiful. We
all like them very much, and even our parents have not given
us such good things." I wanted to share this message with
all those readers who have lovingly cut, measured, filled and
stitched a quilt for LWR. Hopefully you will find this message
tremendously rewarding and feel inspired to keep up the good
work.
For those who are not involved in a quilting group or have
not made a quilt for LWR, it's easy to get started. For helpful
tips, visit the LWR website at www.lwr.org/parish
or call the LWR Resource Center toll-free at 1-800-LWR-LWR-2.
It's one way to follow God's commandment to love our neighbors
as we love ourselves. And the quilt you make could be the only
skirt a widow in West Africa has to wear.
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As part of Lutheran World Relief's long-term development
work in Burkina Faso, West Africa, this group received medical
training and health kits. |
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