We're making lots of cool stuff, that's what! Have you counted the days to Christmas? Do you want awesome gifts that keep on giving? Why not shop with The Refugee Sewing Society! We're sewing really cute doll clothes. We have clothes that fit the American Girl size doll and also the Cabbage Patch doll. We're sewing two kinds of nifty bags. We have our standard market bag -- our biggest hit at only $10 each. Take a look at these pretty fabrics! Buddha is modeling our amazing red market bag. It was a huge success at our last market. We only have 17 of these lovelies left. Hinde is hard at work every time we open our doors. Big news -- we have a new kind of bag! We call it the refugee bag. It's so amazing that people keep buying them almost as fast as we make them. Tim graciously agreed to model the bag. It goes over your shoulder and across your chest. The zipper is on the inside. Becca, who's very happy with the new market bag that Zahra made, brought us the original refugee bag. The bag originated in Zambia. We're excited to watch the response to our newest product. Thanks Becca! How about this pretty fabric? We have several refugee bags still available in this pattern. But this is one of a kind! We're stitching, ironing, and folding these bags just for our customers. And as Zahra can tell you, we do measure carefully! Our beginner class is trying out for a job sewing sandal straps for a really wonderful company that benefits schoolgirls in Uganda. Our beginner class has many older Somali women. They can relate to the Ugandan girls. If you never went to school in your whole life -- like most of these Somali women -- measuring and sewing straight lines is a challenge. We're up to it! The yarn class is making our best-selling dishcloths. If you've ever used one, you'll know why we sold out at our last market! And they're only $3 each. Will wonders never cease? Shirley keeps the yarn ladies moving along. But we are in crisis right now. We have no yarn! And we also need very small crochet hooks. Can you help? Shirley keeps digging, but this basket doesn't contain the five loaves and two fishes. Nope, there's just nothing left. That's the last of our yarn on the table, so we really need your help. The doll blankets we made have gone over big. And Montaha will tell you how much fun she's having every time she gets paid. Today she let out a shriek and got positively hysterical with happiness! Hanaa is faithful to our program, gradually bringing her friends to join us one by one. Our bead group is busy, too. They are making gorgeous Christmas tree ornaments. I'll save them for another blog. Stay with me!
I had thought birthdays weren't much fun anymore. Wrong! This one turned out to be very special indeed. Friends and family showered me with special cards and gifts, making me feel so loved. The women all enjoyed the gorgeous bouquet Tim brought to our sewing room.
As always, Andrei baked a yummy and creative cake. This one is a book -- honoring my role as an author -- with a chocolate chip cookie "cover" and a "spine" made of iced Reese's peanut butter cups. Khaga and his wife, Jasoda, were tailors in their refugee camp in Nepal. They specialized in sari blouses and petticoats. I let them borrow a sewing machine one weekend -- not knowing that this beautiful blouse would be the result! Jasoda had been quite distressed that I didn't have a proper blouse for my sari. She and her husband were excited to give me their gift. Before I could unload the sewing machine from my car, Jasoda hoisted it onto her shoulder and set off. I almost imagined we were hiking up the Himalayas! Andrei has been baking a lot these days. Here's his Peterbilt semi cake. He made this for our church potluck. Andrei's cakes are always a highlight of the gatherings. Thank you, God, for another year with family and friends so greatly loved.
Joy broke out all over the place today! Amy, our amazing bead teacher, brought some clothes her mother wanted to donate. I have never witnessed such spontaneous ecstasy! The moment the women put on their new outfits, they all began to dance and sway around the room. Some of these women never smile. I have been utterly unable to lighten their hearts. But with pretty jackets, beaded sweaters, and the fun of something new to wear, they were transformed. Thanks, Amy -- and Amy's mom -- for your kindness!
The hands of my students always fascinate me. When I sing the hymn, "He's got the whole world in His hands," I always try to picture God's beautiful hands. We are made in His image, and how lovely are our hands.This young woman decorated her hands for Eid, the Muslim celebration that ends the month of fasting known as Ramadan. All day long at The Refugee Sewing Society, I watch hands at work . . . reaching for yarn . . . . . . gathering fabric for a puffed doll sleeve . . . . . . snipping thread . . . . . . turning a hem . . . . . . measuring carefully . . . . . . threading a sewing machine . . . . . . and, of course, sewing . . . May these hands fold in prayer to the Creator God, lord of heaven and earth.
