Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Bag Love 'Round the World



I'm thinking about my friend Donna today.

She and her lovely daughter came to visit us back in May.

All the way from Australia.

Reuniting after twenty years made the good-bye a little teary- we'd reconnected in so many ways.


Having Donna back in my periphery reignited my smouldering creativity and we passed many an hour stitching in one another's presence- talking, sharing our hearts, and just being quiet together. Donna's particular affection for green and pink spurred me onto creating a series of totes and using delicate bits of old embroidery and hankies to employ their soft hues of green, rose, and pale blue.


When it was time for them to go, the green and pink cache went with her.

A few weeks ago, I received the following message from my gentle and compassionate friend:


I've been watching closely the impact of drought and famine in Somalia, Kenya etc.
We wanted to do more....... I think of anyone living in oz as living the dream no matter where you compare it to. We wanted to give (our church people) insight into

what others are doing around the world to help. Trying to inspire them to look

beyond themselves to a powerful God who takes our tiny offerings

and multiplies them to feed the hungry......just a little in our hands.....

.anyway...... I had just encouraged our congregation that maybe they

could go without a small luxury, for a day, week, year etc

(saying that this month I was not going to buy diet coke),

then together once a month we would take up a fast offering to send to Kenya.

People were so excited! I have caffeine free headaches!! Haha
Then your article (Winnipeg Free Press, Faith section, august 6, 2011)

came through to my facebook. I had the tech guys (at church) put it on our big screen,

held up your bags and told them the story of what you do.

A mum, with a big heart, a little at a time.......can make a difference.

I sold all the bags!!!!!!!!

Haha makes me cry.

Yesterday, Donna deposited $461.77 Canadian into our paypal account.Which I will forward to the United Nation World Food Program.


There are bags4darfur walking around in Australia as we speak. There are people eating as a result of it. Donna and her people are asking for more bags, and I'm prepping for the Brandon Big One, a large craft sale in Manitoba, happening on October 23 and 24, 2011.


Isn't life grand?

9 comments:

Hutt-Write Voice said...

Amazing story! Thanks for sharing! May God continue to bless your work!

christine said...

loving what you do. xo

Anonymous said...

Spreading your love & caring around the globe... incredible!
Will your bag booth be in Brandon on sat or sun during the craft show? :0)
Gail

joyce said...

I will be in Brandon for both days, Gail.

Lisa said...

Oh, Rubbish............and I decided not to be a vendor in Brandon this year:P
Hope it goes well and you have a lot of fun.
Lisa

Anonymous said...

A peek at the bags that will be at the Brandon sale would be sweet!
Thanks

Mary KG said...

This one made me cry. No matter who ar what or where. ONE PERSON at a time makes an impact on others -- either big or small. It all counts. Thanx Joyce. Thanx Donna. Beautiful

joyce said...

Lisa- it'll be awesome in any case- it's "going home" for me. Lots of friends to run into. And two days in a city that's close to my heart. Also the birth place of all four of our children. I think I'll always love Brandon.

anon: Yes, I know of what you speak. This is one of the ideas that I struggle with- how to share the bag love with my blog friends, while keeping what time I have free for designing more? A peek of sorts is in order. You are right. I'll work on that one.

Thanks Mary. You're the same you know. We all do our bits and life takes on a certain glow.

Hutt-Write Voice said...

I'm awarding you with the "One Lovely Blog' award. Stop by my blog to 'pick it up'.