"International Phenomenon"
When I told Stephen that seamstresses from France, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, and Reunion Island are sending drawstring bags for the Katrina Kits, he smiled and said, "This project is an international phenomenon!"
Truly it is but a small, precious reminder that we are not alone here in the United States wanting to help relieve the suffering folks down South. A sweet and very generous young woman named Isabelle, who lives in Paris and is the leader of a Yahoo sewing group, found my blog. Her comment led to an email correspondence and soon she became envisioned to help by sewing bags and by spreading the word through her blog, www.e-zabelle.blogspot.com
This young woman is only 24 and is working on her PhD in English Literature by day, and sewing "sacs" by night. Her English is better than mine! We have been emailing back and forth daily with hellos and progress reports. She has become a liaison between me and the international stitchers. (When I view their work online, I know for sure I am out of their league, but I humbly accept that my own handsewn bags will go into the "it's the thought that counts" pile of gifts!) Together these ladies overseas have produced 40 bags for the first shipment, and are working on more. How good of God to bring us together across the Atlantic!
Meanwhile, in our litle corner of the world, Donna and her triplets (Danielle, Emily, and Drew) have brought over more than a dozen bags, Rose is making quite a stack, too ,and Kathleen is getting her kindergarten students and parents in on the action! Dana has been pedaling her machine feet, too! Sarah and I have cranked out several between us, and Stephen felt immensely satisfied after completing his first bag--a motorcycle motif for a boy's bag. Thank you, ladies, one and all--and Stephen, our token male stitcher. Thanks, Bri, for donating a few darling stuffies today! And thanks to all those who continue to sponsor bags. This is so much fun for me! A big thanks to my parents for their ongoing support, financially and emotionally, as well as thanks to their congregation, Ain M'Chitzah.
So you say you've never heard of Reunion Island, eh? Neither had I until my geography lesson from Isabelle. She said it's in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Kenya near Madagascar. Imagine! How would you like to be one of the blessed African Americans in a San Antonio refugee center who receives a toiletry bag directly from an island off the coast of Africa! And there's a testimony beyond that! The seamstress who lives there and wants to sew-and-send cannot afford the shipping. But a friend of Isabelle's in France is going on holiday (I love that expression) to Reunion Island and will pick up the bags and bring them to France in her suitcase! Do not EVEN try to tell me this is just a coincidence!
So, if you've been toying with sponsoring a Katrina Kit or two (or as many as you want) now is your opportunity to get your hands on an exotic batch of them! You can see the pictures of ones that are made by visiting first Isabelle's English blog (referenced above) and then going to Sylvie's from there.Other bloggers/seamstresses named Doris, Denise, and Vania are also participating.
Oh, and one bonus--emailing or commenting in French is humbling for me and probably hysterical for Isabelle. I sometimes start in French and then realize, "Give it up, Zo, before you mistakenly tell her that her cat's long horse must be fun to do surgery on."
Truly it is but a small, precious reminder that we are not alone here in the United States wanting to help relieve the suffering folks down South. A sweet and very generous young woman named Isabelle, who lives in Paris and is the leader of a Yahoo sewing group, found my blog. Her comment led to an email correspondence and soon she became envisioned to help by sewing bags and by spreading the word through her blog, www.e-zabelle.blogspot.com
This young woman is only 24 and is working on her PhD in English Literature by day, and sewing "sacs" by night. Her English is better than mine! We have been emailing back and forth daily with hellos and progress reports. She has become a liaison between me and the international stitchers. (When I view their work online, I know for sure I am out of their league, but I humbly accept that my own handsewn bags will go into the "it's the thought that counts" pile of gifts!) Together these ladies overseas have produced 40 bags for the first shipment, and are working on more. How good of God to bring us together across the Atlantic!
Meanwhile, in our litle corner of the world, Donna and her triplets (Danielle, Emily, and Drew) have brought over more than a dozen bags, Rose is making quite a stack, too ,and Kathleen is getting her kindergarten students and parents in on the action! Dana has been pedaling her machine feet, too! Sarah and I have cranked out several between us, and Stephen felt immensely satisfied after completing his first bag--a motorcycle motif for a boy's bag. Thank you, ladies, one and all--and Stephen, our token male stitcher. Thanks, Bri, for donating a few darling stuffies today! And thanks to all those who continue to sponsor bags. This is so much fun for me! A big thanks to my parents for their ongoing support, financially and emotionally, as well as thanks to their congregation, Ain M'Chitzah.
So you say you've never heard of Reunion Island, eh? Neither had I until my geography lesson from Isabelle. She said it's in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Kenya near Madagascar. Imagine! How would you like to be one of the blessed African Americans in a San Antonio refugee center who receives a toiletry bag directly from an island off the coast of Africa! And there's a testimony beyond that! The seamstress who lives there and wants to sew-and-send cannot afford the shipping. But a friend of Isabelle's in France is going on holiday (I love that expression) to Reunion Island and will pick up the bags and bring them to France in her suitcase! Do not EVEN try to tell me this is just a coincidence!
So, if you've been toying with sponsoring a Katrina Kit or two (or as many as you want) now is your opportunity to get your hands on an exotic batch of them! You can see the pictures of ones that are made by visiting first Isabelle's English blog (referenced above) and then going to Sylvie's from there.Other bloggers/seamstresses named Doris, Denise, and Vania are also participating.
Oh, and one bonus--emailing or commenting in French is humbling for me and probably hysterical for Isabelle. I sometimes start in French and then realize, "Give it up, Zo, before you mistakenly tell her that her cat's long horse must be fun to do surgery on."
posted by Zoanna at
5:22 PM
2 Comments:
Oh Zoanna, if you could see my cheeks burning! Je ne sais plus où me mettre!
Seriously, I do appreciate that you write me a few sentences in French! I'm actually impressed at what you manage to say, given your lessons date back from long ago and that you haven't had them for many years either!
Isn't it wonderful how God is drawing us together from all corners of the world?
"I don't know anymore where to put me.' That's how www.freetranslation.com translated your French sentence above. Is that what you meant?
You are too generous with your comments about my French. I know where I'd put me--near the bottom of the class!
Wondering about your machine? Can you just type in text and let it embroider automatically? If it's that easy, how about if I give you some scripture references to embroider on some bags? If it's not that easy, I'll give it a try myself, using a tight ziz-zag stitch maybe? What would you recommend?
Dana put a pocket on one of her men's bags. It's the perfect size for the plastic soap dish! Isn't that ingenious?
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