prayer quilts

 at our church we have a great team of ladies 

that get together every week 

to create prayer quilts

'prayers & squares'

(although often they are more than just a simple square patchwork design)

they are intended for someone who needs a little love 

& prayer for some reason

often due to medical reasons but sometimes not

it is a wonderful ministry that reaches far beyond 

our direct ABC community

on sunday there were two quilts presented for a couple & their baby girl

i know these guys ... 

they now live in India & are working as missionaries in the medical field

the bright fun very colourful half square triangle quilt is for them!

to cheer them & remind them of all the love, care, 

interest & prayers that are 'back home'

you can see here all the little ties being knotted

& in the process a thought or prayer said

the gorgeous pink 9 patch one is for their baby girl

she (& her mum) have not yet made it back to India to live ... yet

this baby has had lots of health issues 

& so far after many many tests there is still

no real clear understanding of what all these issues add up to mean

& what impact this will have on them as a family

& how best to care for this gorgeous smiley girl!

all this makes me think & praise god for the wonderful people 

in our world who walk away from a safe, comfortable life in australia 

& elsewhere to embark on a mission of their heart 

somewhere else in the world

i've had a very small taste of what this must be like

& i know lots of people who have done this

they are brave & godly & i admire their sense of spirit & adventure

 here's another action shot ... hey that lady in green is my mum!

now i'd like to add to this little story about 

how the 9 patch quilt came to exist

.... a very good friend of mine, a (blogless) friend ... 

who should write a blog as she sews lots of great things & has two gorgeous little girls so plenty to talk about ... so that she can come to SIT

 made most of this quilt top a while back 

when she was first learning to quilt

 ... and so she had a go machine quilting

i had no advice for her at the time

about how to perfect the whole machine quilting thing

& now after some more experience i'm not sure what advice i'd give!

but to just keep trying & that whatever the result the fact is 

that it is a handmade item 

... to love & keep or give no matter

just enJOY the journey i say xxx

anyway she tried the masking tape trick to guide her

... and had some directional issues ...

result was that she stopped 

folded the whole quilt away out of sight out of mind

to then a while later 

commented to me that she was going to put it in the 

rubbish bin!!

no ... ooooooo i cried 

... i gave it to 'prayers & squares' 

where there is a lady who regularly helps out with 'un-picking' 

.... yep that is what she likes to do!

so all the little quilting stitches were lovingly un-picked

the quilt washed 

... i saw it at this point & 

you would hardly have know it had had stitching over part of it 

unless you were really really looking for evidence!!

(mental note for the future - a rescue can be performed!!!)

it was then given a new border & backing

lots of colour coordinated ties & ta da!!!

so that's the story 

& hopefully in the not too distant future 

it will, along with its new proud little owner 

wing its way to India 

to be with her & her mummy & daddy, all together!!