The dresses--not the girls (though we'd love to go to Botswana!).Two years ago, Kenna decided that she was destined to live in Botswana after reading an article in a National Geographic. Since she has been very persistent in her Botswana pursuit, I learned as much as I could about the country.
Botswana is the country right above South Africa. Diamonds are actively mined there. If you're into safari photography, Botswana doesn't disappoint. Sadly, the average life expectancy is 35 years as AIDS takes many lives.
So, for our family, Botswana became more a prayer project than a fascinating place filled with exotic cheetahs and expensive stones.
Still we really didn't know what to do. Until 2 months ago, when a lady from our church gave my girls some black yarn and asked if they would like to make hair for rag dolls that are sent all over the world to missionaries working with children.
The coordinator of the doll project called me and humbly asked if they could make 50 pieces of hair for a missionary in Botswana.
Botswana? Seriously? I was totally surprised. Of all the countries she was sending dolls to, Botswana topped the list. I told her how we loved the country, though we have no ties to it.
So my girls have been busy making hair to go on the rag dolls that the ladies sew and clothe.
Then two weeks ago, the coordinator called me and asked if I had ever heard of a pillowcase dress. Honestly I'd known about them for a long time, but only recently did I make one. A group of women from our church had purposed making these dresses for the Botswana children, as the children there only have their ragged school uniforms to wear.
I'm all for sewing for kids, so yesterday I made these for my girls to wear to model for our church as the pastor talked about this new ministry at the church.
We'll be donating the dresses the girls wore and the matching doll dresses that Cayli sewed to the Botswana project.
We feel very blessed to be a part of this project. I'm in awe of how a young girl's fascination for a foreign country has brought about an incredible opportunity for my family!
4 comments:
How awesome is our God to send your girls a special project?
The dresses and dolls are lovely. I'm bookmarking this page for a service club project and I don't even sew!
Julie, Isn't God awesome! We're so humbled by this opportunity. I've been praying that God will use us as He see fits, not as I tell him what we'd like to do. Just stepping back and letting God lead has allowed our family to take part in some nifty opportunities that I couldn't even plan!
Anyway, these dresses are easy, easy, easy! I'll post a tutorial soon on how to make them. If you (or anyone in your service club) can sew a straight line, you can make these! They would a great project for your group!
Melinda, what an amazing opportunity. I'm so happy for y'all. We are in the process of finding God's direction for our family in His service. Something that the kids can do.
We've been giving out tracts & telling people about the Lord. We would like to broaden our service. You've got my mind rolling. Now to pray about things & seek God's direction.
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