Two months ago I started a ministry that involved two of my passions, one of course is helping people. What kind of ministry doesn't help people so of course it started with that! The other passion that is involved is my passion for sewing.
I can't explain why I love to sew. Even though I come from a family who sews, we never sewed together or I never got to sew with them. I took sewing in high school, but the love didn't happen then. The love happened years later when I was 25.
Let me start back at the begining...
I fell in love with quilts when I was a child from a cartoon picture of a quilt wrapped around a person keeping them warm. I had never even seen a handmade quilt except on television. No one in my family quilted. As a child I dreamt of owning a quilt, wrapping it around me in a comforting hug. However it was a long time before my dream of a owning a simple thing as a quilt would become part of my reality.
In the early 1990’s I worked at a Denny’s in Fresno, California. There was a new waitress in her 50’s that was showing a quilt to a customer. I was drawn to the quilt like a moth to a flame. You would have thought I was brought up with no manners, because I barged into their conversation asking, “Betty, do you quilt?” and before she could finish saying yes, I was asking, “Do you think you could teach me to quilt?”
That was the beginning of mine and Betty’s friendship. She called me “daughter” and I called her “mom”. She was a wonderful woman of God who took this parent-less girl under her wings. She not only taught me how to make quilts but she taught me things that a mother teaches her daughter. From making curtains to canning jelly. This woman could do it all!! If she knew it, she was teaching it to me. I was a young mother of 3 who in the next year would become a young widow at the age of 26.
She opened a door for me to sewing, that sparked a love that I didn’t even know existed before that day in Denny’s. I found quilting shows to tape, classes to take, books to purchase and pretty soon I was teaching Betty new techniques. I joined a quilter’s guild and met other women who had the quilting passion.
Before she moved away to Oklahoma Betty came to visit me to see my new sewing room. She looked around in awe stating, “The student has surpassed the teacher.”
Betty taught this girl how to create comfort with some fabric. When you look in my linen closet you will only find one of my comforters that I have made. I have given them all out; no one will be without comfort in my presence.
My grandchildren have all been given special blankets that I have made for each of them. I have told them when you miss me or you need a hug, wrap yourself up in this blanket to get a hug from Nana Jojo.
One of my current prayers is that I can be the kind of mentor to others as Betty was to me. She has gone on to be with the Lord and her blessings to me will continue to bless others.
In 2008 I moved to the Valley in Southern Oregon. I started attending PICC in the fall of 2010. I met wonderful people of God. One in particular was gathering blankets to give to the homeless.
Since that moment I felt a tugging on my heart to make comforters to give to the needy and the homeless in our area. I have a ton of fabric just gathering dust; we should use it to comfort people. Every time I brought it up people were too busy and couldn't help.
This last November a wonderful wise woman of God told me that God gave you the vision; you should start this on your own. That is the last thing I wanted to hear. I thought no more about it.
Then on Saturday, January 12, 2013, God told me it is time to just start the ministry. That day Comfort with Comforter was born. CwC does have a facebook page if you would like to check it out. https://www.facebook.com/ComfortWithComforters
Since then I have only made 2 comforters on my own. I am in need volunteers to increase production.
I was watching an episode of Sewing With Nancy one of the guest spotlights was a lady that started a quilting group. It started with a woman that wanted to tithe one quilt to charity for every 10th quilt that she made. She sent out emails telling people about what she wanted to do. There were assignments off all kinds for all levels of sewing experience. Now that group gives quilts all over the world comforting folks that need it. Wow, it started with the passion of one woman.
God shared that story to me today, to tell me not to give up hope on my little ministry. It will grow and people will come to assist.
As I was having my revelation during that show, it dawned me, "I am passionate about sewing, quilting and helping people which I remembered God is behind those passions. CwC will succeed because God is behind it too"
God is a wonderful God isn't He?!?! I love Him!
Until Next Time, God Bless!!!
