This past Friday night was an amazing one at the Gang's house! By 7:30 the downstairs of our home was filled with gals from church and our local adoption community. There was laughter, free-flowing conversation, and lots of fuzzy matter flying through the air. (Why did I think that wearing a black shirt and black sweater was a good idea that day?!)
We spent just over an hour and a half cutting and knotting around three tables and some floor space. I kept busy running scissors around the house for folks to share, since I had forgotten to call folks and ask them to bring extras.
By 8:45 we had 19 fully fringed cuddly blankets ready to be folded and packed. The other ten came with finished edges so the job was done.
With the final knot tied, we gathered around the folded and stacked blankets and prayed over each of them. Some ladies asked God to use the blankets to convey love and acceptance. Some prayed for the blankets to bring a spirit of hope. A couple prayed for safe and sure delivery to the children across all the miles between here and Beijing. A wise prayer, indeed! Yet others prayed for the Holy Spirit to go into and with each blanket and anoint each hand who touched it upon receipt.
A sweet presence of HIS LOVE and HIS PEACE was in the room and we were so excited to commission each of these blankets to do the work of HIS SPIRIT as they travel and get handed out to the children in Mei Mei's orphanage.
Then it was time to eat! I had lost track of who was bringing what by way of refreshments so we had two counter-tops filled with fruit, cookies, cookie bars, snack mixes, chips and salsa. I also forgot to take pictures of the beautiful food-spread - it was so colorful and eclectic. Much like the blankets we're sending off. Much like the sweet ladies and girls who came alongside of us and made this idea come to life.
29 blankets. Infused with HIS PRESENCE. Bringing light into a dark place. Bringing truth to lies. Bringing healing to brokenness. Through the touch of hands that care. And hearts that love what HE loves.
I am overwhelmed at the goodness of God in the person of my friends. May the Lord multiply their gift to the hearts and bodies of the little ones they touch, as only HE can.
29.
1 comment:
Our oldest daughter and her room mate in college brought something to Wright State University called "Project Linus" - and it started like yours - a few college kids getting together in the afternoon to tie blankets...Some 10 years later...about 8000 blankets have been tied and it's become a "major event" on campus with hundreds of students (and parents and siblings) showing up - fleece being donated by individuals and major companies - pizza just showing up from various sources - and a record last year of just over 1000 blankets being tied in a single afternoon! In this case all the blankets to police cars - fire stations - the local Children's Hospitals - and family crises centers.
And a few years ago a lot of the "moms" started brining sewing machines and sewing a WSU Project Linus tag onto them...
And over the years I've started to see some of these blankets "in the world" (WSU is about an hour north of us)...
And I have known that joy in the silence of my heart!
Know that joy!!
hugs - aus and co.
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