We have had some tremendously full days at the bakery this week…a place that not only makes bread but that has kind of been turned into a learning center for beautiful yarn! I cannot wait to share all the beautiful colors and all that our girls are learning – they have far surpassed the umuzungus in their knowledge!
We are testing some local medicinal plants for color as those are usually the ones that produce good dyes…we hope to get some reds from sorghum stocks and a pale green from a local (unidentified) plant that is used for treating stomachaches. Thus far we have an orangey-red from madder root, a deep eggplant from logwood and a beautiful variety of gold from eucalyptus…or as we like to say….ewe-caylptus! The ladies bring a new plants or flowers with them to work everyday. They are so excited about their new knowledge!
Linda learned how to make a natural black dye when she was in India last month. So interesting! The dye bath is made from mixing a really raw form of sugar (before it is molasses) with gram flour. Then, she placed rusted metal in with this mixture. After 10 days of stirring periodically the mixture becomes a base for a natural black dye….our minds are on overload!
Additionally, Linda brought a beautiful loom donated to us by New Voyager Trading and she has been working diligently with the widows to teach them how to thread the loom in preparation for weaving! Oh, the things they will know! Everiste, our shepherd is taking very detailed notes and will continue to be our wool expert. He, along with our ladies are so thrilled for this new skill! Adera stated today that sitting in front of the loom was an honor. Wow.
Cynthia is purchasing 3 more sheep for TVM this weekend! With these three and two more lambs on the way, we will be up to 17 in our flock! Additionally, the Department Animal Husbandry for Rwanda is continuing to donate wool. It is wonderful what is happening here!
I want to share with you the story of Saveline, one of our widows. Savilene is 49 years old and is wearing her first pair of shoes- ever. Saviline’s story is remarkable. When I met her almost 2 years ago she could not speak – from depression and trauma.
Saviline was thought to be dead several years ago and her body was placed in a coffin…for two days. As they were nailing the coffin shut, preparing for burial on the second day, someone heard her sneeze. Her hands have never been the same. They are partially paralyzed. Remarkably, Savilene has now developed her own style of spinning. She uses the drop-spindle but twists it with one hand and holds the fiber with the other...not at all typical of spinning with a drop-spindle. Her yarn is a beautiful testament to how God continues to use her life. . These days, Saviline is a song leader. She often initiates the songs the widows sing and is always one of the first to start dancing. Tomorrow, she will help us with final preparation for threading the loom. She is truly a God-transformed woman.
Please pray for continued blessings of transformation for us all as we close out our final days in Rwanda. Please also pray for safety for Cynthia and Sean who will be blessed with going on a Gorilla Trek tomorrow.
In His service,
Diana
We are testing some local medicinal plants for color as those are usually the ones that produce good dyes…we hope to get some reds from sorghum stocks and a pale green from a local (unidentified) plant that is used for treating stomachaches. Thus far we have an orangey-red from madder root, a deep eggplant from logwood and a beautiful variety of gold from eucalyptus…or as we like to say….ewe-caylptus! The ladies bring a new plants or flowers with them to work everyday. They are so excited about their new knowledge!
Linda learned how to make a natural black dye when she was in India last month. So interesting! The dye bath is made from mixing a really raw form of sugar (before it is molasses) with gram flour. Then, she placed rusted metal in with this mixture. After 10 days of stirring periodically the mixture becomes a base for a natural black dye….our minds are on overload!
Additionally, Linda brought a beautiful loom donated to us by New Voyager Trading and she has been working diligently with the widows to teach them how to thread the loom in preparation for weaving! Oh, the things they will know! Everiste, our shepherd is taking very detailed notes and will continue to be our wool expert. He, along with our ladies are so thrilled for this new skill! Adera stated today that sitting in front of the loom was an honor. Wow.
Cynthia is purchasing 3 more sheep for TVM this weekend! With these three and two more lambs on the way, we will be up to 17 in our flock! Additionally, the Department Animal Husbandry for Rwanda is continuing to donate wool. It is wonderful what is happening here!
I want to share with you the story of Saveline, one of our widows. Savilene is 49 years old and is wearing her first pair of shoes- ever. Saviline’s story is remarkable. When I met her almost 2 years ago she could not speak – from depression and trauma.
Saviline was thought to be dead several years ago and her body was placed in a coffin…for two days. As they were nailing the coffin shut, preparing for burial on the second day, someone heard her sneeze. Her hands have never been the same. They are partially paralyzed. Remarkably, Savilene has now developed her own style of spinning. She uses the drop-spindle but twists it with one hand and holds the fiber with the other...not at all typical of spinning with a drop-spindle. Her yarn is a beautiful testament to how God continues to use her life. . These days, Saviline is a song leader. She often initiates the songs the widows sing and is always one of the first to start dancing. Tomorrow, she will help us with final preparation for threading the loom. She is truly a God-transformed woman.
Please pray for continued blessings of transformation for us all as we close out our final days in Rwanda. Please also pray for safety for Cynthia and Sean who will be blessed with going on a Gorilla Trek tomorrow.
In His service,
Diana
No comments:
Post a Comment