MARCIA @ SAK SAUM - CAMBODIA

Phnom Penh, Cambodia "We sat on the floor for a morning and afternoon  session at Sak Saum. We asked them for fabrics scraps because they make the purses. It was fun to see them take the straps and make something beautiful out if them. I read them the book of Ruth and then shared my story rope. Then we laid out all the ribbons we had brought and they added their fabrics. We cut long stips of their fabric."

"The most amazing thing was to watch the blind girl smell and touch ribbons and fabrics in order to do her story rope. And she was the first one to share her story! Her story is very hard, one of abuse and violation. However her last 2 strips of fabric were of musical notes and guitars. She put those on because now she has Jesus."

"Story ropes are good care bridges, even for the blind. Many shared, each were prayed for and one thanked us even though she said she could not share right now."  from Marcia Carole (on left)

Sak Saum is about a changed life...seeing people set free and empowered for their future. They believe the cycles of trafficking, abuse, poverty and despair can be broken. They believe change is possible - they see it every day.  Look at their beautiful website, to see their beautifully designed pocket books, wallets and scarves and all about their ministry. Total quality. http://saksaum.com/

QUIPUS - AN INCA STORY ROPE?

I first heard about quipus in a story rope workshop in Lima, Peru. 

Later on our teaching trip to Peru, Cathy and I visited the Museo Larco.  There in one of the showcases were quipus!  

Quipus were the main system employed by the ancient Inca culture to record information and events. The knotted cords were used to record countable information. 

The colors, knots and distances between the knots enabled those who used the quipus to identify the type of object or the characteristics of the population being recorded.

photos in film grain

Making Story Ropes in the ION Create Zone

Story ropes @International Orality Network Conference  2nd of 2 posts  

In the middle of the Create Zone, surrounded by God's Story Rope going around the walls of the room, was a table top loaded with story rope materials.  

Individuals were encouraged to come around the table to make a story rope about their own life or a Bible character.  

And then of course they told their stories.  
(That's the part I love best in these workshops!)

Judy Powell (top photo-in yellow) did a great job planning the story rope sessions and organizing the whole Create Zone!

Thank you to Jolene Wilson, the source of this post. She was on the ground at the ION Conference, experiencing and photographing. Jolene shared the how-to of story ropes with Judy Powell, who took the idea and developed it for the conference. 

Story Ropes @ International Orality Network Conference

1st of 2 posts-Story ropes at 2013 ION conference, International Orality Network Conference, St. Louis, MO  

Judy Powell of Houston, TX coordinated the Create Zone during the conference.

Entering the Create Zone room, this is what you saw…Paul Neeley’s pictures of the crucifixion from all over the world in different styles.  Above that was God’s story rope with other ropes attached…starting in eternity past–going to eternity future–with the various milestones between.

Thank you, Jolene Wilson, for being the eyes on the ground, taking the pictures at ION! 

STORY ROPES IN THE DOMINICAN no. 2

Continued from previous post:

After creating their story ropes, the girls sat and listened to all their lives unfold in fabric. 

Later Martha (on right) said this:
Someone told me that the people of this culture, this village, lack imagination - that they think in terms of black and white - right and wrong - yes and no.  

If that's true, maybe it's because their imagination was never sparked. 

Because just look at the way these girls respond to a good story. Nobody's personal story is EVER black and white. 

Makes me wonder and imagine.

IN THE DOMINICAN SEWING ROOM no 1

My friend, Martha, headed down to Caraballo, Dominican Republic (DR) on her second mission trip. Her assignment, along with others on her team, was working with the young Dominican girls in the sewing room. 

In preparation for the trip, Martha brought friends to my studio to see some creative ideas for what they might do in the Dominican sewing room with the girls.  On their studio visit I taught them the story rope process - a way for the young girls to tell their story. 

Several donated bags of scraps were collected & brought down to the DR to use for the ropes.  Yes, they were going to make story ropes!

Photos: In the DR experiencing the story rope process.

Tell Them Your Story

(The story continues from the previous 2 posts) 
My friend called one day to see if she could bring her visiting family members over. We sat in the living room with a big world atlas and located where each family member is from in India.  

Then my friend turned to me and said, "Tell them your story".  "But I don't have my rope." "Tell them your story" she repeated. "OK." And I did - growing up in alcoholic home, journey through depression, feeling hopeless, rebuilding my trust and faith in Jesus - the whole transparent story. 

We eventually made it upstairs where my friend explained the whole Creation quilt story.  Amazing!  Then they discovered their language in the design of the For God So Loved quilt. 

Of course they wanted to see the story ropes having heard so much about them.  I brought out mine and one made in Rwanda. That called for telling my story yet again!  There was much discussion in the studio.

(They wanted their photo taken with the story ropes.)

Before leaving, I gave them Creation & For God So Loved quilt postcards. They asked for extras to share with their friends back in India. Great! I handed out more!