A stitch in time...

Since 2005, women have been coming for a year-long program sponsored by Share International to learn how to sew so that they will have the skills to be able to earn an income, start a small business and sustain their families. Amy Bernard has been instrumental in her leadership with this project here in India and she will continue to oversee that project under the Caleb Hope Foundation. 

On Saturday, we had a celebration for many of the women who have graduated from the program. Amy encouraged them in their work and commended them for the progress they have made. Then there was a time for some of the women to share their stories about the impact of this ministry on their lives.  Even though they were speaking in Telugu, when emotion welled up inside as they spoke, Amy and I did not need a translation for these tears.  We both needed a box of Kleenex handed down to us as we listened to these stories about transformation.  Ratnakar translated each story for us after the women had a chance to speak from their hearts, and we were so moved as woman after woman came up and talked about how this has given them a way to provide for their children and how it has given them hope.

Psalm 139 came to mind that morning as I was thinking about these women and I used this passage when it was time for me to give a brief message.  “You knit me together in my mother’s womb…” God is a tailor and is a master at sewing.  He weaves redemption into our lives and stitches together people and circumstances to reveal His love to us.  When I looked out at the women, I saw such beauty and wanted them to know what I saw.

As I write this now, this song by David Wilcox comes to mind:

“If I had a spell of magic. I would make this enchantment for you. A burgundy heart shaped medallion with a window that you could look through- and when all the mirrors are angry with your faults and all you must do, you could look through that heart shaped medallion and see you from my point of view.”

God has made them so beautiful and I assured them that God does not make mistakes.  I also shared the part of the song; “You make beautiful things out of dust. You make beautiful things out of us.”

His work in their lives has been beautiful and I wanted them to be reminded that they are loved. When we know our belovedness, we are able to love others well and shine the light that has been poured into us. As I looked at them, they were radiant, and I encouraged them to continue to let their light sparkle and shine.

The verse I left them with was from Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him” because this room certainly was overflowing with hope…