tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41701236603046192162024-03-13T23:48:00.096-07:00Congo Cloth Connection"EVERY STITCH A PRAYER" Create beauty with cloth purchased in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a way of learning about Congo, building relationships, and praying for these new friendships and our common well-being.Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-6872586293213003042013-08-15T11:39:00.001-07:002013-08-15T11:39:12.314-07:00from the FLORENCE CHURCH BLOG: SOUL TIED TO CONGO<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nina Lanctot and Deborah Kankolongo quilting on the 2013 CCC Auction quilt, Silverwood Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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When I remember a rich summer, what stands out most are SOUL
TIES.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love those moments of sinking
into the present, listening deeply, and engaging in heartfelt
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes there are
words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are also the times when an email, a
photograph, or side by side working together also take on that quality of
presence that makes me feel part of a huge, multivalent and fully alive world.
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While pastoral conversations and spiritual direction and
wise meditations in worship might be expected to elicit such soul ties, who
knew how many would arise at Camp Friedenswald during family camp?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or during the July Sunday hymn sing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or as I lay in my hammock in the early
morning and heard the serenade of the birds?</div>
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But maybe most improbably, who would think that in one week
wave after wave of soul ties with Congolese brothers, sisters, daughters and
friends would flood my soul?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such was
last week.</div>
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Rev. Damien Pelende, former leader of the Mennonite Brethren
Church in DR Congo (membership about 100,000) brought words of grace and
affirmation as he greeted Florence Church on Sunday 4 August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we had met at the first Congo Cloth
Connection Market in Pittsburgh (2009), a fresh wave of connection now was
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he shared that he
finished his term of leadership “leaving the church in peace,” and he affirmed
Florence for calling a woman pastor, I could hear layers I never would have
known when we dreamed of Congo Cloth Connections (CCC).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim Lind, his host, added that the MB Church
in Congo led the conservative MB denomination in the US and Canada toward
ordaining women by forging that significant road of ministry first.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Mama Felly, Papa Francois, Deborah, Nelson and guest in Kinshasa.</u></td></tr>
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The next day was my reunion with my “Congolese daughter,”
Deborah Kankolongo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Nancy Myers and </span>I quickly had
adopted the charming Debo when a guest of her parents, Pastor Francois Tshidimu
and his wife, Felly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our May 2012
trip to Kinshasa their open armed hosting of our threesome cloth delegation
created the soul ties we normally feel with family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was easy to be drawn into to Debo’s dreams
of education in the US and to practice English with her back then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Now we had the privilege of hosting her in her first week in the US and en route to study at Hesston College, KS.</span></div>
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This week we met, of all places, in the Kitchen Cupboard
Restaurant in downtown Shipshewana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
at the table, the Fellowship of the Cloth once more convened, with Nancy and
Vic Myers bringing Debo from their home as well as Rev. Biracara, vice
president of one of the other major Mennonite groups in Congo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jeanne Heyerling, one of our “quilt queens”
treated us to lunch as the conversation moved back and forth between Congo and
the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure enough, Rev. Biracara had
met Nancy and me during our 2012 stay in Kinshasa, even present when I preached
and the Ngaba congregation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small, small
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rev. Komuesa
(president CemCo), Rev, Biracara (vice president), Nancy Myers, June
Mears Driedger, Pastor Francois Tshidimu (our host), Pastor Azir (our
translator).</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Myers’ next stop with our guests was Menno-Hof, and the
BIG PICTURE Anabaptist story – from our perspective in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember the same tour with our first CCC
guests in the US, MarieJeanne Mujinga and Gaston Nkole.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaston Nkole and MarieJeanne Mujingo at Menno Hof (2009)</td></tr>
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For DR Congo, attending the
Congolese MennoniteCemCo Centenniel, as Nancy did last summer, would be the only comparable way to tell
their story.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congolese Mennonite Centennial (2012)</td></tr>
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Wednesday through Sunday the 18<sup>th</sup>, Deborah was
our Congolese daughter in our home, along with newly home, Rachel!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Soul
ties twined when Debo ate a “cookout” with CCC friends, or lunch with Rachel
and the GC grounds crew, visited Calendar Garden with the grands, helped Donald
with boat trailer repair, or played “Bop It” with Rachel and me.</span></span> </span> </div>
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All week Deborah anticipated
seeing her brother, Arsene, who came to the US to study in 1998.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had not seen him since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saturday we cleaned and cooked and set the
table for his noon arrival, and waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
ache can also be a soul tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ached for
her in the unknown of waiting and admired her for her confidence that he would
arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 7 pm Arsene,
now another new son the same age as my second, came beaming into the front
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Debo, unsure of just what to do,
finally flung herself into his arms!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
oh, my, the chatter we heard as they ate dinner in the next room was worth
every second of waiting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>French,
Lingala, Tchiluba, laughter, and deep groans of satisfaction danced through the
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dinner, Arsene proved to be
his father’s son with hours of great theological reflection about church in
Congo, Toronto and the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wore Debo
out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ghJpx-akaw/Ug0csSRAcfI/AAAAAAAACl0/7r4PMDVr6Pc/s1600/1017017_515473988538632_195297588_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ghJpx-akaw/Ug0csSRAcfI/AAAAAAAACl0/7r4PMDVr6Pc/s400/1017017_515473988538632_195297588_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry and Sara Braun, Deborah Kankolongo, Rachel Lanctot, Vic Myers, Arsene Tshidimu</td></tr>
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You would think there could be no better culmination than
having my Congolese daughter sing “You are my very breath” in worship on Sunday
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her heart had now caught up
with her body and her brother and us, all in one place, made soul ripples that
could be caught by Mama Nancy on iPad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In a final circle of blessing, we could send our own Naomi and Ruth on
their pilgrimages, US to Congo and back again.<br />
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But there is more!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>News
came in the midst of all this hosting, giving and receiving, of a precious
birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leya and George were given the
gift of a precious baby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suzanne
wrote:<br />
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Our MCC Baby has arrived, and she is beautiful. She
was born yesterday<br />
morning by c-section and weighs 3.5 kg, about 7 pounds. Her little face
is<br />
that perfect mix of pink and brown. She has lots of soft, dark hair.<br />
<br />
I think her name is going to be Jenova (pronounced with a soft J and equal<br />
emphasis on each syllable), which is a shortened form of "Jésus notre<br />
faveur" = Jesus our favor. Her "little" name will be Favi
("faveur de Dieu"<br />
-- I don't know if we would say "God's favor" or "favored
by God." But in<br />
any case they feel strongly that God has given them a great favor and/or has<br />
favored them with this child.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xyC8yyTYrCs/Ug0SrgCqLbI/AAAAAAAACkA/RUrCzvgirYY/s1600/Favi+day+2+006.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xyC8yyTYrCs/Ug0SrgCqLbI/AAAAAAAACkA/RUrCzvgirYY/s400/Favi+day+2+006.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leya, "Favi," George (Kinshasa, August , 2013)</td></tr>
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I remembered clearly when Leya and George lost their second
baby at childbirth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we heard the
news, it seemed something must be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So Christine Nofsiger, Mama CCC, pieced together a comforter for
Leya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knotted it in church two days
later, and sent it in Dr. John Marten’s suitcase on Monday to Kinshasa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, surely this is a soul tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bF_T_mD0lMw/Ug0XdxHQK1I/AAAAAAAACk0/uvpIVhuG7Ac/s1600/DSCN6491.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bF_T_mD0lMw/Ug0XdxHQK1I/AAAAAAAACk0/uvpIVhuG7Ac/s400/DSCN6491.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Leya's Comfoter," designed by Christine Nofsinger, pictured here with David Wenger.</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Every stitch a prayer” has been our Congo Cloth Connection
motto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say, every visit, a
quilt!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every baby, a comforter!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every conversation, a wondrous weaving of
soul ties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God indeed can accomplish far
more than we can ask or imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Ephesians
3:20)</div>
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<span class="text">“…infiniment plus que tout ce que nous
demandons ou pensons</span>…”</div>
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“Faveur de Dieu” indeed!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W7Vn4g20QDM/Ug0apHyPj0I/AAAAAAAAClM/8SVobcIq-xQ/s1600/Favi+day+2+007.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W7Vn4g20QDM/Ug0apHyPj0I/AAAAAAAAClM/8SVobcIq-xQ/s640/Favi+day+2+007.JPG" width="480" /></a> </div>
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Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-60077017517892853422012-06-12T09:17:00.006-07:002012-06-12T09:54:38.361-07:00"Journey to Congo and Back"<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uE05fQs4rso/T9dt6VrwKrI/AAAAAAAACWk/M5c6xTwKyO8/s1600/Journey%2Bto%2BCongo%2Band%2BBack.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uE05fQs4rso/T9dt6VrwKrI/AAAAAAAACWk/M5c6xTwKyO8/s400/Journey%2Bto%2BCongo%2Band%2BBack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5753187898009594546" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>A wall hanging “Journey to Congo and Back”, donated by Jenelle Buschur will be sold at the <a href="http://www.blackswampbenefit.org/site/default.asp?sec_id=180005018"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">2012 Black Swamp Benefit Auction, June 15-16.</span> </a><a href="http://www.blackswampbenefit.org/site/default.asp?sec_id=180005018"> </a>Thanks to Carolyn Snyder for piecing, CaraLou Grieser for marking, and the MCC Tatter Club at Care & Share in Archbold for quilting this piece.</blockquote><p>I keep returning to this quilt and its intricate interplay of design, coming and going, intensity of color, care in hand work, women joining women. It is an excellent metaphor for the deep turning and re-turning of my soul after our Congo Cloth Delegation to Kinshasa in May of this year. </p><p>Since internet access was limited during our stay in Kinshasa, we posted most of our photos and reflections on Facebook at the Congo Cloth Connection page.</p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ogN5J-MQBbE/T9dt6wYCO9I/AAAAAAAACW8/WHb3Yy428XU/s1600/DSCN5595.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ogN5J-MQBbE/T9dt6wYCO9I/AAAAAAAACW8/WHb3Yy428XU/s400/DSCN5595.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5753187905174649810" border="0" /></a></p><p>However, my sister pilgrims in The Fellowship of the Cloth continue to write beautiful reflections in their blogs.</p><p> Please read <a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);" href="http://www.junemearsdriedger.wordpress.com/">June Mears Driedger's day to day account blog</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"> </span>of our journey here:</p><p> </p><p>Nancy Myers will be returning to Congo in July for the Centennial celebration. It has been one hundred years since the first Mennonite missionaries from the US traveled to Congo. 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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqSznEm7Ntk/T9dt6uZIy8I/AAAAAAAACWs/RLNWZ-GUrbY/s1600/Cover%2Bphotos%2B%25231.2jpg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqSznEm7Ntk/T9dt6uZIy8I/AAAAAAAACWs/RLNWZ-GUrbY/s400/Cover%2Bphotos%2B%25231.2jpg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5753187904642403266" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">Cover photo for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Jesus Tribe: Grace Stories from Congo’s Mennonites, 1912–2012</i>, to be published later this summer and translated from French to English by Nancy Myers.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqSznEm7Ntk/T9dt6uZIy8I/AAAAAAAACWs/RLNWZ-GUrbY/s1600/Cover%2Bphotos%2B%25231.2jpg.jpg"></a></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-65734077899361431312012-05-02T13:02:00.005-07:002012-05-02T13:55:01.441-07:00The Beauty of Women Theologians -- and connections<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V2BXH6oOzV8/T6GeDIwhtHI/AAAAAAAACVc/LKfJVnJw0kg/s1600/DSCN1518.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5738041176974537842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V2BXH6oOzV8/T6GeDIwhtHI/AAAAAAAACVc/LKfJVnJw0kg/s400/DSCN1518.JPG" /></a> <br /><div><br /><blockquote><br /><blockquote><br /><p>“The body of Christ is a unique organization in all the world. We do not have the power of weapons of destruction, but we have the power of healing and hope. And I feel and know that power when I am with you all here today.</p></blockquote><br /><br /><p>In the light of the first day in Kinshasa, Suzanne Lind took Nancy Myers and I to a gathering of women theologians at the Christian University of Kinshasa. (Our fellow pilgrim, June, stayed and rested in the Lind apartment, not feeling well.)<br /><br />I have heard that it is common to be called upon the “give a word” in such gatherings. The quote above was what the Spirit brought to me. Reviewing my visits with some of these women at Mennonite World Conference gatherings, and bearing witness to the strength of their testimony to us there, felt like a way of completing a circle –<br />circulation in the body of Christ.<br /><br />They provided a wonderful Congolese feast for us, presented us with flowers, and shared some of their hopes and questions. It was powerful to be in the classroom where theology is taught and imagine these women making the many sacrifices they do to serve the church.<br /><br />I promised to bear the gift of their power – song, ululating, honoring of one another and us, sharing their successes and struggles – in my heart to you.</p></blockquote></div>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-91657201084340567722012-04-20T05:27:00.004-07:002012-04-20T05:40:29.222-07:00Cloth Delegation to Kinshasa April 30-May 16<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> <o:targetscreensize>1024x768</o:TargetScreenSize> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> 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mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"">Nancy Myers, June Mears Driedger and Nina Lanctot are so grateful to have been invited for a church to church visit by the Bondeko Mennonite Congregation in Kinshasa, DR Congo. As part of Congo Cloth Connection we will stay in homes, spend time with friends who visited with us here in the US, and visit the BOMEN Sewing Group. We are grateful for Christine Nofsinger and Suzanne Lind who have helped us prepare. My granddaughter's friend, Curious, will be a travel companion! You can follow our adventures on Facebook at Congo Cloth Connection as well as here at congocloth.blogspot.com. Thanks to all of you who have helped us make this trip -- April 30 through May 16 -- a reality.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"">It all began here, with Christine Nofsinger going to Congo for Rose Lind's graduation. I will refresh this story of this project in the coming days.</span></p> <p><br /></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c5HkpZEaxYE/T5FYtbdZ_LI/AAAAAAAACUQ/gzEIYewu7Ss/s1600/chris%2Bcongo%2Bpicture%2B056.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c5HkpZEaxYE/T5FYtbdZ_LI/AAAAAAAACUQ/gzEIYewu7Ss/s400/chris%2Bcongo%2Bpicture%2B056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733461338107804850" border="0" /></a></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-41248308856074481922011-08-25T11:11:00.000-07:002011-08-25T11:25:10.163-07:00CONTINUING CONNECTIONS<span style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic;">We promised to keep sharing how the connections and ideas and relationships and prayers keep unfolding from Congo Cloth Connections. I am ready to "get back into the blogger seat!" Keep sending us photos and stories at florence.brethren.mennonite@gmail.com Nina</span><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">FROM PATSY SHERER</span></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fMdpcVl4Gfg/TlaRNILaCHI/AAAAAAAAB_0/j9jHlXshmhE/s1600/IMG_0207.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fMdpcVl4Gfg/TlaRNILaCHI/AAAAAAAAB_0/j9jHlXshmhE/s400/IMG_0207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644858837675149426" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I brought 4 yards of this summery watermelon-looking cloth home from the Mennonite convention in Pittsburgh and turned it into a tablecloth. I added a strip of the same material to each side to make it wide enough for my table.</span></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">FROM LOUISE MATTHEWS</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have attached a photo taken at The Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center of Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio to include in your blog for the Congo Cloth Connection.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JkXzi8hKgU/TlaRM815WPI/AAAAAAAAB_s/iLVyqFwQDB0/s1600/IMG_9704.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JkXzi8hKgU/TlaRM815WPI/AAAAAAAAB_s/iLVyqFwQDB0/s400/IMG_9704.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644858834632136946" border="0" /></a>
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<br />I recently presented a program called "Global Connections" with interactive activities for local children in grades 1-6. Five international students who attend Bluffton University from Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria shared about their country and culture. As a finale, participants dressed in international fashions for a group photo.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9KGZTsPaTek/TlaSoFwBOEI/AAAAAAAAB_8/7kE_4I7aEjA/s1600/IMG_9704%2B%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9KGZTsPaTek/TlaSoFwBOEI/AAAAAAAAB_8/7kE_4I7aEjA/s400/IMG_9704%2B%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644860400391501890" border="0" /></a>
<br />The fabric was purchased through CCC at the Mennonite Convention in Pittsburgh, PA and five of the skirts with matching head scarves shown in the photo were custom designed and sewn by Marie-Jeanne Mujinga while at convention.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C4BeCvlY9_s/TlaSogvBI_I/AAAAAAAACAE/2SkuGNQq2F8/s1600/DSCN7047.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C4BeCvlY9_s/TlaSogvBI_I/AAAAAAAACAE/2SkuGNQq2F8/s400/DSCN7047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644860407635059698" border="0" /></a>
<br />Special thanks to Elizabeth Shelly for her generous donation to The Lion and Lamb for me to purchase CCC fabric and to Marie-Jeanne for her willingness to design and sew outfits for my programming with children. This provided a wonderful opportunity for "building bridges" at the Pittsburgh convention and beyond. I look forward to sharing these outfits with children at future global connection events at The Lion and Lamb.
