Every Scrap Counts

Below is a letter is from Dr. Karen Asher who is preparing to leave for a Missionary assignment in Sierra Leone. So many of us are already doing so much charity work here at home as well as supporting missionaries at home and abroad; but when I heard of Dr. Karen's mission of teaching the women to sew and the needs of such simple sewing supplies like needles, thread, remnants of fabric, and even tape measures, I knew it wouldn't be a burden to help. I know I have items in my sewing room that I can give and I wouldn't even miss them! It was actually a relief to give away some of the fabric from my stash!! Here is her letter:

I can't tell you how pleased I am that you all would be willing to help the women of Sierra Leone. I can't tell you how hard the life is there. We complain about the cost of gas and expenses here but there they work for a week to pay for a gallon of gas. The majority of women I meet in Freetown have not only never been out of their city, but many have never been more than 5 blocks from their home. They have no prospects for making a living. They have no chance of education. Can you imagine what their response is when a woman from the church asks them if they would like to learn to sew?

They go to the church and the women give them some fabric and a needle and some thread and teach them to make patterns from newsprint. They often don't have measuring tapes so they take strips of fabric and make them from the one the church owns. They learn to make clothes and quilts and curtains and all the while they learn about Jesus; and through these women of the church, they feel His love for them.

Through this mission project the churches in Freetown, Sierra Leone, have grown from 3 to 12 and more each day. But the women who do the teaching have very little money of their own. A pastor's wife lives on less than $100 per month and manages to feed her family and many more who come to her door. These women want to continue to minister to the women of their communities, but they need to have supplies. They will give their time and their talent, but they need sewing supplies and material of all kinds. If the Lord lays it on your heart to help, please pack your donation in a plastic bag (ziplocks work great and can be reused) and mail them to :

World Hope Warehouse
1906 Gus Kaplan Dr.
Alexandria, LA 71301

Please mark on the outside of the box KWH (that means Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital), Dr. Asher, and the contents of the box (Material, thread, etc.). They will pack the contents in a container and when a container is full they ship it to Sierra Leone.

When we look in our belongings it is hard to believe that our hobby supplies can give a family hope and a plan for the future but it can!

God Bless you all!
Dr. Karen Asher