Beads under a Tree

 

Well, as you now know, my backpack was stolen, and one of the items in there was my notebook that I take to the prison to write the ladies’ prayer requests, their court dates, their stories, my prayers, and questions that they ask.

I had a few more days to fill you in on, but the notes were written in the book.  So, as my husband can testify, my brain doesn’t work quite like it used to.

I’ll just blame it on the heat.

Anyway, I do remember two “events,” but not their specific questions.

In December, we went one day to show them how to make paper beads, like Florence makes for necklaces and bracelets.

A little over half of the women always join us for Bible study, but ALL but one of them came for bead making.

Go figure.

They were so excited!

That same day, the prison had arranged for someone to come and teach the ladies how to make soap, BUT they were charged a fee to go to the class, so….only one lady attended…in the room where we do Bible study, so….the other 60 of us, sat out in the yard under a tree, on mats, to make beads.

Florence had cut a lot of magazine pages. (Thank you to all of you who send me TV Guides, etc.  After I read them, they become jewelry and a money-maker for Florence!)

I bought two bottles of glue and a container of toothpicks, and we were set.

At first, we taught in groups of 10, but soon, all of them had toothpicks and were making beads, and they wanted more and more paper. 

I walked around with the paper to give them, and Florence and another lady walked around with glue for everyone.

I felt like a school teacher again.  As I walked around, they would show me their work, so proud.  Some would run to show me what they had done, looking for praise.  Some came to show me their whole collection of colors after they had make 7-10.   One lady didn’t want hers taken, so when she came to show me, she had to dig them out of her bra.  They were all like small children in their excitement, and it was a great “friendship” time with them.

Florence wanted to teach them so they would have one more skill to make money with whenever they get out.  As a benefit, it also showed them we love when we aren’t in Bible study, we have time for them, and we aren’t there just to teach the Word of God and walk away, but to invest in them.

It was a really fun day for me, and I loved watching them walk off with their treasures.