Refugee Sewing Society

The Bhutanese ladies in The Refugee Sewing Society are farmers and proud of it. At least they were farmers in Bhutan, until their Nepali bloodlines and religious beliefs made them persona non grata in their home country.

Most spent many years in a refugee camp in Nepal – where they also cultivated produce – before they were allowed to emigrate to the United States.

Wistful expressions appear on the ladies’ faces when they recall their crops and orchards in Bhutan. To honor that heritage – and to give them a helping hand using their green thumbs in Georgia – the RSS recently took the advanced sewing class on a shopping trip.

First stop was Dollar Tree, where everything costs a dollar or less. The goal was to find pots for these apartment-dwellers to plant in. Plastic buckets should work nicely – just remember to cut a hole in the bottom so water can drain out.

No stipulations were placed on the ten-dollar bill each woman received for the outing, so checkout time saw some unrelated purchases, such as “Jonny Cleaner.”

From Dollar Tree it was off to Hall’s Flower Shop and Garden Center, a 64-year-old business on Memorial Drive. Proprietors Betsy and Ken Hall graciously helped the RSS ladies choose plants and flowers, then gave them a discount on their purchases.

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant were the popular seedlings. Bright yellow marigolds were the flower of choice.

RSS ladies Jasoda and Aiti said the following week that their plants were doing well. “1-2-3 flowers” on her tomato plant, Jasoda reported. “Plant happy,” Aiti agreed.

By Amy Cornett

Our bead class learned to make wire swirl earrings before spring break, and I sent them home with enough wire to make 8 to 10 each during the break. All came back really done well -- except a couple of small problems, which were corrected in class.

Then there was Kuresho. She had not felt good all week and her work was not her best.  I showed her one good swirl she had made and gave the others back with some new wire. I told her not to worry, because we wouldn't start selling this design for another week.

One of our younger women, Khari, had to leave early, so we began wrapping up. I noticed Radhika H and Krishna talking in hushed voices, then they began talking to the others.  Kamara, who speaks good English, told Kuresho and me they each wanted to take a pair of Kuresho's swirl earrings and finish them before we left.

So six Hindu ladies took our little Swahili-speaking Muslim's “sick days” mess-ups and turned them into beautiful earrings. I kept telling them how sweet they were, and I told Kuresho that she had good friends -- really good friends.

At the end of class, I took a photo of them in the hall, surrounding Kuresho as she held her baggie of finished earrings. Thinking about it made me cry on the way home.

So many good things are happening among our ladies.  They are showing love and acceptance to those from other countries and beliefs.  They are also freely showing patience, consistency and most precious of all – joy.  When these women first came to us, they were quiet, careful, and probably fearful.  Time together and the love of our Lord Jesus has made such a difference. 

Now we are all dear friends – and sometimes they seem like part of my family – my extra, small, tan children. :-) This becomes apparent if I see my ladies in vulnerable situations because my Momma Bear self emerges.  One of our roles in teaching them is protecting them and making them know they are safe here.  

Do you hear that still, small voice inside your heart telling you to give yourself away?  Come and share your talents and love with the precious ladies of the RSS.  You’ll see the blessings flow.

By: Anne

What to do with a yarn class in Georgia during the 7 to 8 warm months of the year? Well…perhaps the ancient Bhutanese craft of backstrap weaving, as Dil demonstrates in the photo above.

In the past, a couple of members of our group had woven some bookmarks for us. Some had a cross on them, which gave us an opportunity to explain what the cross means to Christians. Could we make more of these, and perhaps market them to church bookstores?

Then a large youth group visited us during spring break. One of the boys made a paracord bracelet while he was with us. This set me thinking: could our weaving products include tie-on bracelets? And could they be in school or university colors?

Only God knows where this all will lead, but we have had fun trying to figure out how to make it work. Visit our store to look at what we have done already, and let us know if you like what we do.

Remember, this project is in the development phase, so we need input -- and ORDERS! -- to help us figure out the very best products to offer you. We can custom-make bracelets and bookmarks for special occasions, so please keep us in mind!

By: Cathy

Amy Cornett has been a volunteer leader with the Refugee Sewing Society for most of its existence.  In her other life, she's married to Bob, a mother of two, and Mamie to a pair of beautiful granddaughters.  She also produces, writes, directs, shoots, and edits for such clients as Coca-Cola and Home Depot. 

I took these photos before our Christmas party.  The bead group makes beautiful jewelry each week.  Here, they are working on a bracelet order for Georgia WMU.  The WMU in our state is actively involved in preventing and ending human trafficking.  Atlanta is a major hub for this illegal activity.

Khari (left) is fluent in English, though she is Bhutanese and lived most of her life in a refugee camp in Nepal.  She helps Amy with translation.  We're excited that not long after this photo was taken, she gave birth to her first baby!

The faces of the women in Amy's class are so beautiful.  Chhali Maya's profile shows her regal bearing. 

Kuresho, from Somalia, has been in Amy's bead group almost from the start.

Here are several of the other women in Amy's group.

Please remember Amy's bead students in your prayers.

