In the month of January we permitted a government approved charity to hold a small exhibition cum sale for 10 days in a tiny corner of our church campus.
This charity assists and trains underprivileged young women from rural and semi rural areas to learn various handicrafts and skills . After attending their school/college and finishing their household chores the girls come together to learn needlework skills.
They then sell the fruit of their labour in the city and handicraft fairs. The money they earn boosts their family income empowers them as women and gives them self confidence as useful earning members of society at large.
If they sell their products to city shops and traders, they have to contend with middlemen who buy them very cheaply and sell them at exorbitant prices. For example they would purchase a hand embroidered bed cover for Rs 300 or so and sell it for Rs 1000 in the shops. The girls hardly get anything for their labour.
The government has instituted an Handicrafts Association under whose umbrella charitable societies can run training programmes and also hold sales. Financial aid is provided for this purpose.
We thought this to be a noble idea , so these girls could display their skills and earn some money on our campus.
Have a look at their handmade linen and clothes
Our Father, the Weaver
By Ravi Zacharias
Some years ago, I was visiting a place known for making the best wedding saris in the world. They were the producers of saris rich in gold and silver threads, resplendent with an array of colors. With such intricacy of product, I expected to see some elaborate system of machines that would boggle the mind in production. But this image could not have been farther from the real scene. Each sari was made individually by a father and son team. The father sat above the son on a platform, surrounded by several spools of thread that he would gather into his fingers.
The son had only one task. At a nod from his father, he would move the shuttle from one side to the other and back again. This would then be repeated for hundreds of hours, until a magnificent pattern began to emerge. The son certainly had the easier task. He was only to move at the father's nod. But making use of these efforts, the father was working to an intricate end. All along, he had the design in his mind and was bringing the right threads together.
The more I reflect on my own life and study the lives of others, I am fascinated to see the design God has for each one of us individually, if we would only respond.
All through our days, little reminders show the threads that God has woven into our lives. Allow me to share a story from my own experience. As one searching for meaning in the throes of a turbulent adolescence, I found myself on a hospital bed from an attempted suicide. It was there that I was read the 14th chapter of John's Gospel.
My attention was fully captured by the part where Jesus says to his disciples: "Because I live, you shall live also" (John 14:19). I turned my life over to Christ that day, committing my pains, struggles, and pursuits to his able hands.
Almost 30 years to the day after this decision, my wife and I were visiting India and decided to visit my grandmother's grave. With the help of a gardener we walked through the accumulated weeds and rubble until we found the stone marking her grave.
With his bucket of water and a small brush, the gardener cleared off the years of caked-on dirt. To our utter surprise, under her name, a verse gradually appeared. My wife clasped my hand and said, "Look at the verse!"
It read: "Because I live, you shall live also."
A purposeful design emerges when the Father weaves a pattern from what to us may often seem disparate threads. Even today, if you will stop and attend to it, you will see that God is seeking to weave a beautiful tapestry in your life.
This charity assists and trains underprivileged young women from rural and semi rural areas to learn various handicrafts and skills . After attending their school/college and finishing their household chores the girls come together to learn needlework skills.
They then sell the fruit of their labour in the city and handicraft fairs. The money they earn boosts their family income empowers them as women and gives them self confidence as useful earning members of society at large.
If they sell their products to city shops and traders, they have to contend with middlemen who buy them very cheaply and sell them at exorbitant prices. For example they would purchase a hand embroidered bed cover for Rs 300 or so and sell it for Rs 1000 in the shops. The girls hardly get anything for their labour.
The government has instituted an Handicrafts Association under whose umbrella charitable societies can run training programmes and also hold sales. Financial aid is provided for this purpose.
We thought this to be a noble idea , so these girls could display their skills and earn some money on our campus.
Have a look at their handmade linen and clothes
The girls came by and chatted with mummy and me.
We asked them about their lives and families.
Before leaving they said
we spoke so kindly to them.
One girl remarked to my mother,
"Aunty we feel you have a heart
of compassion for the poor".
'Not all city women are so friendly '.
All glory belongs to God.
A few days ago I read in my newspaper that
my state of Uttar Pradesh has the most
cases of human rights violations
in the whole of India.
Most of these crimes are against women.
The police is no help
thousands of complaints
have been registered against
the police.
Read a report about this
from The Times of India
I want to conclude this post with a
positive note with
the following article by Ravi Zacharias
By Ravi Zacharias
Some years ago, I was visiting a place known for making the best wedding saris in the world. They were the producers of saris rich in gold and silver threads, resplendent with an array of colors. With such intricacy of product, I expected to see some elaborate system of machines that would boggle the mind in production. But this image could not have been farther from the real scene. Each sari was made individually by a father and son team. The father sat above the son on a platform, surrounded by several spools of thread that he would gather into his fingers.