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<br />Blessings~Louise Matthews
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<br />The Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center
<br />Bluffton University
<br /><a href="tel:419.358.3207" value="+14193583207">419.358.3207</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.bluffton.edu/lionlamb/" target="_blank">www.bluffton.edu/lionlamb/</a><<a href="http://www.bluffton.edu/lionlamb/" target="_blank">htt<wbr>p://www.bluffton.edu/lionlamb/</a><wbr>></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"> </p><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style=" ;font-size:12pt;" ></span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span></span> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4JkXzi8hKgU/TlaRM815WPI/AAAAAAAAB_s/iLVyqFwQDB0/s1600/IMG_9704.JPG">
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<br /></p> Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-85606768652533188522011-07-08T10:22:00.000-07:002011-07-08T10:35:01.866-07:00Quilt Auction! $4210!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w3dfyM8-3tQ/Thc9pEKC9oI/AAAAAAAAB80/A-3HPP4IZBc/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B087.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w3dfyM8-3tQ/Thc9pEKC9oI/AAAAAAAAB80/A-3HPP4IZBc/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627034035122534018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgN4s3hYmfg/Thc-jugjlLI/AAAAAAAAB98/a-8S_SAmkBc/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B094.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgN4s3hYmfg/Thc-jugjlLI/AAAAAAAAB98/a-8S_SAmkBc/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627035042923648178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rno-Vjfi1uM/Thc-jTJlO_I/AAAAAAAAB90/ZvFWF2uUAQw/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B098.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rno-Vjfi1uM/Thc-jTJlO_I/AAAAAAAAB90/ZvFWF2uUAQw/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627035035579530226" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZb9k6yzgzg/Thc-i_eNrsI/AAAAAAAAB9s/DyFopfp2-AI/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZb9k6yzgzg/Thc-i_eNrsI/AAAAAAAAB9s/DyFopfp2-AI/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B100.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627035030297358018" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cK6ZOE0nacM/Thc-iSkXUnI/AAAAAAAAB9k/ozZ-Dl_R6w0/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cK6ZOE0nacM/Thc-iSkXUnI/AAAAAAAAB9k/ozZ-Dl_R6w0/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627035018243560050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHbB_omrcI4/Thc-iMeHqhI/AAAAAAAAB9c/wkYJbQVLaQE/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B104.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHbB_omrcI4/Thc-iMeHqhI/AAAAAAAAB9c/wkYJbQVLaQE/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B104.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627035016606755346" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv-ueScPZJE/Thc9qebLrCI/AAAAAAAAB9M/VI4QmlkoQ1Y/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B106.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv-ueScPZJE/Thc9qebLrCI/AAAAAAAAB9M/VI4QmlkoQ1Y/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627034059353599010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8egnmom0tmM/Thc9pwwY9BI/AAAAAAAAB9E/2LhWW4dPZcE/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8egnmom0tmM/Thc9pwwY9BI/AAAAAAAAB9E/2LhWW4dPZcE/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627034047094518802" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJM2s_7EfdI/Thc9q6-hrxI/AAAAAAAAB9U/Fx01R5O0t4A/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B105.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJM2s_7EfdI/Thc9q6-hrxI/AAAAAAAAB9U/Fx01R5O0t4A/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627034067018034962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmD8R4u4Pck/Thc9piLcnhI/AAAAAAAAB88/yx9y7pvJRpk/s1600/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmD8R4u4Pck/Thc9piLcnhI/AAAAAAAAB88/yx9y7pvJRpk/s400/CCC%2BPitt%2BThurs%2B112.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627034043181473298" border="0" /></a>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-72150083318736493022011-07-07T09:38:00.000-07:002011-07-07T10:00:22.209-07:00CCC on Day Three at MCUSA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JoBQCRcODa4/ThXl_mFpGrI/AAAAAAAAB8k/6qQhGdiAhP8/s1600/DSCN7187.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JoBQCRcODa4/ThXl_mFpGrI/AAAAAAAAB8k/6qQhGdiAhP8/s400/DSCN7187.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626656190188034738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EEtQoCNVods/ThXl-F92_uI/AAAAAAAAB8c/V3lCwcSfJaQ/s1600/DSCN7180.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EEtQoCNVods/ThXl-F92_uI/AAAAAAAAB8c/V3lCwcSfJaQ/s400/DSCN7180.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626656164385586914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bVAZSknYIAc/ThXmDGVO0dI/AAAAAAAAB8s/qM6FVcR115U/s1600/DSCN7178.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bVAZSknYIAc/ThXmDGVO0dI/AAAAAAAAB8s/qM6FVcR115U/s400/DSCN7178.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626656250382963154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d9zu85OJQYo/ThXlS7TIZVI/AAAAAAAAB8M/_dS5ZkCAw4g/s1600/RSCN7200.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d9zu85OJQYo/ThXlS7TIZVI/AAAAAAAAB8M/_dS5ZkCAw4g/s400/RSCN7200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626655422787642706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XFx-jU0a20k/ThXlRRgKTyI/AAAAAAAAB70/N2Dw6U7E4tg/s1600/RSCN7202.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XFx-jU0a20k/ThXlRRgKTyI/AAAAAAAAB70/N2Dw6U7E4tg/s400/RSCN7202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626655394388135714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42pCNX7cMFo/ThXlTDPJQPI/AAAAAAAAB8U/dwO82FwZkZY/s1600/RSCN7199.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42pCNX7cMFo/ThXlTDPJQPI/AAAAAAAAB8U/dwO82FwZkZY/s400/RSCN7199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626655424918405362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvM-73E6vEY/ThXkTO9zdwI/AAAAAAAAB7E/P3dhYTOA6gk/s1600/DSCN7165.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 353px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvM-73E6vEY/ThXkTO9zdwI/AAAAAAAAB7E/P3dhYTOA6gk/s400/DSCN7165.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626654328555271938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux9_JB00OQw/ThXkSJ3C_6I/AAAAAAAAB68/XuY6sUNM58Q/s1600/DSCN7161.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux9_JB00OQw/ThXkSJ3C_6I/AAAAAAAAB68/XuY6sUNM58Q/s400/DSCN7161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626654310004883362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJkf2H7kIkU/ThXkRlPbTiI/AAAAAAAAB60/bng7Nqjb1FA/s1600/DSCN7153.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJkf2H7kIkU/ThXkRlPbTiI/AAAAAAAAB60/bng7Nqjb1FA/s400/DSCN7153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626654300175027746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P4D6HsfMvCg/ThXkRSNn9GI/AAAAAAAAB6s/x-ohlSLlAzs/s1600/DSCN7146.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P4D6HsfMvCg/ThXkRSNn9GI/AAAAAAAAB6s/x-ohlSLlAzs/s400/DSCN7146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626654295067194466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UVhEsrESXI/ThXkTYTHaXI/AAAAAAAAB7M/Sg_nGfhf-Hc/s1600/DSCN7166.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UVhEsrESXI/ThXkTYTHaXI/AAAAAAAAB7M/Sg_nGfhf-Hc/s400/DSCN7166.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626654331060578674" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ik1GOwkwYjg/ThXh8cmrl_I/AAAAAAAAB6k/AJr8OUbPEuM/s1600/DSCN7141.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 222px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626651738056136690" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ik1GOwkwYjg/ThXh8cmrl_I/AAAAAAAAB6k/AJr8OUbPEuM/s400/DSCN7141.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tEg7ID-1xGo/ThXh8PKpLeI/AAAAAAAAB6c/J4HW1Trs1XI/s1600/DSCN7139.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 300px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626651734448877026" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tEg7ID-1xGo/ThXh8PKpLeI/AAAAAAAAB6c/J4HW1Trs1XI/s400/DSCN7139.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwIjsYdy3Us/ThXh5G1pFdI/AAAAAAAAB6U/0REEO4nqGws/s1600/DSCN7136.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626651680673699282" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwIjsYdy3Us/ThXh5G1pFdI/AAAAAAAAB6U/0REEO4nqGws/s400/DSCN7136.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug5miBE6mbw/ThXh4o4RFNI/AAAAAAAAB6M/3SPpnAf3olE/s1600/DSCN7135.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626651672631645394" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug5miBE6mbw/ThXh4o4RFNI/AAAAAAAAB6M/3SPpnAf3olE/s400/DSCN7135.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vm8Gh5WWx8A/ThXh4YFvkMI/AAAAAAAAB6E/JmuvMz6zuY8/s1600/DSCN7117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626651668124766402" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vm8Gh5WWx8A/ThXh4YFvkMI/AAAAAAAAB6E/JmuvMz6zuY8/s400/DSCN7117.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Congo Cloth Connection pictures worth millions of words...</div></div></div></div></div></div>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-52824781201091288382011-07-06T16:42:00.000-07:002011-07-06T17:28:52.196-07:00CCC @ MCUSA CONBENTION 2011 PITTSBURGH, PACONVENTION DAY ONE<br /><br />Monday 4 July<br /><br />After a long days of driving on either Sunday or Monday, all the CCC crew arrived. Tim Lind remained at home due an illness in the family, so Nina's first task was scrambling for translators for Marie-Jeanne and Gaston. Just before the evening worship they met Steve Wiebe-Johnson who served as their worship host. When they finally found their way back to the CCC booth after worship, Nina had encountered Jeanette Krabill, the angel of francais, who has been a beautiful and helpful presence in our booth ever since.<br /><br />The Sunday travel group had been working all day, without air conditioning, setting up the Congo Cloth Connection booth and folding fabric for display. It is gorgeous!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NoRHjg_cxg/ThT6xPT6ZpI/AAAAAAAAB5s/6tAqECkDqTg/s1600/IMG_4255.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NoRHjg_cxg/ThT6xPT6ZpI/AAAAAAAAB5s/6tAqECkDqTg/s400/IMG_4255.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626397558323177106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCFgAzq-PRE/ThT6wCrSnAI/AAAAAAAAB5U/yj-SDN_Vpb8/s1600/IMG_4250.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCFgAzq-PRE/ThT6wCrSnAI/AAAAAAAAB5U/yj-SDN_Vpb8/s400/IMG_4250.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626397537751702530" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When Nina and Nancy and Marie-Jeanne arrived they added a sewing table and sewing machine and poster of dress design from Congo so that the “dress shop corner” was ready to go! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auNt4KvMqpM/ThT5Ugsc5eI/AAAAAAAAB40/_oqKsAO-lRk/s1600/IMG_4223.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auNt4KvMqpM/ThT5Ugsc5eI/AAAAAAAAB40/_oqKsAO-lRk/s400/IMG_4223.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626395965261669858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhBYd6z2LW4/ThT5V3tcr_I/AAAAAAAAB5E/Bo8dnFqlMHo/s1600/IMG_4234.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhBYd6z2LW4/ThT5V3tcr_I/AAAAAAAAB5E/Bo8dnFqlMHo/s400/IMG_4234.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626395988619735026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When the Exhibit Hall opened at 8:45 pm, the booth was flooded with people, full of delight, interest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sNVnG1vcD0k/ThT5UAKRGxI/AAAAAAAAB4k/eyQT6XHb6MI/s1600/DSCN7102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sNVnG1vcD0k/ThT5UAKRGxI/AAAAAAAAB4k/eyQT6XHb6MI/s400/DSCN7102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626395956528356114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ervin Stutsman, executive director of MCUSA, was one of the first to come and stitch on the “Every Stitch a Prayer” quilt.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L5a16x58fTs/ThT4EH4XnxI/AAAAAAAAB38/A0k1c31V1bI/s1600/DSCN7040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626394584211234578" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L5a16x58fTs/ThT4EH4XnxI/AAAAAAAAB38/A0k1c31V1bI/s400/DSCN7040.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Youth really enjoyed dropping in to make bookmarks out of Congo cloth.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FMBrdtbjfOI/ThT4EsbXawI/AAAAAAAAB4E/IkKezt5GVkQ/s1600/DSCN7045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 266px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626394594021698306" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FMBrdtbjfOI/ThT4EsbXawI/AAAAAAAAB4E/IkKezt5GVkQ/s400/DSCN7045.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Over $800 of donations were given in exchange for many yards of cloth. And Marie-Jeanne began to take orders for custom made items.<br /><br /><br />CONVENTION DAY TWO<br /><br />Tuesday 5 July<br /><br />The booth was open from 11 am to 11 pm with volunteers taking shifts. Steady interest generated over $2000 in donations!<br /><br />Louise Matthew of the Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center of Bluffton College ordered five skirts and head scarves from Marie-Jeanne. They use these cross cultural clothes to teach about diversity and peacemaking. What fun it was to see the variety of fabrics and skirt designs Marie-Jeanne created! Several girls came through and were willing to model them for us. And some lovely ladies, as well…<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gG9qQRuRYIg/ThT4FJgTeAI/AAAAAAAAB4M/HJPtQT9iHEQ/s1600/DSCN7047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626394601827039234" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gG9qQRuRYIg/ThT4FJgTeAI/AAAAAAAAB4M/HJPtQT9iHEQ/s400/DSCN7047.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kR_2ToNY4zI/ThT4FrxGY8I/AAAAAAAAB4U/wncGBuYAecw/s1600/DSCN7052.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 266px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626394611024290754" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kR_2ToNY4zI/ThT4FrxGY8I/AAAAAAAAB4U/wncGBuYAecw/s400/DSCN7052.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sylvia Shirk was Marie-Jeanne’s interpreter for the Mennonite Women Dinner. This gave her a chance to hear some excellent preaching by Meghan Good and Eli Soto Albrecht, in translation. They she was ready to keep sewing until 11 pm. She is a wonder!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HIVYtac-9_I/ThT4GBVQjxI/AAAAAAAAB4c/T8B3l_HXIc0/s1600/DSCN7059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 266px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626394616813096722" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HIVYtac-9_I/ThT4GBVQjxI/AAAAAAAAB4c/T8B3l_HXIc0/s400/DSCN7059.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I had some time to work on the prayer cards that are part of “Every Stitch a Prayer.” I had made some cards by sewing and praying on Congo cloth. Suzanne Lind took them to Congo. Cisca Ibanda shared them with a group of women from all three Mennonite groups in Kinshasa, and they sent their prayer requests back. