Sewing Lessons

If you've kept up with my blog then you know Blessing's story. This is the sewing shop that she opened after she finished sewing school. Blessing is flashing the peace sign. The women in the shop are her students that she teaches. Blessings shop is on the way to the FA clinic, so we stop by every day to say hello and chat for a bit. On this particular day, we walked in to the women chopping fish heads. "Chopping" is pigeon for eating. These cooked fish heads are evidently really good, although I couldn't stomach the smell, and I don't know how I feel about eating fish eyeballs.

I love being in Blessing's shop. Everyone is always laughing and joking. It's so much fun to just sit down and joke with them. Laughter crosses language barriers like nothing else really does. They like to joke around at my attempts to speak Hausa and pigeon English, and I jest back at how their sewing equipment is "Old School," which they always laugh at when I say.

The other week Mary decided to test out my sewing skills and teach me a couple of things about antique sewing machines. I haven't touched a sewing machine since home economics in middle school, and the extent of my skills is limited to sewing buttons on old shirts that I don't want to give to the goodwill quite yet. Needless to say, we all got a good laugh at my attempt to sew a straight line while peddling the machine at the same time. I don't know how they do it.

Mary is one of Blessing's sewing students. A woman in the US just started sponsoring her son so he can go to primary school. We met Richard, her son, the other day and took pictures to send back to the sponsor. They were both so thankful for the generosity that this woman from the US was showing them. So many families don't have the income to send their children to school. Faith Alive sponsors around 60 children who are either orphaned or in extreme financial need. Faith Alive allows many young children who would be working to make a living, and instead allows them to attend primary school. Thankfully, Richard will be able to continue his studies. And thankfully I won't have to make a living sewing dresses and Nigerian shirts.

Comments

[sam]

Hey!! I hope you are having an absolutely marvelous time in Africa and that it will be a truely fantastic life changing experience for you. I hope to see you as soon as you get back. You'll have to tell me all about it. Love you!
Lots of love,
sam :)

[gretchen]

hi i hope you are having a great time in africa. hope you have a great time there. and i hope to see you soon. i love you. love, caleb
stephen -
hi good luck be careful. have a good time. love you, jason

[gretchen]

hi little brother. i am so happy that you are having such wonderful experiences in africa. i miss you, dearly and praying for your safe return. i will love you forever and always!
gigi

i love you im sorry you are going to africa i love you. you are the greatest man ever. i am sorry i haven't seen you in a long time - logan