Posted by: Anne Beach

December 27, 2011

I never expected to spend more than one day a week in the ministry of the Refugee Sewing Society.  I am very involved with a friend’s ministry in India, and I was quite sure God was not calling me to work in Clarkston!  Furthermore, I had a smocking business, and that consumed most of the rest of my free time.

God has a sense of humor!  Not only did He make it abundantly clear that my smocking business was at an end, He also gave me a deep love for these refugee women and this ministry.

I suppose we all are aware that we are very blessed to live in the United States.  Most of us feel some degree of guilt about our relative wealth, but we also don’t know what we can do to help others.  Send money to charities?  Build houses for Habitat for Humanity? Aid Katrina victims?  All are great ideas.  And I don’t want to discourage anyone’s participation in these fine causes.  But I do want to share my thoughts about the blessings I’ve found by volunteering to help a unique community near my house.

Clarkston, GA, is a 30-minute drive from my front door.  And it feels like about a million miles from our culture. Families have been resettled here by the United Nations so that they could escape ethnic cleansing and genocide.  The horrors of those wars are unimaginable to me.

I thought I was going to the RSS to help some new immigrants.  But it turns out that they have given me an unimaginable gift of love and acceptance into their culture.  It has allowed me to “travel” to cultures I would never otherwise experience, and to get to know individuals in a way I never could on a trip.

And it has blessed me beyond my wildest expectations!  I will never forget a moment when I asked one of my new students to sign her name on her W-2 form.  Not only did it seem like one of the first times she had ever signed her name, I am quite sure this was the first time she signed her name in order to get employment.  It was as if she was taking her first steps toward independence and self-sufficiency.  Watching her take that step was quite moving.

Volunteering also has challenged my understanding about what is “normal.”  There is a richness that comes from having your eyes opened to the many different ways people live and order their lives.  

I’d like to challenge you to think about ways you can serve others by volunteering!  With us? I hope so! There are so many ways to help, and not all of them require coming to Clarkston during our regular hours.  We need photographers, internet gurus, computer programmers, people to sit and talk with women.  And yes, we need hands-on workers  within our groups.

We had a wonderful time at our 2011 Christmas party.  Phil Kitchen, pastor of Clarkston International Bible Church, led us in a prayer of blessing and thanksgiving for our new home on the third floor and for all the women who join us for classes. 

"Pot luck" is not a common practice among the people groups we serve, but we asked them to bring food to share.  And they did!  

The food was yummy, as Aiti can testify!

Our Christmas program was filled with singing and personal testimonies by members of First Baptist Church Hendersonville, one of our faithful volunteer groups.  Susie told a story about her husband's love and God's faithfulness.  The women were enraptured.  One cried out, "I wish I had faith like that!"

The women love to dance and act silly.  We had an abundance of that!  First came the wearing of the star decoration that was supposed to be hanging from the ceiling.  What a bunch of giggly ladies we have!  Kuresho offered the first demonstration.

Durga was next . . .

and then Radhika took the runway to model our latest headgear.

There was plenty of dancing, too, though we were a tad crowded.

Binti shows off her drumming skills!

A good time was had by one and all!

Teej

On August 31st, the women of the advanced sewing class invited me to their colorful Hindu festival known as Teej. Our women worship in a collection of rented rooms inside a professional building in Clarkston. Bhutanese Hinduism has added Buddha as one of the many gods.

Teej combines lavish feasts, strict fasting, and worship. A primary item worshiped during Teej is the Lingam, the phallic symbol of their god Shiva. During the worship time, our women pray to the Lingam and their other gods for marital happiness, the well being of their husbands and children, and purification of their bodies and souls. Hinduism is a works-based religion, and Teej is one of the duties women must perform if they are to hope for a good afterlife. Here a priest blesses one of the women with a "tika" or dot on her forehead.

One of the most obvious highlights of the event is when the women arrive wearing their finest saris and gold. Red is an auspicious color in Hinduism, and Teej is the day for wearing red!

Our beloved Jasoda, whose husband was badly injured in a van accident (you may have prayed for them), has an adorable new daughter-in-law. Tiny Sabitra giggles almost all the time! Isn't she lovely?

Images the women worship are set up in a lavish display at the front of the room. The priest, left, talks to the women and reads from their Hindu holy books.

Priests also oversee the huge outpouring of sacrifices brought before the deities.

Here's a closeup of the primary god, Shiva, at this service.

Notice that incense, fruit, and money are gifts sacrificed before these images.

This brass image of Shiva has been dressed in miniature clothing and wears a lei of marigolds.

Women gather into groups to prepare their personal sacrifices. Here Jasoda is opening a box of cookies while her daughter-in-law prays.

At the main altar, you can see all kinds of gifts placed before the images.

Prayers are offered by women young and old.

Though the worship time was continuing, another activity quickly usurped everyone's attention. Taking photos! Of me! Again and again, I was asked to pose with women who are current or former students in the Refugee Sewing Society.

Here I am with Durga and Devi in red on my far left (currently in advanced sewing) and Ruk (in bead group) on my right.

Rhadika is a loyal member of Amy's bead class.