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rbzJFfVpNxQ/ThT6wqVrKxI/AAAAAAAAB5k/9mGPvU2eN58/s1600/IMG_4254.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rbzJFfVpNxQ/ThT6wqVrKxI/AAAAAAAAB5k/9mGPvU2eN58/s400/IMG_4254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626397548398455570" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-67CFPE6d75U/ThT6v_ky0jI/AAAAAAAAB5M/9QEymh3ec6Q/s1600/IMG_4242.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-67CFPE6d75U/ThT6v_ky0jI/AAAAAAAAB5M/9QEymh3ec6Q/s400/IMG_4242.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626397536919147058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On Tuesday evening I was able to sew and pray again, this time with particular women in mind. I prayed for a son who had rebelled against his family, for a daughter who had been ill for 37 years, for a son that could not find work and a son who cut off all communication with family. I will send back my own requests: for my son who is looking for work, for my daughter who is looking for the right relationships, for health and blessing from my only granddaughter who just learned to walk. Ah! We are the same. We are sisters, even from afar. This kind of connection, and all the connections in our booth, were the dreams of this church to church relationships project. Thanks be to God!</div></div></div></div><br /><br />We have had lots of help quilting the "Every Stitch a Prayer" quilt for the auction on Thursday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBrZgi9N5bI/ThT5VMD2P9I/AAAAAAAAB48/8JZEvW7v_rc/s1600/IMG_4224.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBrZgi9N5bI/ThT5VMD2P9I/AAAAAAAAB48/8JZEvW7v_rc/s400/IMG_4224.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626395976902524882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kfEeBJxuCIg/ThT6wdYGcuI/AAAAAAAAB5c/K-k-zAv9siY/s1600/IMG_4252.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kfEeBJxuCIg/ThT6wdYGcuI/AAAAAAAAB5c/K-k-zAv9siY/s400/IMG_4252.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626397544918971106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KA_apwiZH9s/ThT5UUlzObI/AAAAAAAAB4s/NQnQEq2vn10/s1600/DSCN7108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KA_apwiZH9s/ThT5UUlzObI/AAAAAAAAB4s/NQnQEq2vn10/s400/DSCN7108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626395962012547506" border="0" /></a>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-2147738697838501012011-06-28T06:07:00.001-07:002011-06-28T06:21:57.539-07:00CCC at Central District Conference<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Marie-Jeanne and Gaston were guests of the Central District Conference meetings at Silverwood Mennonite Church (June 23-25).</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LTKjB0CELyc/TgnT5hnkvjI/AAAAAAAAB3s/S1bfITGF-OA/s1600/DSCN6859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LTKjB0CELyc/TgnT5hnkvjI/AAAAAAAAB3s/S1bfITGF-OA/s400/DSCN6859.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623258594979135026" border="0" /></a>Mary Ellen Meyer of Faith Mennonite, Goshen,<br />interprets the plenary session on Biblical interpretation,<br />led by Loren Johns, professor of New Testament<br />at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pM7DwIwjlWI/TgnT49mLFyI/AAAAAAAAB3c/P9KjOjA4RKQ/s1600/DSCN6854.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pM7DwIwjlWI/TgnT49mLFyI/AAAAAAAAB3c/P9KjOjA4RKQ/s400/DSCN6854.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623258585309583138" border="0" /></a>Conversation with Heidi Siemens-Rhodes,<br />one of the pastors of The Assembly, Goshen, IN.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8kXqun7BqZU/TgnT4WMIj9I/AAAAAAAAB3U/nEi8PM-1Eq0/s1600/DSCN6850.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8kXqun7BqZU/TgnT4WMIj9I/AAAAAAAAB3U/nEi8PM-1Eq0/s400/DSCN6850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623258574731382738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NQO1zXwivOE/TgnT5DuivNI/AAAAAAAAB3k/VDIv2l-gGt4/s1600/DSCN6856.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NQO1zXwivOE/TgnT5DuivNI/AAAAAAAAB3k/VDIv2l-gGt4/s400/DSCN6856.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623258586955300050" border="0" /></a>Auctions quilts displayed at Central District Conference.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1H-CzgGYq9Q/TgnUQcHVMJI/AAAAAAAAB30/m1jRdRUmxqo/s1600/DSCN6875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1H-CzgGYq9Q/TgnUQcHVMJI/AAAAAAAAB30/m1jRdRUmxqo/s400/DSCN6875.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623258988638711954" border="0" /></a>How lovely! See what Marie-Jeanne has in her bag!<br /></div>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-977223953281757532011-06-22T07:36:00.000-07:002011-06-22T08:52:00.385-07:00What will you find at the CCC Booth in Pittsburgh? (July 4-8)<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">MEET MAMA MARIE-JEANNE MUJINGA</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a1n0EBon5ag/TgIF7v4hxOI/AAAAAAAAB0U/q7T7B7YUALk/s1600/100_2216.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a1n0EBon5ag/TgIF7v4hxOI/AAAAAAAAB0U/q7T7B7YUALk/s400/100_2216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621061808935781602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A slide show that introduces us to Marie-Jeanne and the BOMEN Sewing Group will be playing and you can practice your French in welcoming Marie-Jeanne to MCUSA! Come experience a glimpse of Mennonites in the Democratic Republic of Congo through slides, music and information about our connections.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LEARN ABOUT CONGOLESE MENNONITES!<br /><br /></span></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-BGRlwDq2k/TgIN5SwC4bI/AAAAAAAAB20/q3tIiTTfCFk/s1600/100_1250.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-BGRlwDq2k/TgIN5SwC4bI/AAAAAAAAB20/q3tIiTTfCFk/s400/100_1250.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621070562848858546" border="0" /></a><br />Did you know?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">According to Mennonite World Conference membership:</span> </span><ul style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><li><span style="font-size:130%;">There are about 524,000 Mennonites in North America.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">There are about 592,000 Mennonite in Africa.</span></li></ul><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fRRbudac6pY/TgIMqxM8bbI/AAAAAAAAB2M/WpMza0izXeA/s1600/MWCmap2009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fRRbudac6pY/TgIMqxM8bbI/AAAAAAAAB2M/WpMza0izXeA/s400/MWCmap2009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621069213813468594" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The two countries in the world with the largest numbers of Mennonites are the USA and DR Congo:</span> </span><ul style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;"><li><span style="font-size:130%;">There are about 387,000 Mennonites in the USA.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:130%;">There are about 220,000 Mennonites in the Democratic Republic of Congo.</span></li></ul><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xZ8TVc-1mrY/TgIPKwiz_6I/AAAAAAAAB3E/xsqFDRNJ5ik/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xZ8TVc-1mrY/TgIPKwiz_6I/AAAAAAAAB3E/xsqFDRNJ5ik/s400/IMG_0526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621071962415824802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">YARDS AND YARDS OF CONGO CLOTH!</span></span><br /></blockquote><br />Well over 1,000 yards of cloth will be displayed for your suggested donation of $10 per yard. Each day new pieces will be displayed, so come often to find the pieces you love the most!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isPkIXeFDZ8/TgIF8UouN8I/AAAAAAAAB0k/iT91jo3Ydjg/s1600/IMG_2764%2B%25283%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isPkIXeFDZ8/TgIF8UouN8I/AAAAAAAAB0k/iT91jo3Ydjg/s400/IMG_2764%2B%25283%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621061818801600450" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0AIZrH60AVQ/TgIPP4Yo5DI/AAAAAAAAB3M/EXzMQGUlWtQ/s1600/100_2191.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0AIZrH60AVQ/TgIPP4Yo5DI/AAAAAAAAB3M/EXzMQGUlWtQ/s400/100_2191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621072050419983410" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzEinUpBctI/TgIN4swXLUI/AAAAAAAAB2k/r-93VQUF94s/s1600/100_1220-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzEinUpBctI/TgIN4swXLUI/AAAAAAAAB2k/r-93VQUF94s/s400/100_1220-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621070552649641282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">CLOTH CREATIONS!</span></span><br /><br />Rebeccca Sommers of College Mennonite Church gives us lots of ideas for how to use Congo cloth in her own creations. These bags, aprons, wall hangings, scarves, pillow slips, and skirts are available for a suggested donations.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CTvwM8xNamU/TgIKlkAfzUI/AAAAAAAAB1E/cZEzHtZQi9k/s1600/DSCN6035.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CTvwM8xNamU/TgIKlkAfzUI/AAAAAAAAB1E/cZEzHtZQi9k/s400/DSCN6035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066925348998466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GMwaY6gwz2E/TgIKmD5p7fI/AAAAAAAAB1M/L-rljnpiNwg/s1600/DSCN6042.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 217px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GMwaY6gwz2E/TgIKmD5p7fI/AAAAAAAAB1M/L-rljnpiNwg/s400/DSCN6042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066933910236658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6LgRp7CSeI/TgIMCW3NqxI/AAAAAAAAB1k/HkjaG25n_n4/s1600/DSCN6034.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6LgRp7CSeI/TgIMCW3NqxI/AAAAAAAAB1k/HkjaG25n_n4/s400/DSCN6034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621068519548234514" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y024jY5z9pI/TgIKlcnohRI/AAAAAAAAB08/hLn7jcwZqqk/s1600/DSCN6032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y024jY5z9pI/TgIKlcnohRI/AAAAAAAAB08/hLn7jcwZqqk/s400/DSCN6032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066923365664018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">QUILTING!</span> </span><br /><br />All are invited to add their stitches to the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"EVERY STITCH A PRAYER"</span> quilt top. Created by Joy Hess of College Mennonite Church (Goshen, IN), the completed quilt will be auctioned on Thursday evening at 9 pm.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A91QMUQDzS4/TgINJIBvAJI/AAAAAAAAB2c/Yps4EfZfzho/s1600/cmc%2BQUILT.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A91QMUQDzS4/TgINJIBvAJI/AAAAAAAAB2c/Yps4EfZfzho/s400/cmc%2BQUILT.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621069735336542354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BEAUTY FOR BENEFIT AUCTION!</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bXYgvJBQ9zI/TgIG__jn11I/AAAAAAAAB00/kLBx6kgArEg/s1600/DSCN6431.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 368px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bXYgvJBQ9zI/TgIG__jn11I/AAAAAAAAB00/kLBx6kgArEg/s400/DSCN6431.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621062981374170962" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The largest auction items is the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"EVERY STITCH A PRAYER" </span>queen size quilt.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_qh75t_Ne4/TgIMDK4UMpI/AAAAAAAAB10/tt8XP2yqK8I/s1600/DSCN6735.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_qh75t_Ne4/TgIMDK4UMpI/AAAAAAAAB10/tt8XP2yqK8I/s400/DSCN6735.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621068533511500434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w2J11W5dxvw/TgIMDu9cEDI/AAAAAAAAB18/Ez4yH9DU3bk/s1600/DSCN5429.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w2J11W5dxvw/TgIMDu9cEDI/AAAAAAAAB18/Ez4yH9DU3bk/s400/DSCN5429.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621068543196663858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Matching cloth was used to created a wall hanging called <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"CONGO CONNECTIONS."</span> This unfinished piece will be auctioned as is, and would make a wonderful congregational project of quilting, stitching, learning and praying about Congo.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lNMMlfUMRBk/TgIKmpniebI/AAAAAAAAB1U/iZbgocyh18A/s1600/DSCN6046.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 391px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lNMMlfUMRBk/TgIKmpniebI/AAAAAAAAB1U/iZbgocyh18A/s400/DSCN6046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066944034798002" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pOqFvMkgFyk/TgIKnKaDHoI/AAAAAAAAB1c/Nq4qwX4QTL0/s1600/DSCN6050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 349px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pOqFvMkgFyk/TgIKnKaDHoI/AAAAAAAAB1c/Nq4qwX4QTL0/s400/DSCN6050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621066952836587138" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KoY4a5BlBBk/TgIMC8y5UcI/AAAAAAAAB1s/mXIgXfFX6lM/s1600/DSCN6741.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 388px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KoY4a5BlBBk/TgIMC8y5UcI/AAAAAAAAB1s/mXIgXfFX6lM/s400/DSCN6741.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621068529730671042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In addition, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"STARS OVER CONGO"</span> is a wall hanging created by Virginia Hartsough of Silverwood Mennonite Church and quiltiing by the Silverwood quilting group. This lovely hanging will be auctioned with a matching bag.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3oVoYKONjaE/TgIF8ibdBsI/AAAAAAAAB0s/5iZnidK7Lc4/s1600/100_2576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3oVoYKONjaE/TgIF8ibdBsI/AAAAAAAAB0s/5iZnidK7Lc4/s400/100_2576.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621061822504044226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"CONGOLESE SISTERS"</span> is a wall hanging by Joy Hess and the College Mennonite Church quilting group featuring Congo cloth in its typical use -- as gorgeous clothing! What a fabulous way to remember the women we are befriending, fellow seamstresses, artists, mothers, sisters, daughters!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5kyQofqbXmo/TgIF7yg1t_I/AAAAAAAAB0c/M6MFXkAGug0/s1600/CMC%2Bhanging.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5kyQofqbXmo/TgIF7yg1t_I/AAAAAAAAB0c/M6MFXkAGug0/s400/CMC%2Bhanging.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621061809641732082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">FRIENDLY FACES!</span></span><br /><br />In addition to Marie-Jeanne, folks from Florence Church of the Brethren Mennonite, Kern Road Mennonite, Prairie Street Mennonite and Silverwood will be glad to talk to you about Congo Connections and the blessings of the "fellowship of the cloth."<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f0JtUP4oSfk/TgIMEHHzMuI/AAAAAAAAB2E/H4TC21XkWmo/s1600/DSCN5427.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f0JtUP4oSfk/TgIMEHHzMuI/AAAAAAAAB2E/H4TC21XkWmo/s400/DSCN5427.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621068549682574050" border="0" /></a>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-13131576393130534912011-06-17T11:24:00.000-07:002011-06-17T11:38:58.053-07:00"Mennomenical Connections" at Bondeko Worship<span style="font-family:Arial;">BONDEKO</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mennonite</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Church</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> – </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Kinshasa -- Sunday 12 June, 2011</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">A day of connections</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Suzanne Lind sends this lovely report of the send off for Marie-Jeanne and Gaston last Sunday!