The son had only one task. At a nod from his father, he would move the shuttle from one side to the other and back again. This would then be repeated for hundreds of hours, until a magnificent pattern began to emerge. The son certainly had the easier task. He was only to move at the father's nod. But making use of these efforts, the father was working to an intricate end. All along, he had the design in his mind and was bringing the right threads together.
The more I reflect on my own life and study the lives of others, I am fascinated to see the design God has for each one of us individually, if we would only respond.
All through our days, little reminders show the threads that God has woven into our lives. Allow me to share a story from my own experience. As one searching for meaning in the throes of a turbulent adolescence, I found myself on a hospital bed from an attempted suicide. It was there that I was read the 14th chapter of John's Gospel.
My attention was fully captured by the part where Jesus says to his disciples: "Because I live, you shall live also" (John 14:19). I turned my life over to Christ that day, committing my pains, struggles, and pursuits to his able hands.
Almost 30 years to the day after this decision, my wife and I were visiting India and decided to visit my grandmother's grave. With the help of a gardener we walked through the accumulated weeds and rubble until we found the stone marking her grave.
With his bucket of water and a small brush, the gardener cleared off the years of caked-on dirt. To our utter surprise, under her name, a verse gradually appeared. My wife clasped my hand and said, "Look at the verse!"
It read: "Because I live, you shall live also."
A purposeful design emerges when the Father weaves a pattern from what to us may often seem disparate threads. Even today, if you will stop and attend to it, you will see that God is seeking to weave a beautiful tapestry in your life.
15 Fertilize my soul:
What equisite work the women do! I know your church will be blessed for assisting them in finding a way to supplement their family income and for helping them to find purpose and value in their lives. It is the open door for introducing them to the Saviour! Thank you for sharing.
Many hugs............
Diane
Dear Amrita,
You have found a good way to help young girls to dignity and self providing. What wonderful work both you and they are doing.
I hope you also in this way have been a good introduction to what real Christianity is.
I am proud by the good testimony they gave you.
from felisol
Thank you for your positive encouragement Diane and felisol. I know you would have done the same if you were in my place.And you are reaching out to people around you too.
I have posted a newspaper link just now. Its about human rights violations in my state, thought people might be made aware of this too.
I have read about this program or one like it before, and was very touched by the story. It is so wonderful that these young women have a place where they can sell their exquisite handmade work.
What a blessing for them to be able to have a sale there on your loving and caring campus. May Jesus Light touch their lives and fill their hearts.
God's Blessings on you and your Mom for showing love to these young women.
Hugs ~ FlowerLady
I love both parts of this post, Amrita. The hours and hours and hours of careful work that have gone into that embroidery and sewing...I can't even imagine it. And to me, the most beautiful things are still made by hand.
And then the writing by Ravi Zacharias brought tears to my eyes. We don't always get to see the picture that God is weaving, but when He gives us a glimpse -- such as He gave Ravi at his grandmother's grave -- it is truly amazing and wonderful!
Beautiful workmanship by the young ladies....I really appreciate the fine quality of the work..
and yes, I've been reading about the violence in India..but didn't realize it was in your state...sending more prayers for your safety...
Hi Amrita,
This is exciting and wonderful news about how you are helping these young women become self supporting through their craft work.
One suggestion: think about setting up some sort of website where they can sell their handiwork on line to the world at large. Lots of work there, but with your computer skills that might be possible.
I also notice again how you yourself managed to weave a tapestry of words, experiences, newspaper clippings, and photos to portray Christ in India.
John
As always, an inspiring and uplifting post.
I love that embroidery, would love to wear that salwar suit :-)
Beautiful pictures of the clothing and embroidery-wish I could find that here in the usa. May God bless you as you share your life and heart with us as always:)
oh, the embroidery is amazing!
Oh what an inspiring post this is. Truly our heavenly Father is the Master Weaver, weaving different types and colors of threads to come up with an intricate design that was already embedded in His mind. And after the work is done, we see the most beautiful and awe inspiring finished product for all the world to marvel at. Helping the less privileged ladies in your place surely lighten the burden they have to carry on their tiny shoulders. Thanks for the post. God bless you always.
"She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands!, Proverbs 31: 13 - the woman of worth.
It's been a long, long while since my last visit. So good to be here and touched by your posts, Amrita.
A very inspiring post. I love the handicrafts displayed here. They are so colourful and pretty. I try to bring back a few handicrafts whenever I go to India.
I liked the quote from Ravi Zacharias. It's so true. God is the grand weaver.
Dar frinds I thank each one of you for talking to me.
Indian women are slowly emerging and world changers - the ones from poor backgrounds I mean.
The elite city women are very smart. These are the ones who have to be given a hand up.
Dear John, the social organization under whose direction these girls work arranges for the sale of the items produced by them. I will suggest the website idea to their President.
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