Leela was one of our first sewing students. She now works two jobs. I miss her so much and was really happy to see her at the festival.

And of course, pretty Sabitra!

I did some photographing, too. Here are Durga (current student) and Tulasa. She was in my sewing class until she had to go to work in a chicken factory.

This our sweet Chhali Maya, a faithful member of bead group.

The woman on the left is a new student in bead group. She speaks very good English and helps Amy communicate instructions.

After the worship came the dancing! This is an old traditional dance. Radhika (beads), Chhali Maya (beads) and Jasoda (sewing) display their talents.

Here the women dance in a circle. Jasoda loves to dance and sing.

Please pray for our women as we show them the Light of life. Now there's a real reason to dance!

People often ask how they can help the Refugee Sewing Society. Answering that call, many wonderful teams and individuals give time, talents, and treasures to the RSS. We love them all!

Here are a few of our volunteers and what they did for the refugee women.

This wonderful group from North Carolina spent several days with us. On the last day, they helped our women improve basic skills -- cutting, coloring, manipulating paper, and bending pipe cleaners. Americans learn these skills in kindergarten, but most of our refugees have never set foot inside a classroom.

This NC team taught how to make crepe paper flowers.

Others in their team helped the women use crayons and markers. Notice the concentration!

First Baptist Church Covington, GA, comes to see us once a month. So does First Baptist Church Mud Creek. Now that's commitment! These teams sort yarn, fabric, sewing notions -- anything we need.

They also help Tom, our administration leader, pack Missions in a Box orders or check inventory numbers.

Not all our visitors are teams. We have a lot of individuals who come to help us. Juanita sorted lace and helped organize yarn products.

Tiffany worked on our website and helped us "brand" ourselves in the world of social media.

Joann comes faithfully each Wednesday. She has organized patterns, taught sewing techniques, tested machines, and many other things.

If you want to pay the RSS a visit, just email us at refugeesewingsociety@gmail.com. There's always something to do!

We call our knitting/crocheting ladies the "Yarn Group." Stroll past the RSS yarn classroom each week, and you'll see a scene much like this:

The RSS yarn group is led by the talented Anne. She loves her ladies and has spent a lot of time learning the Nepali language. She also teaches students the English they need to know to succeed in creating beautiful products.

Most of Anne's students came with a basic knowledge of how to knit and crochet. Anne is teaching them how to read a pattern and how to knit items they've never seen.

Dil and her daughter come faithfully to class each week. Dil not only knits and crochets, she also knows how to weave. She often takes yarn home to her loom, where she turns it into bookmarks and bags.

Like the other women in class, Harka was unaccustomed to the array of different yarns to be found in America. Anne struggled to help them overcome their reluctance to try something new. Now Harka is making a gorgeous summer scarf out of a lightweight "eyelash" yarn.

Bhagirathi works on her summer scarf while seated on the floor -- a comfortable place most of the women prefer. Thanks to our supporters' generous donation of reading glasses, most of the women in the yarn group now sport brand new spectacles!

A few of the women try to perch on the sofas. "New Dil" as we call this recent attendee is an excellent knitter, but she'd probably prefer the floor!

Godeliva, from Congo, is a faithful member of the yarn group. Though disabled, she is a determined and dedicated group member. Her sister suffered severe injuries in a recent van accident, and Godeliva spent weeks caring for her. But as soon as her sister was able to fend for herself, Godeliva hurried back to class.

The RSS is grateful to our business partner, PureFUN!, for providing consistent orders of doll blanket/beanie sets made by our women. Learn more about PureFUN! on our "Partners" page. PureFUN! sells the blanket/beanie sets to their customers at cost.

Anne keeps track of the three sizes of sets her ladies make. Her quality control is rigorous.

One of many benefits the ladies receive in yarn group is the opportunity to chat with friends in a safe comfortable setting.

Friendships are treasured, but new knowledge is also eagerly sought. Most of the women in our classes have no clue about the symbolic significance Americans place on colors. Blue and pink for babies? Browns for autumn? Red and green for Christmas? Why?

Anne tried to teach the ladies that yellow and blue mixed together make green. The women flatly rejected that bit of information. So Anne held a watercolor painting day.

Well, what do you know? Blue and yellow DO make green!

The dedication with which Anne prepares for class and teaches her students, assures them that they are loved. We all love them deeply. And so does our God.

One day some of the Bhutanese women had taken down their hair and were rewinding it. I was stunned at the beauty and asked if I could take a picture. They shyly agreed.

What an amazing variety of styles our women sport! The Bhutanese have very long hair. Most have never cut it. Take a look at Gopi's fancy up-do and accessories.

I admire these natural wraps, too.

And of course, Tika's pretty braid.

Our Muslim Africans are covered, but some of our Africans don't mind showing their hair. Aren't Godeliva's soft glossy curls pretty?

Miriam sports a straight style.

One day Jesus was teaching his followers about how much God loves them. He pointed out that God cares for the needs of the tiniest sparrow. In Luke 12:6-7, Jesus asked: What is the price of five sparrows--two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. He went on to say: The very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.