</span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">It was a hot, dusty Sunday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mama Cisca and Suzanne made their way through many, many crowded streets and alleys full of children, little tables covered with food and other items to buy, trash and brightly dressed church-goers, to Bondeko church.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After all the planning and preparations, it was time to say goodbye to Marie-Jeanne and Gaston!<br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />About 50 people met in what will eventually be the church building.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For now, lengths of cloth define the small worship space under the high roof. Neighbors' voices mingle with the sounds of worship and their laundry becomes part of the décor.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6PhIyEwEA0k/TfudjZb-VBI/AAAAAAAABzU/d5Yw2lwsKtw/s1600/100_2781.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 176px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6PhIyEwEA0k/TfudjZb-VBI/AAAAAAAABzU/d5Yw2lwsKtw/s400/100_2781.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619258191524025362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />John and Danile Martens of Silverwood Mennonite Church were also there, with John's brother Phil and his family<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>all visiting sites where John and Phil spent their childhood years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They were warmly welcomed by church members who knew their missionary parents years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>How surprising to have two CCC Michiana Friends of Congo members at this important service in </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Kinshasa</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h3NM1wUlgnE/TfudkNuh-cI/AAAAAAAABzk/4ZeCK2Ee2kE/s1600/100_2784.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 174px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h3NM1wUlgnE/TfudkNuh-cI/AAAAAAAABzk/4ZeCK2Ee2kE/s400/100_2784.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619258205560502722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yjWSgKBubfA/TfudjjDw7pI/AAAAAAAABzc/lSmHiTRD36A/s1600/100_2783.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 362px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yjWSgKBubfA/TfudjjDw7pI/AAAAAAAABzc/lSmHiTRD36A/s400/100_2783.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619258194106838674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">It was a truly "Mennomenical" (Mennonite + ecumenical) group:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The church belongs to the Mennonite Church of Congo (CMCO), John and Phil grew up as missionary children of AIMM missionaries who worked with CMCO churches, the guest pastor (Pastor Mattieu Shimatu) is from the Evangelical Mennonite Church of Congo (CEM), Cisca represented the Mennonite Brethren Church of Congo (CEFMC) and Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and I was there from MCC and MFC and CCC! What would we do without acronyms!!!<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:100%;" >I told the story of how Michiana Friends of Congo, and then the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:100%;" >Congo</span><span style="font-family: Arial;font-family:";font-size:100%;" > Cloth Connection, got started, with a wonderful translator imitating my intonations and gestures in rapid sequence. I went into some detail about how determined we are to find ways to know more about and have more<br />relationships with Congolese Mennonites.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qdVbhlVY6zY/Tfue1HzV3eI/AAAAAAAAB0M/FayDcvIr_5g/s1600/IMG_2767.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 177px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qdVbhlVY6zY/Tfue1HzV3eI/AAAAAAAAB0M/FayDcvIr_5g/s400/IMG_2767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619259595539471842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Then I told about Chris Nofsinger's visit to </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Kinshasa</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> and her passion for </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Congo</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> cloth, and showed the photo of her with her cloth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I talked about what a wonderful surprise it has been for all involved to see how the beauty of cloth, color, design,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>sewing creativity provides such a fun and exciting way to learn and pray.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Heads were nodding, everyone smiling, so pleased to hear what a "ministry" their cloth and their creativity can have.<br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />I told about </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Pittsburgh</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> and the display there then stopped and said,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeFPcP2Ybc0/TfudktZYxAI/AAAAAAAABzs/00-7pQiqX0c/s1600/100_2796.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeFPcP2Ybc0/TfudktZYxAI/AAAAAAAABzs/00-7pQiqX0c/s400/100_2796.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619258214061753346" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“But how could we have a whole big display of cloth and information about </span></span><span style=" font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" >Congo without someone from Congo</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> there? Oh! We had to invite a Congolese seamstress!" </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">And I pointed to Marie-Jeanne, who beamed her brightest smile, and everyone broke into whoops and hollers, laughter and clapping.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XhQUi2V-WV0/TfudlCBE3CI/AAAAAAAABz0/hcIMBtPvjes/s1600/100_2798.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 390px; height: 301px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XhQUi2V-WV0/TfudlCBE3CI/AAAAAAAABz0/hcIMBtPvjes/s400/100_2798.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619258219596930082" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I talked a bit about the itinerary for Marie-Jeanne and Gaston, where they would be staying and some of the activities planned, and a bit about CCC committee members.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Showed a picture of Nina in the river baptizing (Tim in background).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Also a photo of Nina in </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Pasadena</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> with Reverends Komuesa and Shimatu (who was sitting right behind me<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hadn't known he would be there, but of course he was really pleased).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Also a picture of Nina with Sylvia Shirk, who will be a translator.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The congregation got a big kick when I said,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pw6JBVSIc5A/TfueZMSHVBI/AAAAAAAABz8/bymCsWzZnTA/s1600/100_2789.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pw6JBVSIc5A/TfueZMSHVBI/AAAAAAAABz8/bymCsWzZnTA/s400/100_2789.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619259115705947154" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Although Marie-Jeanne and Gaston will have translators with them for presentations, when they stay in homes they will have to use their English.” </blockquote></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span> <span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The translator quipped, "Speek Eengleesh onlee!" </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">LEYA’S COMFORTER</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptT7l_cAv0E/TfueZn7c6nI/AAAAAAAAB0E/EL0ACYvdRzU/s1600/100_2802.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptT7l_cAv0E/TfueZn7c6nI/AAAAAAAAB0E/EL0ACYvdRzU/s400/100_2802.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619259123127085682" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The grand finale was to show the quilt Chris made and </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Florence</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> folks knotted for Leya.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This was the perfect way to underline once again the "each stitch a prayer" theme.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>People were very moved.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I concluded,<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Imagine that Marie-Jeanne is pulling a beautiful thread with her as she goes, taking stitches of love and beauty along the way and returning to continue the design here.”</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />It was all great fun and I think gave an idea of what Marie-Jeanne and Gaston may experience.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-69885646254081778362011-06-17T11:12:00.000-07:002011-06-17T11:21:44.103-07:00THE DRESS -- Part 4!<span style="font-style: italic;">There was yet another surprise in the dress story...on Sunday, June 12 when Suzanne attended worship at the Bondeko congregation in Kinshasa.</span><br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">After church yesterday, Mama Manjina, assistant director of BOMEN workshop and the one who was so upset when I first mentioned buying the dress that Monique was making, told me she had brought me a gift.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TyrPvuEARRo/TfuaeJ2-7-I/AAAAAAAABy0/1QvRMaTbmYM/s1600/100_2835%25281%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TyrPvuEARRo/TfuaeJ2-7-I/AAAAAAAABy0/1QvRMaTbmYM/s400/100_2835%25281%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619254802908114914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">After the worship service she brought me a package: a beautiful dress similar to the one that Monique was making and similar to the one Marie-Jeanne gave me, made of fresh, new cloth in strips of different colorful, beautiful designs which she had made for me!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some strips even had the descriptive stickers still in place, perhaps to underscore the fact that BOMEN does NOT sell/give away dresses made from used cloth!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Beautiful lace around the sleeves.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">We laughed together and I marveled at its loveliness, its perfect fit, her understanding of just what I had wanted.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ATltd5iCt6A/TfubD0dEIjI/AAAAAAAABy8/GS16FI5fBFE/s1600/100_2834.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 253px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ATltd5iCt6A/TfubD0dEIjI/AAAAAAAABy8/GS16FI5fBFE/s400/100_2834.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619255449997287986" border="0" /></a></blockquote></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I hugged her and kissed her, put the dress on over the dress I was wearing, and pranced around the little church, showing it to everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She insisted we have our picture taken and I will make sure she gets a copy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQOWKCVo1zk/TfuadQDBUCI/AAAAAAAAByk/y9J8UVxmx-4/s1600/100_2815.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 394px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQOWKCVo1zk/TfuadQDBUCI/AAAAAAAAByk/y9J8UVxmx-4/s400/100_2815.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619254787389345826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span></div></div></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I shall be wearing beautiful, loose, cool, colorful dresses for a long time. I wonder if they will provide the much-needed reminder to think before I talk</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> or whether they will allow me to continue to stumble into</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><blockquote>question-filled situations.</blockquote></span></span></span></div></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" ><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span></span></span></blockquote></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />I did promise the BOMEN women who were together after church that I will come to the workshop and ORDER some new clothes for which I will PAY them well!</span></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-87200610544439671102011-06-17T11:00:00.000-07:002011-06-17T11:24:08.701-07:00THE DRESS -- Part 3<span style="font-style: italic;">Remember, Suzanne had the audacity to ask to buy young Monique's practice dress. The Mama's thought that was totally unacceptable. Read what happened next:</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Last week Marie-Jeanne and Gaston came to the office to pay for Gaston's plane ticket.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P6KMvrnJino/TfuYpCk6j9I/AAAAAAAAByc/k_rg-43ml1c/s1600/100_2820.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P6KMvrnJino/TfuYpCk6j9I/AAAAAAAAByc/k_rg-43ml1c/s400/100_2820.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619252790908587986" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Marie-Jeanne brought me a dress she had made for me. It is well made of bright, stiff new cloth, gorgeous colors, big and baggy like I like.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hugged and kissed Marie-Jeanne and we joked a bit about my strange request to buy a dress made of used material from Monique at the Bomen workshop.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EGnnHqPxfsk/Tfubco59RDI/AAAAAAAABzE/2CnLtkNRgDY/s1600/100_2832.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EGnnHqPxfsk/Tfubco59RDI/AAAAAAAABzE/2CnLtkNRgDY/s400/100_2832.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619255876393976882" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Inside I felt awkward, wondering if she wanted me to pay for it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I put the dress on over the dress I was wearing and pranced about the office, showing off to others who were there.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6MMZ1X_xsac/Tfubc_GBp2I/AAAAAAAABzM/xeJs2LDEZ2c/s1600/100_2833.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 217px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6MMZ1X_xsac/Tfubc_GBp2I/AAAAAAAABzM/xeJs2LDEZ2c/s400/100_2833.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619255882350176098" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">It is a beautiful dress and a lovely gift and a good lesson for me.</span></div><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-62128204468171121622011-06-08T16:30:00.001-07:002011-06-08T16:41:30.452-07:00And Stateside...a dress of Congo cloth<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Lois Hess Nofziger choose her Congo cloth at the "market" at Central District Conference meetings in June of 2010. Look what she made!