September 3, 2009, was a really fun day for everyone! The entire staff of the North American Mission Board came to Clarkston for their Spiritual Focus day -- all 270 of them. They rolled into town on buses and set off to begin serving. This event was bathed in prayer from beginning to end. A great group came over to Clarkston Community Center to meet the women of The Refugee Sewing Society. I had the opportunity to show off the work our ladies are doing -- our cloth diaper initiative, our gorgeous beaded jewelry, our crocheted doll blankets, our tote bags, and much more. The NAMB staff had brought 40 kits to make beaded watches. Our women really enjoyed the time they spent making this craft. We invited members of two ESL classes for senior citizens to join the fun. It made for an interesting mix of men and women, Bhutanese and Somalis, young and old.The focus and concentration these refugees dedicate to every task is always an inspiration to me. Afterward, the women gathered in the hallways to greet the incoming NAMB staff for lunch. The men waited to greet guests, too.While our guests shopped in The Refugee Sewing Society marketplace, the dedicated Chik-Fil-A people brought in the lunch.NAMB people covered Clarkston that day, but we RSSers think we got the cream of the crop! They really blessed us with their willingness to plunge into this new world and make a difference in the lives of Atlanta's refugees.
As I was driving one of my students home, she got a very worried look on her face. She pointed to the beaded watch on her wrist and said, "Teacher . . . watch . . . for me?" When I nodded and told her that, yes, she could keep the watch, her face filled with emotion. "Thank you!" she said. I know that came right from the heart.
We are excited about dolls! Our awesome partner, Todd Harrison, was offering three sizes of dolls to the daycares his business serves. But he eventually had to stop selling the dolls because he couldn't find clothes to fit them. Along came The Refugee Sewing Society!I really enjoyed watching the women in my advanced sewing class when they saw the dolls for the first time. They hugged and cuddled those babies. They dressed them up. They rocked them. I guess girls are the same all over the world! I was excited about the opportunity to sew clothes for Todd's dolls, and I decided our new Iraqi student could take the first try. She was a seamstress before coming to America, and she can make anything. Surely she could make doll clothes, I thought. Wow -- was I ever right! One weekend at home sewing on her machine, and here came EIGHTEEN adorable dresses. And bloomers to match! Aren't they cute?Please pray that all the women can learn to sew these dresses -- perfect training for them to make clothes for themselves and their families!
We're sewing really cute doll clothes. We have clothes that fit the American Girl size doll and also the Cabbage Patch doll.
We're sewing two kinds of nifty bags. We have our standard market bag -- our biggest hit at only $10 each. Take a look at these pretty fabrics! 
Buddha is modeling our amazing red market bag. It was a huge success at our last market. We only have 17 of these lovelies left.
Hinde is hard at work every time we open our doors.
Big news -- we have a new kind of bag! We call it the refugee bag. It's so amazing that people keep buying them almost as fast as we make them. Tim graciously agreed to model the bag. It goes over your shoulder and across your chest. The zipper is on the inside. 
Becca, who's very happy with the new market bag that Zahra made, brought us the original refugee bag.
The bag originated in Zambia. We're excited to watch the response to our newest product. Thanks Becca!
How about this pretty fabric? We have several refugee bags still available in this pattern.
But this is one of a kind!
We're stitching, ironing, and folding these bags just for our customers.
And as Zahra can tell you, we do measure carefully!
Our beginner class is trying out for a job sewing sandal straps for a really wonderful company that benefits schoolgirls in Uganda.
Our beginner class has many older Somali women. They can relate to the Ugandan girls. If you never went to school in your whole life -- like most of these Somali women -- measuring and sewing straight lines is a challenge. We're up to it!
The yarn class is making our best-selling dishcloths. If you've ever used one, you'll know why we sold out at our last market! And they're only $3 each. Will wonders never cease?
Shirley keeps the yarn ladies moving along. But we are in crisis right now. We have no yarn! And we also need very small crochet hooks. Can you help?
Shirley keeps digging, but this basket doesn't contain the five loaves and two fishes. Nope, there's just nothing left. That's the last of our yarn on the table, so we really need your help.
The doll blankets we made have gone over big. And Montaha will tell you how much fun she's having every time she gets paid. Today she let out a shriek and got positively hysterical with happiness! Hanaa is faithful to our program, gradually bringing her friends to join us one by one.
Our bead group is busy, too. They are making gorgeous Christmas tree ornaments. I'll save them for another blog. Stay with me!
