Finally finished a tee shirt quilt...#1piecemaker, please read
12-13-2007, 09:27 AM
#11
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 271
Thanks guys for your compliments. I talked about our daughter leaving in some posts way back, but didn't realize until lately that I need to be cautious in revealing exactly where she is going for safety reasons. But the area was part of the old Soviet Union.
She gave up a great career with the Marriott Corp. to become a missionary. Her work visa lists her as a business consultant. She will be teaching English as a second language at a business school. She will also be working with children at risk. She went for a 2 week visit last year and came back with both sad and exciting stories.
The kids are from single parent families usually and the mothers are usually alcoholic and I suppose are prostitutes to pay for their addictions. They think the House the missionaries run to give them one hot meal each day is the only meal they get. They also socalize with the children and provide them with warm clothes. It often gets (and stays) 45 degrees below zero in the winter. She was told that the children are usually 2 yrs. older than they look due to malnutrition.
I get regular newsletters from there. In the spring this year, there were 2 male cousins who started coming each day. They would squirrel away bread crusts to eat later. The 15 yr. old had only one outfit of clothes..an old pr. of warmup pants that he tied with string and a warmup jacket. The 13 yr. old had a man's suit that was about 4 sizes too large. That was what they wore each day until the missionaries bought them some new clothes.
Then there's the success story of the tiny little girl (about 8 yrs. old) who has blossomed and is learning to crochet.
My husband is having a hard time with DD's move. He bursts into tears often during the day. I understand her desire to make a difference, so I'll miss her but I know she's serving a purpose.......a job like any other, just a lot further from family than some.
She gave up a great career with the Marriott Corp. to become a missionary. Her work visa lists her as a business consultant. She will be teaching English as a second language at a business school. She will also be working with children at risk. She went for a 2 week visit last year and came back with both sad and exciting stories.
The kids are from single parent families usually and the mothers are usually alcoholic and I suppose are prostitutes to pay for their addictions. They think the House the missionaries run to give them one hot meal each day is the only meal they get. They also socalize with the children and provide them with warm clothes. It often gets (and stays) 45 degrees below zero in the winter. She was told that the children are usually 2 yrs. older than they look due to malnutrition.
I get regular newsletters from there. In the spring this year, there were 2 male cousins who started coming each day. They would squirrel away bread crusts to eat later. The 15 yr. old had only one outfit of clothes..an old pr. of warmup pants that he tied with string and a warmup jacket. The 13 yr. old had a man's suit that was about 4 sizes too large. That was what they wore each day until the missionaries bought them some new clothes.
Then there's the success story of the tiny little girl (about 8 yrs. old) who has blossomed and is learning to crochet.
My husband is having a hard time with DD's move. He bursts into tears often during the day. I understand her desire to make a difference, so I'll miss her but I know she's serving a purpose.......a job like any other, just a lot further from family than some.
12-13-2007, 11:41 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 777
What a great story to top off a great quilt! I am sure you are really proud of her.
I bet there are a lot of us here that could donate clothes to those poor kids!
I have confiscated some of my husbands tshirts, promising to make a quilt some day out of them. I will have to get more tips before tackling that!
Best Wishes!
I bet there are a lot of us here that could donate clothes to those poor kids!
I have confiscated some of my husbands tshirts, promising to make a quilt some day out of them. I will have to get more tips before tackling that!
Best Wishes!
12-29-2007, 09:28 AM
#17
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
Posts: 132
What a great story and a perfect going away gift for your daughter. It is hard when they are so far away, but they are doing such wonderful work that it is hard not to be proud. Chin up dad, she is doing what she needs to do.
I love the quilt but I am still a bit too new for that challenge, although I think I have more than enough tshirts to get the job done. Maybe a lap quilt would work for me lol
I love the quilt but I am still a bit too new for that challenge, although I think I have more than enough tshirts to get the job done. Maybe a lap quilt would work for me lol
12-29-2007, 11:07 AM
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Pine Grove, California
Posts: 2,816
I can relate to your feelings having had a daughter who served in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. The two years three months she was gone were hard for all of us in her family. Like you we worried about her safety and health (she was sick alot). But, I do believe like your daughter that she made a difference in people's life. We have been lucky enough to visit there twice, once during her Peace Corp stint and again last Christmas. The friends we've made there will last a lifetime and my daughter learned invaluable lessons from living there. For one, we just are so truly blessed to be living here in the United States. We take so much for granted.......
p.s.----Thanks for all the pointers on the T shirt quilt. I have a box of them squirreled away with the idea of making them into a quilt and now I have a much better perspective.......(they may just stay in that box a while longer LOL......) Plus, I think your quilt despite all the challenges is wonderful!!!!
p.s.----Thanks for all the pointers on the T shirt quilt. I have a box of them squirreled away with the idea of making them into a quilt and now I have a much better perspective.......(they may just stay in that box a while longer LOL......) Plus, I think your quilt despite all the challenges is wonderful!!!!
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