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">IF YOU HAVE A CONGO CLOTH PROJECT TO SHARE, PLEASE SEND A PHOTO AND YOUR REFLECTIONS TO ninalblanctot@msn.com. PEACE, NINA</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jvvoj6HvFiE/TfAHEoL0RvI/AAAAAAAABx0/8L53ZgOZBG0/s1600/Lois%2Bgate%2B6%25281%2529%2B-%2BCopy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 366px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jvvoj6HvFiE/TfAHEoL0RvI/AAAAAAAABx0/8L53ZgOZBG0/s400/Lois%2Bgate%2B6%25281%2529%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615996511418861298" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><pre><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is a picture of me in the dress I made standing by our garden </span><span style="font-family: arial;">gate. <br />The experience of making a dress with this fabric from the</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Congo left me with a sense of satisfaction. <br />I had not had a sewing </span><span style="font-family: arial;">project like this for sometime.<br />I may get inspired to try another one </span><span style="font-family: arial;">again soon. </span></span><br /></pre></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcIMrAnynNI/TfAGlCIypHI/AAAAAAAABxs/ryTJogaBUQM/s1600/Lois%2Bgate%2B6%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcIMrAnynNI/TfAGlCIypHI/AAAAAAAABxs/ryTJogaBUQM/s400/Lois%2Bgate%2B6%25281%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615995968629679218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><blockquote style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;">This is June and the garden behind me is growing well.<br />Perhaps the enjoyment of growing food and flowers is also an experience<br />shared with the women of Congo?<br /></div></blockquote><pre style="font-family: arial;"></pre><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the project of Congo cloth and relationship building. Lois</div>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-23195014574827650412011-06-05T13:24:00.000-07:002011-06-05T13:41:15.611-07:00"Can I buy the dress Monique made?" -- Part Two<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" >TO READ THIS ENTIRE STORY, BEGIN READING THE ENTRY ON TUESDAY, MAY 24 --<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />A VISIT TO BOMEN SEWING GROUP...</span><br /><br />Suzanne Lind concludes her visit with the women of the BOMEN Sewing Group in Kinshasa. But she will return on Sunday, June 12, when the congregation blesses Marie-Jeanne and Gaston before they travel to the United States. (They will be landing in Detroit on Wednesday, June 15!)</span><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As for the dress... we will see...</span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jqojhu8Eklo/Tevose5ZmHI/AAAAAAAABvE/ZNXHNBieZp0/s1600/100_2648.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 110px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jqojhu8Eklo/Tevose5ZmHI/AAAAAAAABvE/ZNXHNBieZp0/s400/100_2648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614837211353159794" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />Suzanne:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"I realized as this went on that I was making a big faux-pas in asking to buy the dress that Monique had sewn. Though I loved it, this is not how things are done.<span style=""> </span>I should not have asked about the dress.<span style=""> </span>Or I should graciously have withdrawn from the conversation.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"That dress is probably being made using second-hand cloth for training Monique, and they could not possibly let me wear that.<span style=""> </span>Now I don't know what they will do, but I have probably created a situation of embarrassment for us all, and expense for them.<span style=""> </span>They will probably make me something similar from new cloth and refuse to let me pay for it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXwSy9700FM/Tevos6JTcUI/AAAAAAAABvU/_bSB3mlsWhU/s1600/100_2690.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXwSy9700FM/Tevos6JTcUI/AAAAAAAABvU/_bSB3mlsWhU/s400/100_2690.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614837218667622722" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"I don't know why I continue to be so gauche in so many situations; probably because I start having fun and forget that formalities are important and that there are many layers of hope, expectation, power and need at work.<span style=""> </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"So, we'll see what happens next . . ."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n3XNHDvAmQE/TevosphAtyI/AAAAAAAABvM/DH-baApRJVM/s1600/100_2691.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n3XNHDvAmQE/TevosphAtyI/AAAAAAAABvM/DH-baApRJVM/s400/100_2691.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614837214203655970" border="0" /></a></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Suzanne has been relating to Congo and the Congolese for over forty years. It gives me some consolation -- and some trepidation -- to know that she is still learning the culture. I am sure all those who meet Marie-Jeanne and Gaston will enjoy that complex dance of two cultures. </span><br /></span>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-68511233103145175312011-06-01T19:03:00.000-07:002011-06-05T13:42:54.757-07:00"Can I buy the dress Monique made?" -- Part One<span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">...the continuing story of Suzanne Lind's visit to the BOMEN Sewing Group in Kinshasa. So what if you want to buy a dress? CONGO CLOTH CONNECTION is committed to cross cultural relationships. But sometimes it is complicated....</span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1vzuZpRM9GY/Teby6w7GR4I/AAAAAAAABuQ/Udh4bwVpbkc/s1600/100_2656.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1vzuZpRM9GY/Teby6w7GR4I/AAAAAAAABuQ/Udh4bwVpbkc/s400/100_2656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613441076943013762" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I was enchanted with the dress Monique Bapa was piecing together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It made me think of quilts!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I recognized some of the cloth she was using.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>All morning I kept looking at it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""><br /></span></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UGDc0lNT8VY/TebwaU_D5WI/AAAAAAAABtY/KWbUgeysx68/s1600/100_2657.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UGDc0lNT8VY/TebwaU_D5WI/AAAAAAAABtY/KWbUgeysx68/s400/100_2657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613438320664372578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />Finally, just before we left, I asked if I could buy it when it was finished, and insisted on trying it on.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QcSDLGrea_Y/TebwaWLl40I/AAAAAAAABtg/pzDhjPpUdBk/s1600/100_2681.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QcSDLGrea_Y/TebwaWLl40I/AAAAAAAABtg/pzDhjPpUdBk/s400/100_2681.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613438320985367362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />Everyone whooped and hollered at this suggestion.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mama Manjina is appalled at my request.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;">"No, you can't buy that dress.<span style=""> </span>It's just a practice project."</span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cxT6y7DOb94/Tebwaq8sSII/AAAAAAAABto/WWMSt9CGMRc/s1600/100_2682.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cxT6y7DOb94/Tebwaq8sSII/AAAAAAAABto/WWMSt9CGMRc/s400/100_2682.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613438326560016514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"But I like this dress," I say.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">"It suits me, it looks like a quilt, I saw Monique working on it, it feels comfortable, I like looser things, this is just my kind of dress!"<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGWDVAW1YhE/Tebx_Jws3CI/AAAAAAAABuA/xB_WpSthDO8/s1600/100_2684.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGWDVAW1YhE/Tebx_Jws3CI/AAAAAAAABuA/xB_WpSthDO8/s400/100_2684.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613440052818140194" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />Mama Manjina calls Marie-Jeanne.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"Come and deal with this.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">She is asking to BUY that dress!!</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br />Sort this out, quickly."<br /><br /></span></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kXDHJoxcjeU/Tebx-j6IKnI/AAAAAAAABtw/uHFoyFptvTk/s1600/100_2683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kXDHJoxcjeU/Tebx-j6IKnI/AAAAAAAABtw/uHFoyFptvTk/s400/100_2683.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613440042657131122" border="0" /></a></blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Marie-Jeanne comes in with a bemused look on her face and considers<br />the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mama Manjina says to me,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Suzanne, I made a dress for you just like that, but I forgot it at the house.I will give it to you sometime."</span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />Suzanne:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"But I like THIS dress.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It would mean a lot to me. Monique, are you making this for yourself or could I buy it from you?"</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TojPSx0qXDQ/Tebx-2MCc3I/AAAAAAAABt4/bn6u1HACQVk/s1600/100_2685.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TojPSx0qXDQ/Tebx-2MCc3I/AAAAAAAABt4/bn6u1HACQVk/s400/100_2685.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613440047564092274" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> (Monique just laughed, knowing better than to get involved in something her elders were dealing with.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kqJV13eyCEE/Teby7GhY4SI/AAAAAAAABug/f0qew0tc9WM/s1600/100_2649-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kqJV13eyCEE/Teby7GhY4SI/AAAAAAAABug/f0qew0tc9WM/s400/100_2649-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613441082740760866" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />Marie-Jeanne:<span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">"Suzanne, we can make a dress for you like this.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">We were planning to give you a dress as a gift anyway."</span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />Suzanne:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">" I don't want a gift, I want to buy this dress from Monique.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I know that seems strange to you, but somehow this dress seems very special and just right for me."<br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-et0LhaDfid0/Teby63reJtI/AAAAAAAABuY/OxzHwdyl-_8/s1600/100_2687.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-et0LhaDfid0/Teby63reJtI/AAAAAAAABuY/OxzHwdyl-_8/s400/100_2687.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613441078756517586" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />Marie-Jeanne:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(To the women)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"She wants this dress.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She wants to buy it from Monique because she is happy to see how Monique is working here."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> (To me)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Okay, Suzanne.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We understand.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We'll see about the dress . . . ."</span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTr0wtZ4L_I/Tebx_OwOi2I/AAAAAAAABuI/pVTcN7YPEBA/s1600/100_2688.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTr0wtZ4L_I/Tebx_OwOi2I/AAAAAAAABuI/pVTcN7YPEBA/s400/100_2688.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613440054158330722" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><span style="font-style: italic;">End of story for now...</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-28744374415361807652011-05-31T07:54:00.000-07:002011-05-31T08:27:09.069-07:00Questions about CCC from the Mama's at BOMEN<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xbgvs7GA4Wk/TeUGurq0bAI/AAAAAAAABtA/SX1wyJzY02s/s1600/100_2677.JPG"><br /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" >This is a continuation of the story of Suzanne Lind's visit to the BOMEN Sewing Group in Kinshasa, DR Congo. They will receive sewing machines and tables for the center from the proceeds of our project. Marie-Jeanne Mujinga, their director, will be visiting with us here in later June and early July.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rm910zMK6k/TeUGupJSq_I/AAAAAAAABtI/f9-a9O6ITL4/s1600/100_2678.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rm910zMK6k/TeUGupJSq_I/AAAAAAAABtI/f9-a9O6ITL4/s400/100_2678.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612899908975766514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;">The other BOMEN members/seamstresses came as the day unfolded.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Somehow we all managed to sit in the room which is about </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">12 feet</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> square.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1tjBdGz49Y/TeUGttpYi8I/AAAAAAAABsw/jEDR7mm8QLw/s1600/100_2665.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1tjBdGz49Y/TeUGttpYi8I/AAAAAAAABsw/jEDR7mm8QLw/s400/100_2665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612899893004241858" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">L-R: Mama Manjina, Secretary of the group.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Nenette.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">SMama Felly<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>--<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">She never stops smiling, even for photos,<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">and always looks like she has a little joke up her elegant sleeve.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Nicole at the machine.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UneyCX59dZA/TeUCdJzQqNI/AAAAAAAABrw/CbxPe-4tiNo/s1600/100_2668.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UneyCX59dZA/TeUCdJzQqNI/AAAAAAAABrw/CbxPe-4tiNo/s400/100_2668.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612895210457573586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Angèle.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqo9mACXVWs/TeUCdb_m_OI/AAAAAAAABr4/9ede8-iiPbU/s1600/100_2669.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqo9mACXVWs/TeUCdb_m_OI/AAAAAAAABr4/9ede8-iiPbU/s400/100_2669.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612895215341206754" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Manjina, Sec.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">She is the most insistent about knowing what CCC is all about, and when the American seamstresses will come to DRC.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She scolded me because I haven't been to </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Bondeko</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Church</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> for a long time, and not since the CCC connection was made.