Do you remember a line from a song that says "May all of your good dreams come true"? Well, today, that happened for me.......one of my good dreams came true. We were blessed to get a ride from Gerald our host, from our guesthouse to the Mashaka Children's Center, and arrived about 9am. Already the women had arrived and were sitting in small groups on the grassy area between the school building and our Quilting Cottage. After greeting each woman, and telling her how happy I was that she was there, I entered the building. What a lovely surprise! Jessie and Edith, both from the Oasis Africa organization, had been very busy last weekend making everything ready for the opening. The walls were washed a pale blue, 5 sturdy tables and chairs lined the walls, and 20 other green plastic chairs were stacked against the wall. Jill and I quickly set the chairs out in a semi-circle facing the front of the room. Then Serene, Jessie and Jill helped me hang pictures of beautiful African Women and our wall handing samples around on the walls. Soon the place was transformed into our Mashaka Quilting Cottage. We then opened the door, and invited the women inside.
The women entered and quickly took seats in the chairs. I could tell they were a little anxious, and when I spoke to them, I told them that I was nervous too. After a prayer, introductions by Jessie, and some songs, Judy, my assistant, and the lady who will carry on the project once I return home, was introduced. Judy is A lovely , mature woman, and gained immediate respect from the women gathered in the room. As I spoke to the women about quilting and what we would be doing, Judy acted as my translator.
It is hard to find words to describe the day. The women were such intent listeners as I explained about quilting, and what we were going to be doing. When we stopped for a break, the women were all over the room, inspecting the wall hangings, looking through the books I had brought, and admiring the beautiful fabrics from the Kaffe Fassett Collective, that Brandon Mably had arranged for them to have. Such excitement, and faces full of joy filled that room.
As we came back together after our tea break, I brought out the sewing kit made by my dear quilting sisters in Friday Harbor. It was decided by the Oasis Africa organization that these kits would remain in the Quilting Cottage rather than be sent home with the women, since some of their husbands would sell them for a bottle of beer. In light of that fact, it seemed like a wise idea. I told the ladies about my friends in the Rainshadow Quilt Guild, and other friends in CA. who had also made contributions to the kits. They gave each and every one of you a clapping of hands to show their appreciation.
We ended the day with a brief cutting lesson, and the women left for home with hugs and happy faces. Judy and I decided to spend some time each day after the women have gone home, so I can keep her ahead of what they will be doing the next day. We were tired and happy when we left the school grounds about 2pm for our nearly 2mile walk home. The sun was very hot, and I had forgotten to bring my hat, so I was grateful for the breeze and each patch of shade along the dusty road.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and donations to this project. If you could meet these women, you would be so happy for your generosity. They are some of the "poorest of the poor" and have almost no means at all, and yet today, this project brought them a measure of HOPE.....which is everything!
Kitty
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