another July 4th gone by

Not one blog post in an entire year!  Something was wrong that people couldn't seem to comment and I felt I was talking to myself.  I think this is the case!

I did teach sewing classes to Karen children aged 10 up and Karen women with another woman.  She is from First Baptist in St. Paul and we taught at Christ Lutheran which used to have a large Hmong sewing program and craft shop.   It was exciting,  but frustrating.  The other woman's husband was dying of cancer and often there was little to no communication with her.  We had machines quit working.  I bought machines on craigslist and ebay and lugged them back and forth.  We needed larger pieces of fabric for the girls to move on to making a garment.  I went around picking up donations of fabric and organizing them and then lugging to class where even the adults unfolded and tossed pieces aside until I stopped them.

Another woman came forward to help me teach at the end.  Both of the women were set up to sew at home at the end,  with a floor lamp,  a machine and the basics needed.  This is really my goal.  I can't make polar fleece hats etc for every needy person.   I want to teach others to make them for themselves and others.

This summer I am attempting to do a "camp" type class once a week for these kids,  when they aren't  in summer school.  I thought I'd request $1 to cover supplies and give them a chance to earn tickets by picking up trash they throw on the ground around their apartments.   I let them use the tickets to purchase shoes I bought at yard sales, thrift stores and online.   Well when the class came away all but one child claimed not to have $1 or one ticket!  Also my plan of separating age groups and having a group for 1 1/2 hours really didn't work.  I have still had several different activities for them to choose from but let them choose,  do one, and go back to playing with their friends.

Finding helpers was very frustrating.  My co teacher for sewing said she didn't want to help me.  The other woman who taught at the end had rotator cuff surgery.  I had 2 teen siblings forced by their mother to "try it" .  hah!  Lucky me!   Another didn't show up at all nor let me know.  The 9th grader and his mother were great but he's been at camp himself since the first time.  It's very time consuming to plan activities and figure out each needed item, and lug it over there.