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So we looked at the calendar and I will attend Bondeko on June 12, which will be the farewell Sunday for Marie-Jeanne and her husband, Gaston, before they leave for the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">United States</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FkSM8DONKn0/TeUCd9m1hcI/AAAAAAAABsA/usK3OAjk4wU/s1600/100_2670.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FkSM8DONKn0/TeUCd9m1hcI/AAAAAAAABsA/usK3OAjk4wU/s400/100_2670.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612895224364107202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Nenette</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1waS5vg_lWs/TeUCd_LPccI/AAAAAAAABsI/LasUKci37Oc/s1600/100_2671.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1waS5vg_lWs/TeUCd_LPccI/AAAAAAAABsI/LasUKci37Oc/s400/100_2671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612895224785236418" border="0" /></a></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Felly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">She did the most talking and had the most persistent questions about how to sell their products in the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">USA</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cVA0vAykbuU/TeUEwXJmdpI/AAAAAAAABsg/OoY4ETEKcTY/s1600/100_2672.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cVA0vAykbuU/TeUEwXJmdpI/AAAAAAAABsg/OoY4ETEKcTY/s400/100_2672.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612897739481708178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Angélique Kakoyi and her son Blessing Ilunga.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--D_pqd8Zs-g/TeUGuIpjhjI/AAAAAAAABs4/QMoonkhQeZE/s1600/100_2674.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--D_pqd8Zs-g/TeUGuIpjhjI/AAAAAAAABs4/QMoonkhQeZE/s400/100_2674.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612899900252718642" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Mbalaye Ntumba.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />The women at BOMEN wanted to know what Marie-Jeanne will be doing when she comes to visit us in the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">United States</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They couldn't quite get the idea of the Mennonite Church USA Assembly, but I think understood what the booth will be like.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They immediately, just as Marie-Jeanne herself did, asked if they can send clothing items to see there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I said no, but they can send a few things to show what they make.<br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Q:</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Do women in </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" >America</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> like to wear the kind of clothes we make and wear?</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span>A:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They like to wear them for something fancy, but not on ordinary days. In many places it is too cold, but mostly we are more comfortable in our more simple clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And we know that we don't look as beautiful in these clothes as you do.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><blockquote>We are jealous that many of us don't have your graceful, confident, beautiful way of holding your bodies and walking.<span style=""> </span>(Lots of laughter about that.)</blockquote><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had sent Marie-Jeanne the picture of </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Nancy</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> in her reversible jacket, and said that something like that might be more saleable.<br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Q:</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">What could we make that women in </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" >America</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> would like to buy?</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />A:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Perhaps useful things for the home, such as table cloth, napkins, pot holders, bags.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />We talked about all this for a very long time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the end they agreed to send a few things with Marie-Jeanne to show what they do, and to wait for a report from her about what people in </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">America</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> like.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I said that an active way to send items for sale there is just not available, and cautioned them not to get too excited about that as an optional outlet for their products.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Q:</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">And when will your seamstresses come to </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;" >Congo</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">?</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:Arial;">A:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That depends on how quickly they can raise the money they need to travel.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That will take quite a long time because they do not have money for long journeys like that and will have to save it up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You know how hard that is, don't you?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(Big chorus of "Oh yes!")<br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br />After more discussion about this we got excited about the idea of the American seamstresses coming when BOMEN has its new workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><blockquote>Then all the women from both countries will sit together at tables and sew and talk. Ideas for products and continued connections will come easily and quickly when all the women are together and sewing!!</blockquote><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xbgvs7GA4Wk/TeUGurq0bAI/AAAAAAAABtA/SX1wyJzY02s/s1600/100_2677.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xbgvs7GA4Wk/TeUGurq0bAI/AAAAAAAABtA/SX1wyJzY02s/s400/100_2677.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612899909653261314" border="0" /></a><br /><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">When we were talking about what might sell in the </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">US</span><span style="font-family:Arial;">, Mama Felly pointed to this poster on the wall and said,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>"Would Americans buy clothing for children?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Wouldn't mothers there like to have African dresses for their girls?"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HL94qYL3pa8/TeUEwHbmQ2I/AAAAAAAABsY/l_i1gQ6VcSQ/s1600/100_2679.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HL94qYL3pa8/TeUEwHbmQ2I/AAAAAAAABsY/l_i1gQ6VcSQ/s400/100_2679.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612897735262225250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Styles they often make.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-TCgHosKkM/TeUEv6xBtCI/AAAAAAAABsQ/iYPHVrqesE8/s1600/100_2680.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-TCgHosKkM/TeUEv6xBtCI/AAAAAAAABsQ/iYPHVrqesE8/s400/100_2680.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612897731862443042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ready-made tops and cloth waiting to be used.</span><br /></div>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-20468691764675751682011-05-27T16:56:00.000-07:002011-05-27T17:13:21.372-07:00Meet Mama Nicole, sewing teacher at BOMEN<span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Now we will start meeting "the Mamas" who arrived a bit later in Suzanne's visit to BOMEN Sewing Group. Mama is a term of respect used for the older women. These Mamas play important roles in supporting the young single mothers.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9qYYVYRp6g/TeA8bPziI3I/AAAAAAAABrI/Sz3SA4jnruU/s1600/100_2691.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kf6KClHVH-s/TeA6zgIeYbI/AAAAAAAABqw/VpyWAvGNZOA/s1600/100_2663.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kf6KClHVH-s/TeA6zgIeYbI/AAAAAAAABqw/VpyWAvGNZOA/s400/100_2663.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611549792176857522" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Nicole is the new assistant to Mama Marie-Jeanne, the director of BOMEN. She is the main teacher for the young seamstresses.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She has been in this role for four months.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2o_PB9XZlWA/TeA6zqNr0VI/AAAAAAAABq4/M-wFrU1FVqY/s1600/100_2664.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2o_PB9XZlWA/TeA6zqNr0VI/AAAAAAAABq4/M-wFrU1FVqY/s400/100_2664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611549794883064146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">She is using the second of the two sewing machines currently in use at Bomen Workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This one is a treadle machine.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9qYYVYRp6g/TeA8bPziI3I/AAAAAAAABrI/Sz3SA4jnruU/s1600/100_2691.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9qYYVYRp6g/TeA8bPziI3I/AAAAAAAABrI/Sz3SA4jnruU/s400/100_2691.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611551574500451186" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Nicole was working on a beautiful bodice top of a traditional Congolese dress.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She was putting a black lining inside; the sleeves were made of black mesh with a border of the bodice material. </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">While I was there she had some trouble with the bobbin and the connection to the treadle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She and Marie-Jeanne worked on the problem for quite a while and finally got things going again.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4TsuegCnnw/TeA8bguG7gI/AAAAAAAABrg/fzERngbiQqQ/s1600/100_2666.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4TsuegCnnw/TeA8bguG7gI/AAAAAAAABrg/fzERngbiQqQ/s400/100_2666.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611551579041099266" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mLkykrBfFZg/TeA6zxtQcbI/AAAAAAAABrA/93N57geLAQM/s1600/100_2667.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mLkykrBfFZg/TeA6zxtQcbI/AAAAAAAABrA/93N57geLAQM/s400/100_2667.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611549796894536114" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Tina in the background, is still waiting a turn on the machine.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kA1FDWtkGAE/TeA8bkNmEVI/AAAAAAAABro/Neql_wolOXM/s1600/100_2667%2B-%2BCopy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 281px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kA1FDWtkGAE/TeA8bkNmEVI/AAAAAAAABro/Neql_wolOXM/s400/100_2667%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611551579978469714" border="0" /></a></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-56508435587069476782011-05-26T17:43:00.000-07:002011-05-26T17:58:44.573-07:00Meet Tshidinda Tina<span style=" font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >We continue with interviews with the women Suzanne Lind met at the BOMEN Sewing Center in Kinshasa.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Here experienced seamstresses teach young single mothers the skills of sewing.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNnGul2mcDQ/Td726Ohm7EI/AAAAAAAABqo/iwYXNSfrPZs/s1600/100_2675%2B-%2BCopy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 270px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNnGul2mcDQ/Td726Ohm7EI/AAAAAAAABqo/iwYXNSfrPZs/s400/100_2675%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611193665942121538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />My name is Tshidinda Tina. A friend of mine goes to </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Bondeko</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mennonite</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;">Church</span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> and told Mama Marie-Jeanne about me.</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PWQsdPxEv7c/Td70NO3khdI/AAAAAAAABqY/TeF5Mh9FmqI/s1600/100_2659.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PWQsdPxEv7c/Td70NO3khdI/AAAAAAAABqY/TeF5Mh9FmqI/s400/100_2659.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611190693916870098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S12b3vh4Woc/Td70MZrQ9UI/AAAAAAAABqA/N-nQCjiz5vA/s1600/100_2650.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S12b3vh4Woc/Td70MZrQ9UI/AAAAAAAABqA/N-nQCjiz5vA/s400/100_2650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611190679638177090" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I am very glad they invited me to learn sewing here at Bomen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have a baby but no husband.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I want to learn to sew so that I can raise my child properly and not become a beggar.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LboUKjNaxI/Td70MST8-JI/AAAAAAAABqI/zq2wiSUBWSc/s1600/100_2651.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--LboUKjNaxI/Td70MST8-JI/AAAAAAAABqI/zq2wiSUBWSc/s400/100_2651.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611190677661350034" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">I have only been here for one week. My project is to make a small blouse with this red and yellow cloth.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPj6WhH8v6c/Td70M7f91SI/AAAAAAAABqQ/APO-KJYLltU/s1600/100_2658.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sPj6WhH8v6c/Td70M7f91SI/AAAAAAAABqQ/APO-KJYLltU/s400/100_2658.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611190688717591842" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7tBbLspVLzk/Td72J0t88wI/AAAAAAAABqg/qtZgnthPpAQ/s1600/100_2675.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7tBbLspVLzk/Td72J0t88wI/AAAAAAAABqg/qtZgnthPpAQ/s400/100_2675.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611192834380854018" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-8828764263618865992011-05-25T06:48:00.000-07:002011-05-25T06:55:45.729-07:00Meet Monique Bapa -- BOMEN Sewing Group<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FgnYEpxTCTs/Td0JllI5DBI/AAAAAAAABpA/JxBTDIgM8LI/s1600/100_2648.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gzukl1tlqgU/Td0Jd2rXnGI/AAAAAAAABog/rfpyJ0CODUg/s1600/100_2649-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gzukl1tlqgU/Td0Jd2rXnGI/AAAAAAAABog/rfpyJ0CODUg/s400/100_2649-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610651119271779426" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family:arial;">I am Monique Bapa<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(In Congo we say our last name first: Bapa Monique). </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I am a member of the Bondeko Mennonite Church. I had a baby but I don't have anyone to help me support the child. Mama Marie-Jeanne said I could come to the Bomen Workshop and learn to be a seamstress.