Even with social distancing and the coronavirus pandemic, the dedicated quilters in the St. Paul LWR Quilting Group are continuing to make mission quilts that will someday be shipped to Lutheran World Relief for distribution around the world. Social distancing and exchanging items in the parking lot at St. Paul may not be what “quilting day” used to be, but it’s our occasional meeting day now.
Our quilting is done in parts – one person cuts and designs the quilt squares, another person sews them together, another person sandwiches the quilts layers together, another person sews around the edges, another person ties the quilt layers together. Then there are the specialty cutting, ironing, and sewing people. Then they get boxed and inventoried for the eventual shipment – whenever LWR is able to arrange a local ingathering.
What made us sad was to read about the damage to three 40-foot shipping containers that were destroyed in the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4. These containers had 22,000 mission quilts, maybe even some that came from St. Paul, 100 cartons of school supply kits, 300 cartons of personal care kits, and 125 cartons of baby care kits.
These items were to be distributed in Lebanon by LWR’s partner, Anera. These supplies were to help 24,500 men, women, and children in Lebanon, many refugees from Syria and Palestine. The estimated cost of this loss was $624,000 – all donations by Lutheran congregations. After the explosion, an additional 300,000 people are estimated to be without shelter and in need of these supplies and other basic living items.
The small things we do, help many. The small things you do, can help many more. Visit LWR’s website at www.lwr.org for more information.