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0P1KhfUkvFU/Td0JevKkm2I/AAAAAAAABow/Q-M0306YP8A/s1600/100_2655.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0P1KhfUkvFU/Td0JevKkm2I/AAAAAAAABow/Q-M0306YP8A/s400/100_2655.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610651134435040098" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I have been here for one month. My training will last three months. When I finish my training I hope to sew at home so that I can help to support my baby, my brother and sister and myself. My family can't afford to send me to school so now I will have a way to take care of myself. <br /><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_cPfty5Yaj0/Td0JePxvj5I/AAAAAAAABoo/y9Nm6VEgjfw/s1600/100_2654.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_cPfty5Yaj0/Td0JePxvj5I/AAAAAAAABoo/y9Nm6VEgjfw/s400/100_2654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610651126009401234" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The project I am working on now is a dress made of different pieces of cloth.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qaon9np8dQE/Td0Je6ct_ZI/AAAAAAAABo4/IIZt2GijXOQ/s1600/100_2657.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qaon9np8dQE/Td0Je6ct_ZI/AAAAAAAABo4/IIZt2GijXOQ/s400/100_2657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610651137463942546" border="0" /></a>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-84868859717235348092011-05-24T11:21:00.000-07:002011-05-24T11:44:13.907-07:00A VISIT TO BOMEN SEWING GROUP<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Marie-Jeanne Mujinga, the director of </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >BOMEN</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Sewing</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Training</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Center</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" > and Workshop, will be the guest of Congo Cloth Connecting in Michiana and the MCUSA Assembly in </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Pittsburgh</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">During this week, get to know her and BOMEN day by day on the blog.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DD15BrdZmqg/Tdv36AvBmeI/AAAAAAAABnA/iMf4ZOvtHq4/s1600/100_2675.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DD15BrdZmqg/Tdv36AvBmeI/AAAAAAAABnA/iMf4ZOvtHq4/s400/100_2675.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610350336821795298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Marie-Jean Mujinga</span><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">Suzanne Lind, a member of Congo Cloth Connection, lives and works part of the year in </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">Kinshasa</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">, DR Congo.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The pastor of </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">Bondeko</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">Mennonite</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">Church</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">, the hosts of this project, escorted her there where she befriended the women who are teaching and learning sewing. They had many questions and are eager to know when the seamstresses from </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">America</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"> are coming to visit as well!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This, indeed, is Congo Cloth Connection.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r6bipovNx5M/Tdv6M6I4vmI/AAAAAAAABn4/cN4zXQJPdFQ/s1600/100_2663.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r6bipovNx5M/Tdv6M6I4vmI/AAAAAAAABn4/cN4zXQJPdFQ/s400/100_2663.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610352860491988578" border="0" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Suzanne Lind:<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> </span></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">When I visited the Bomen Sewing Workshop in December, I left $100, which I</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> said was from CCC for a new sewing machine. The new machine has now been </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">purchased and is in use. Everyone is very pleased with it.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KMin-f7KDxc/Tdv37wy2NbI/AAAAAAAABnQ/Ahxp6or1bmM/s1600/100_2649-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KMin-f7KDxc/Tdv37wy2NbI/AAAAAAAABnQ/Ahxp6or1bmM/s400/100_2649-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610350366902597042" border="0" /></a></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span>Monique Bapa, who started her training at Bomen one month ago, is<br />working with the new CCC Sewing Machine.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqfTmxIfNzA/Tdv38NgVi6I/AAAAAAAABnY/WQFG3UCcBc0/s1600/100_2650.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqfTmxIfNzA/Tdv38NgVi6I/AAAAAAAABnY/WQFG3UCcBc0/s400/100_2650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610350374609587106" border="0" /></a></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> Tina Tshidinda, who is in her first week of training at BOMEN,<br />waits her turn to use the new machine<br />while Monique Bapa works on her project.<br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8IAPCte9CPk/Tdv7SQoYN9I/AAAAAAAABoA/OG7bYP8HlXo/s1600/100_2655.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8IAPCte9CPk/Tdv7SQoYN9I/AAAAAAAABoA/OG7bYP8HlXo/s400/100_2655.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610354051940628434" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Monique threads the machine.<br /><br /><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QJIQHm8wRE/Tdv6Mv9bJuI/AAAAAAAABnw/vA93wgkMaDY/s1600/100_2662.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QJIQHm8wRE/Tdv6Mv9bJuI/AAAAAAAABnw/vA93wgkMaDY/s400/100_2662.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610352857759557346" border="0" /></a></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mama Suzanne takes a turn.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It's harder to get that handle turning than I thought.<br /><br /><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4Do2xK17mc/Tdv6LpRZigI/AAAAAAAABng/KvH5YC-zIqs/s1600/100_2660.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4Do2xK17mc/Tdv6LpRZigI/AAAAAAAABng/KvH5YC-zIqs/s400/100_2660.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610352838784420354" border="0" /></a></p> <div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><blockquote>"Are you sure it's okay for me to sew on this piece of cloth?"</blockquote></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HjOB5qmCfSg/Tdv6MUei4tI/AAAAAAAABno/HwX6h_RxGfs/s1600/100_2661.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HjOB5qmCfSg/Tdv6MUei4tI/AAAAAAAABno/HwX6h_RxGfs/s400/100_2661.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610352850382283474" border="0" /></a> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">With help from Tina on the handle and Monique at the presser foot, Mama Suzanne gets coordinated and sews a seam.<br /><br /></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"></span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" ></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >BOMEN</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Sewing</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Training</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Center</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > and Workshop will receive the first monetary profits from sales of cloth. BOMEN is a new project of the </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Bondeko</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Mennonite</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Church</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > in </span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >Kinshasa</span><span style="font-family: Corbel; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" > to train women heads of household, teenage mothers, and unemployed young women in sewing, dressmaking, and tailoring. To date only a small number have been part of the program because only two sewing machines are available.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Corbel;font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" >BOMEN seeks help to buy additional sewing machines, tables and chairs, supplies, and rent for a larger building for the center. Local contributions will cover personnel costs. The project hopes to train 100 women in basic sewing skills over an 18-month period. It will help the trainees find employment and establish a production workshop to start young women in their careers.</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYXGt56N7Zg/Tdv37m0ackI/AAAAAAAABnI/fnB5ObL5noI/s1600/100_2238.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYXGt56N7Zg/Tdv37m0ackI/AAAAAAAABnI/fnB5ObL5noI/s400/100_2238.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610350364224811586" border="0" /></a></p></blockquote><p style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Corbel;mso-bidi-font-family:Corbel;font-size:100%;" ></span></p>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-64836684541793455482011-05-16T08:10:00.000-07:002011-05-16T08:45:05.324-07:00CCC in A Postcard and a Prayer -- Mennonite Women USA<span style="font-style:italic;">We are thrilled to have our project featured in the current A POSTCARD AND A PRAYER published by Mennonite Women USA. Thanks for your interest and support!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySUXp5WFpCc/TdE_bbjQ8OI/AAAAAAAABkA/36gjtEB8UEY/s1600/DSCF0361.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 223px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySUXp5WFpCc/TdE_bbjQ8OI/AAAAAAAABkA/36gjtEB8UEY/s400/DSCF0361.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607332751537664226" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">“Every Stitch a Prayer” – Congo Cloth Connection</span><br /><br />Women know the art of prayerful stitching. When the women of the Gulf States suffered the chaos of hurricanes, Mennonite women knitted prayer shawls to wrap them in our love. Women for centuries have stitched quilts to pass down the generations as baby comforters and wedding blessings. In this age of the global church, stitches make even broader designs.<br /> <br />“Every Stitch a Prayer” began when Christine Nofinger visited the Democratic Republic of Congo for her friend, Rosetta Lind’s, high school graduation in 2009. Rose’s parents, Tim and Suzanne, are old friends of Chris now serving as MCC country reps in Kinshasa. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">“My senses were over-whelmed,” says Chris, “with the sounds, colors and smells of Congo. And I fell in love immediately with the cloth the women wore.”<span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote></blockquote></span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o5zbgHEGxJg/TdFASZhCYQI/AAAAAAAABkY/vgS_ZKqJoMg/s1600/IMG_2764%2B%25283%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o5zbgHEGxJg/TdFASZhCYQI/AAAAAAAABkY/vgS_ZKqJoMg/s400/IMG_2764%2B%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607333695884255490" /></a><br /><br />As a quilter, Chris immediately imagined a world of projects with what we are calling “Congo cloth.” While little of this cloth is now produced in Congo due to economic hardships, the bold wax print style cloth has been the hallmark of Congolese beauty for years. <br /><br />So upon return from Congo, Chris wondered how she could be part of God’s work in Congo. The complexity of beauty and suffering were hard to sort out. So as she used Congo cloth for quilts she began to pray. <br /><br />“Every stitch a prayer” is a way for many of us to be blessed by the beauty and creativity of Congo, to learn more about our brothers and sisters there, and to pray for mutual connections to emerge.<br /><br />In 2009 Chris came home with three suitcases jammed full of cloth. Now every time Tim or Suzanne or others with Congo connections travels, they also return with yards of cloth. There is no other way to get cloth here as there is no postal or delivery service between the US and Congo. We now estimate we have 1,000 yards of cloth. And we have a plan. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yymqOcSeLrk/TdE_b5sbnAI/AAAAAAAABkQ/qHGxwNqJlKU/s1600/CMC%2Bhanging.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yymqOcSeLrk/TdE_b5sbnAI/AAAAAAAABkQ/qHGxwNqJlKU/s400/CMC%2Bhanging.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607332759629175810" /></a><br /><br />“Every Stitch a Prayer” will host a booth at Pittsburgh for the MCUSA Convention, July 4 -9. At our booth your connections can begin. A quilt will be stitched and a comforter knotted. These along with other gorgeous wall hangings made by Goshen’s Mennonite Church and Silverwood Mennonite Church women will be auctioned on Thursday evening. Fabric will be for sale, with new designs added each day. Other ready made items will also be for sale. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grlPcFwRjAM/TdE_bn-3FDI/AAAAAAAABkI/nfHkMIGYVvo/s1600/100_2584.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-grlPcFwRjAM/TdE_bn-3FDI/AAAAAAAABkI/nfHkMIGYVvo/s400/100_2584.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607332754874635314" /></a><br /><br />As cloth is sold for ten dollars a yard, the benefit, in addition to our joy in Congolese beauty, will be for two sewing projects in Congo. In Kinshasa, the Bondeko Mennonite Church sponsors BOMEN Sewing Group. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5av9WaLhv2I/TdFGEMANFTI/AAAAAAAABkw/QXuWk-cmIqk/s1600/100_2218.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5av9WaLhv2I/TdFGEMANFTI/AAAAAAAABkw/QXuWk-cmIqk/s400/100_2218.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607340048808482098" /></a><br /><br />BOMEN trains young women who are single mothers to make a living through tailoring. In eastern Congo, the National Council of Churches, a Mennonite Central Committee partner, also sponsors sewing groups to train women to provide for themselves. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kOWnErO5Fso/TdFASicN1gI/AAAAAAAABkg/KdbG4jI7i1w/s1600/Tea%2Band%2BLinds%2B4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kOWnErO5Fso/TdFASicN1gI/AAAAAAAABkg/KdbG4jI7i1w/s400/Tea%2Band%2BLinds%2B4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607333698279953922" /></a><br />(Cisca Ibanda, MWC Congo, and Nina Lanctot, Florence Church, MI)<br /><br />Those who want to connect through prayer will sew “Every Stitch a Prayer” cards using Congo cloth. We are exchanging prayer requests with Mennonite women in Kinshasa through Cisca Ibanda, Congolese representative to Mennonite World Conference Executive Committee. She gathers with women from all three Mennonite conferences in Kinshasa for prayer and praise, and they have begun praying for us and this project.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uQWyL5VEBr0/TdFFRunYMGI/AAAAAAAABko/yXorPA9wnXQ/s1600/RSCN5196.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uQWyL5VEBr0/TdFFRunYMGI/AAAAAAAABko/yXorPA9wnXQ/s400/RSCN5196.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607339181926264930" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Prayer Card: As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. <span style="font-style:italic;"><blockquote></blockquote></span></span><br /><br />We are very exited that Marie-Jeanne Mujinga, the director of the BOMEN Sewing Group of Kinshasa, will be present with us at Central District Conference and at Pittsburgh. She will bring an immediate connection with seamstresses in Congo and with stories of congregational life there. She will also be visiting the Michiana area as a guest of Michiana Friends of Congo, a joint effort of Florence Church of the Brethren Mennonite (Constantine, MI), Kern Road Mennonite (South Bend, IN) and Silverwood Mennonite (Goshen, IN).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qrr1e3C5nDk/TdE_bTGvXLI/AAAAAAAABj4/BWw-A5cgzgU/s1600/100_2216.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qrr1e3C5nDk/TdE_bTGvXLI/AAAAAAAABj4/BWw-A5cgzgU/s400/100_2216.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607332749270539442" /></a><br />(Marie-Jeanne Mujinga)<br /><br />We hope to see you at Pittsburgh or in the Michiana area. You can find examples at congocloth.blogspot.com and Congo Cloth Connection on Facebook. If you would like to volunteer, donate, or bring a “cloth market” to your congregation or group, please contact Vicki Smucker at mvsmucker1971@gmail.com and 574-276-3809.Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-1808286875824503842011-05-11T11:40:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:44:36.054-07:00Share your Congo Cloth Connection project"Every Stitch a Prayer" wants to know what YOU made with your Congo Cloth. Here are some examples. Send us yours! We would like a photo or two as well as the ways your found yourself thinking and praying about Congo connections along the way.<br /><br />Nancy Myer (Kern Road Mennonite Church, South Bend, IN) had the eye for this cloth and used its pattern as the back of a simple jacket pattern. It reminded her of the jacket she bought years ago of Congo cloth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hmeScme3mHQ/TcrZN8_7aFI/AAAAAAAABiA/AvPvCgUvUg0/s1600/DSCN4120.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hmeScme3mHQ/TcrZN8_7aFI/AAAAAAAABiA/AvPvCgUvUg0/s400/DSCN4120.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605531519951792210" /></a><br /><br />Christine Nofsinger (Florence Church of the Brethren Mennonite, Constantine, MI) made a quilt in the Chinese Coins pattern for Tim and Suzanne Lind.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iq34kEaVVFU/TcrZNe_nqJI/AAAAAAAABh4/Juwr0KFA7OA/s1600/Chris%2BThe%2BQuilt.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iq34kEaVVFU/TcrZNe_nqJI/AAAAAAAABh4/Juwr0KFA7OA/s400/Chris%2BThe%2BQuilt.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605531511897434258" /></a><br /><br />Chris also made "robes" in the form of aprons from a Congo cloth pattern that centers on the names of Jesus. The Florence men's choir was all smiles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2r3hk6-0zM/TcrZOjy-tCI/AAAAAAAABiY/LL_nC15lswk/s1600/Florence%2Bmen%2Baprons%2B2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o2r3hk6-0zM/TcrZOjy-tCI/AAAAAAAABiY/LL_nC15lswk/s400/Florence%2Bmen%2Baprons%2B2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605531530366465058" /></a><br /><br />Suzanne Lind (Florence) with the help of Christine Nofsinger made comforters for her twin grandchildren, Amari and Desmond, who were born in Congo and adopted to live in Goshen with parents David and Kendra Lind. The fish patterned cloth was made by our friend Mama Kadi of Kinshasa, DR Congo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5Vtxj5krmk/TcrcIffyJjI/AAAAAAAABi4/0Ek137nAMhA/s1600/IMG_0976.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5Vtxj5krmk/TcrcIffyJjI/AAAAAAAABi4/0Ek137nAMhA/s400/IMG_0976.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605534724667876914" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_0LnuktBxY/TcrcISKqwjI/AAAAAAAABjA/B3FNnudQX3c/s1600/Chris%2Bquilt%2B1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_0LnuktBxY/TcrcISKqwjI/AAAAAAAABjA/B3FNnudQX3c/s400/Chris%2Bquilt%2B1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605534721089651250" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X21qcRWVYrY/TcrZNywHjcI/AAAAAAAABiI/sCG9QCD783A/s1600/June%2B27%2B007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X21qcRWVYrY/TcrZNywHjcI/AAAAAAAABiI/sCG9QCD783A/s400/June%2B27%2B007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605531517201124802" /></a><br /><br />Naomi Wenger (Florence) made a pleated skirt from a print with a border for her daughter, Emily.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AjVyKszF7U/TcrZOXCj3UI/AAAAAAAABiQ/hF5cvYFdxNQ/s1600/DSCN5775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AjVyKszF7U/TcrZOXCj3UI/AAAAAAAABiQ/hF5cvYFdxNQ/s400/DSCN5775.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605531526942154050" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hpV4RxpSYZk/TcrbrrOBwBI/AAAAAAAABiw/bhaIYfpXppI/s1600/DSCN5775%2B-%2BCopy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 392px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hpV4RxpSYZk/TcrbrrOBwBI/AAAAAAAABiw/bhaIYfpXppI/s400/DSCN5775%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605534229598421010" /></a><br /><br />Nina Lanctot (Florence) is making a comforter for her first grandchild. It includes cloth from Congo, Cambodia and Costa Rica, reflecting family and church ties. It needs to be knotted by May 22-- Lily's first birthday!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wnf-GqezDxA/TcrbTwibWlI/AAAAAAAABig/PKRuLk7mxhw/s1600/DSCN8934.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wnf-GqezDxA/TcrbTwibWlI/AAAAAAAABig/PKRuLk7mxhw/s400/DSCN8934.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605533818709301842" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJ2us6Iu8_M/TcrbUIpmSHI/AAAAAAAABio/hquVGHOVywY/s1600/DSCN8936.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJ2us6Iu8_M/TcrbUIpmSHI/AAAAAAAABio/hquVGHOVywY/s400/DSCN8936.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605533825181829234" /></a>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-15074906956778290952011-04-19T12:13:00.001-07:002011-04-19T12:37:11.482-07:00Wall Hanging for Auction made by the women of Silverwood Mennonite Church<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mTO0fsQ7EEo/Ta3h3ZttBDI/AAAAAAAABgY/UBuohNq-e5A/s1600/November%2B%2B7%252C%2B2010%2B060.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mTO0fsQ7EEo/Ta3h3ZttBDI/AAAAAAAABgY/UBuohNq-e5A/s400/November%2B%2B7%252C%2B2010%2B060.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597378253803029554" /></a><br />When Chris Nofsinger started visiting congregations with her heavy bins of cloth, Silverwood was a first stop. Two Congo Cloth Markets have been held at Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen. The first was the Central District Conference regional meeting in the winter of 2009. In the fall of 2010 she was back, and "Every Stitch a Prayer" started to be pieced together.<br /><br />So it makes sense that the women of Silverwood would design and sew an original banner to be auctioned, raising awareness and funds for Congo Cloth Connection. <br /><br />This lovely banner will be auctioned at the Mennonite Church USA Assembly in Pittsburgh, July 4-9. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TuD6V7FxYs0/Ta3fIONDt8I/AAAAAAAABgQ/dqE421LDm2o/s1600/DSC02802.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TuD6V7FxYs0/Ta3fIONDt8I/AAAAAAAABgQ/dqE421LDm2o/s400/DSC02802.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597375244236208066" /></a><br />Beulah Horst and Virginia Hartsough quilting on the wallhanging. Virginia is the one who pieced this.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>We do not have a name for it yet but plan to get one thought up and put it on a label before the Pittsburgh auction. </strong></em></blockquote><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_zyIvWFeK20/Ta3fHeRRO5I/AAAAAAAABgA/BqGGYseFMa8/s1600/DSC02799.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 203px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_zyIvWFeK20/Ta3fHeRRO5I/AAAAAAAABgA/BqGGYseFMa8/s400/DSC02799.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597375231368969106" /></a><br />Close-up of the wallhanging that will be donated to CCC for Pittsburgh.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>What is so lovely is the contagion of creativity, beauty and partnership that this cloth inspires! The quilt top pieced by the women of College Mennonite Church is creating smiles from meeting to meeting. -- Nina B. Lanctot</strong></em></blockquote><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JpaVMKpsZh8/Ta3fHE8254I/AAAAAAAABfw/R5WA_h5CZOQ/s1600/DSC02792.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JpaVMKpsZh8/Ta3fHE8254I/AAAAAAAABfw/R5WA_h5CZOQ/s400/DSC02792.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597375224572471170" /></a><br />Above are Gladys Buller and Sharon Bontrager from Silverwood Mennonite Church women are admiring the quilt top made by College Church women. Gladys and her husband, Peter were mission workers in the Congo. She is a widow and lives at Waterford Crossing also.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dgqtHD8M4ug/Ta3jtr-1QVI/AAAAAAAABgo/_2Cc_VPfZJI/s1600/DSCN5427.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dgqtHD8M4ug/Ta3jtr-1QVI/AAAAAAAABgo/_2Cc_VPfZJI/s400/DSCN5427.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597380285931274578" /></a><br />Part of the "Every Stitch a Prayer" committee, Vicki Smucker and Nancy Myers of Kern Road Mennonite Church, South Bend, IN, enjoy handling the handy work of the College Church women.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POf4Eddc97w/Ta3jtS5W3AI/AAAAAAAABgg/m0zjK_PjrBA/s1600/DSCN5430.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 365px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POf4Eddc97w/Ta3jtS5W3AI/AAAAAAAABgg/m0zjK_PjrBA/s400/DSCN5430.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597380279197424642" /></a><br />Nancy Myers is holding the wall hanging that will be auctioned with the quilt top. Both will be quilted at Pittsburgh.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lkGFtrBMSQ/Ta3jtzbOimI/AAAAAAAABgw/C1OunWfsVl8/s1600/DSCN5420.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--lkGFtrBMSQ/Ta3jtzbOimI/AAAAAAAABgw/C1OunWfsVl8/s400/DSCN5420.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597380287929420386" /></a><br />Ah! Congo Cloth Connections!Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4170123660304619216.post-4797246893334050792011-04-12T19:11:00.000-07:002011-04-19T12:44:37.916-07:00Congo Cloth Quilt and Two Wall Hangings for Auction at Pittsburgh<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNsgHQqbqt0/TaWeG9ehztI/AAAAAAAABdo/baNcZEMq9KA/s1600/100_2584.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNsgHQqbqt0/TaWeG9ehztI/AAAAAAAABdo/baNcZEMq9KA/s400/100_2584.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595051954496720594" /></a><br /><em><strong>Stunning! Delightful!</strong></em> <br /><br />When Suzanne Lind visiting the sewing group of College Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN, she fell in love -- again -- with the beauty and creativity of Congo Cloth in the hands of praying women.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S4smi_f1KFc/Ta3ltR6zEzI/AAAAAAAABhA/sd5RHesM7MY/s1600/DSCN5430%2B-%2BCopy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 372px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S4smi_f1KFc/Ta3ltR6zEzI/AAAAAAAABhA/sd5RHesM7MY/s400/DSCN5430%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597382477958288178" /></a><br />Here is the wall hanging that matches the quilt top. Nancy Myer is holding it at a CCC planning meeting.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mkUdU1c-t8Y/TaWeXCcALfI/AAAAAAAABeg/DJQQ3OzPAB0/s1600/100_2585.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 323px; height: 294px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mkUdU1c-t8Y/TaWeXCcALfI/AAAAAAAABeg/DJQQ3OzPAB0/s400/100_2585.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595052230706212338" /></a><br /><blockquote><em><strong>The wall hanging of Congolese women is simple, beautiful,full of life and gentle vitality. </strong></em></blockquote><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ax5mDp2iS2E/TaWeG8uLNzI/AAAAAAAABdg/_7GChOFM3fI/s1600/100_2576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ax5mDp2iS2E/TaWeG8uLNzI/AAAAAAAABdg/_7GChOFM3fI/s400/100_2576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595051954293913394" /></a><br />Joy Hess and Rebecca Sommers have been collaborating with Congo Cloth Connection since last fall. With Joy's lovely designs, the women of College Mennonite Church have been working on a quilt top and a wall hanging to support the project. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fnx8-9XNb44/TaWeWwOp2OI/AAAAAAAABeI/cTB937WdGvY/s1600/100_2577.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fnx8-9XNb44/TaWeWwOp2OI/AAAAAAAABeI/cTB937WdGvY/s400/100_2577.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595052225818384610" /></a><br /><br />As their "Every Stitch a Prayer" project, they are donating both of these for auction at the Mennonite Church USA Assembly in Pittsburgh (July 4-9).<br /><br />The quilt top will be quilted with prayer during the Assembly.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvZcYtIqQV0/TaWgxCHJB8I/AAAAAAAABeo/RGm9v6PoGI4/s1600/100_2586.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvZcYtIqQV0/TaWgxCHJB8I/AAAAAAAABeo/RGm9v6PoGI4/s400/100_2586.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595054876318566338" /></a><br /><br />The wall hanging will arrive already quilted and ready for sale. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HOFZxIh1_NU/TaWeHlyUXqI/AAAAAAAABd4/Xo54fxDAMdw/s1600/100_2579.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HOFZxIh1_NU/TaWeHlyUXqI/AAAAAAAABd4/Xo54fxDAMdw/s400/100_2579.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595051965317144226" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fd1Kf_pgMwA/TaWeW3S-piI/AAAAAAAABeY/DIsN73_jrzE/s1600/100_2589.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fd1Kf_pgMwA/TaWeW3S-piI/AAAAAAAABeY/DIsN73_jrzE/s400/100_2589.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595052227715573282" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5yPpKcmgeM/TaWeHzyMcfI/AAAAAAAABeA/9bbJG7KeR9A/s1600/100_2587.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5yPpKcmgeM/TaWeHzyMcfI/AAAAAAAABeA/9bbJG7KeR9A/s400/100_2587.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595051969074721266" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILJCQz2FF0Q/TaWeWwVGq6I/AAAAAAAABeQ/hhnJSZ__x58/s1600/100_2588.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILJCQz2FF0Q/TaWeWwVGq6I/AAAAAAAABeQ/hhnJSZ__x58/s400/100_2588.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595052225845439394" /></a><br />We welcome those of you who are planning to come to Pittsburgh to plan some time in quilting, praying, and learning at the Congo Cloth Connection booth. And two of you will take home, after the auction, the handwork of women connecting with women through the US and Congo and the beauty of prayer.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkTl7JbCc3Y/TaWeHe3CATI/AAAAAAAABdw/p9JPkZ6AUMM/s1600/100_2581.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkTl7JbCc3Y/TaWeHe3CATI/AAAAAAAABdw/p9JPkZ6AUMM/s400/100_2581.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595051963457863986" /></a><br />(<em>Photos include, Joy Hess, Rebecca Sommer, Marjorie Ruth, Marajorie Leichty and the women's sewing group of College Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN)</em>Nina B. Lanctothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16586293195693935256noreply@blogger.com0