Jan in VA

Thank you so much to all who have responded to the thread about quilts for the barracks in Farah, Afghanistan for my SIL.
(http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-63082-1.htm)

I have tried very hard to keep up with the PMs and board messages, getting little sleep last night while designing pattern suggestions with instructions to send to those who've asked for them. There has been the most heart-warming response here. I've told my DD, who has talked again to her DH and told him, and he finally has a smile on his face this day knowing there is so much care for his men! They have no idea how far the ripples of Bert's heart cry has flowed, thanks to the precious quilters of the world (!) who've joyfully stepped up to the plate to help them put a little color, warmth and love into their world.

Farah, Afghanistan has several small villages of less than 600 people whom our military are trying to reach to assist in forming a newer, better government and keep safe from the Taliban. He reports that yesterday, just after telling my DD the horro story about the puppies they'd adopted, a bomb detonated just outside of their FOB (forward operating base) which killed several Afghanis and hurt several children. The military managed to get everyone airlifted out safely. No soldiers harmed. How difficult it must be in their minds to correlate the people who would abuse the puppies to those who are crying in pain and injury. There is no justice in war when the emotions of our young men are being stretched so thin.

Thank you again for your marvelous assistance in this project. I WILL get to your PMs and responses, I promise -- with the exception of one unknown that got away from me when the battery died on my laptop! Please forgive me if that one was you.

One of these patterns is ready to be emailed to anyone's personal email address...if you'll send it on to me, please. I intend to work some more tonight on another design and instructions for your choice.

Jan in VA, sewing, emailing, designing, and praying, all for a good cause

Granna of 5

Jan, I would be most honored to send a quilt top for your cause. Will pm you. I can not find the first post with the guidelines. Will keep looking.

Jan in VA

Somehow the first post went to the Classfieds section, I have no idea why! If there is anyone in Admin that would be able to change it back to "Main" I'd be appreciative

meanwhile, for those searching for this thread, it is currently in Classifieds under "Please help color desolate world" or something like that, posted on Sept. 4.

Thanks.
Jan in VA

pstoner

I will look up the post, am interested. Do you need me to send you a pm??

Jan in VA

There have been questions about other little gifts to give elders as some of our GIs did for children in Iraq.

The locals my SIL is reaching out to are a totally different venue than what our men in Iraq have been able to do with citizens they met. In Farah, the contact is with the village leaders and is like a business meeting. They are going into family homes sometimes, yes, but the 'gifts' they carry are not so aimed at soliciting a smile or good will, they are tokens from leader to leader, unit commander to tribe elder. It is aimed less at families and children, more at the leaders themselves, sad as that seems. It's sort of like when they sat down to smoke a peace pipe during the Indian wars; women served, children were invisible. It's a cultural thing in this part of the world.

Also my DD tells me that the little items GIs used to give out in Iraq have actually been ordered stopped for some reason, not sure what that's all about.

Jan in VA

Sadiemae

(Also my DD tells me that the little items GIs used to give out in Iraq have actually been ordered stopped for some reason, not sure what that's all about.)

Do you think this might be a cultural thing also?

Jan in VA

Because the original post on this subject went to Classifieds rather than the Main section, and because I've had so many wonderful responses from those who found it there and those who saw a reply I made here (I haven't a clue how I bounced around so!) I decided to repost it here, just to bring as any people up-to-date as possible. Here's what started it all:

"I debated a few hours before sharing this with you, but I decided in the end, who WOULD one share this request with if not other dedicated, loving quilters?

Today my daughter spoke with her DH Bert, an army Captain recently sent to Farah, Afghanistan, to an area that is as desolate as it gets. She cried pathetically as she told me about 2 puppies the soldiers had found and adopted, even naming them. It seems the puppies had been abused by the locals and the puppies hated them, reacting with loud barks and defensive behavior whenever they saw an Afghani. After winning over the hearts of the platoon, the men were devastated to find one puppy with his eyes removed and dying. They had to put the dog down as he became very ill after the horror. They have been advised they will have to destroy the remaining pup as the military higher-ups really do not allow them to keep pets while overseas, and the men are afraid the Afghanis will abuse him terribly if they turn him loose. She said her husband sounded so down, it made her just sick.

During this same call, Bert asked her if she thought I might have a couple of friends who could make a few 'small' quilts to put on his men’s beds in the barracks to give some color to their drab, sandy, dirty, desolate environment. He was worrying about morale and thought maybe color in this form would help. I can only imagine how a cuddly warm fuzzy would console a big ole soldier in the dark of night or after a miserable day. It touches my heart how Bert is always putting his men's care first. I can't imagine sending only 4-5 quilts; who would decide which soldier gets one?!!

He also suggested it would be helpful to have a few small quilts (I picture 36-40" sq.) -- very, very simple patterns-- to take with them when they enter the homes of the village elders. It is his job to train and co-ordinate with Afghani citizens who are trying to pull their country back together. I picture theme-carefully-chosen cheater panels or simple wide strips sewn together.

Her call galvanized me and I assembled blocks donated by a local guild member into a quilt this very afternoon. My heart is so heavy for these precious young men who put their life on the line for us every single day.

So........I'm asking if any among you would be willing to make some bed quilt TOPS -- we are setting a size request of 45" x 65" in order to fit their cots. If you would piece a TOP with your fabrics and mail them on to me, I will see them batted, quilted, and mailed overseas.

We are setting up a local committee to raise funds to pay the shipping, which will likely cost us $12.50 each quilt. We will buy batting seconds from Quilters Dream, already arranged with them; there are a small amount of funds so far for that. But donations would be gladly accepted!

Please consider joining this effort. I really need your help as there is no way I could make up to 20 some quilts in the next 6-8 weeks.
Thank you for listening,
Jan in VA

P. S. I will be more than happy to send directions for some simple patterns, things that could be pieced in a day or two. I can add those here or through PM, as you wish."

Jan in VA

To answer another question-----

Farah, Afghanistan is in the western desert part of the country next to Iran, not in the mountains near Pakistan. It gets quite cool there, but not frigid. We need thinner weight batting if you have yet to choose yours and were planning to quilt it for us.
Thanks,
Jan in VA

AbbyQuilts

Hi Jan! I think I know why it ended up in classifieds. The moderators probably moved it there. Because I know I saw it last night in the main section.

When you want to post something to request things the classifieds is the right place to post it

Good luck with your quilt program!

Jan in VA

Huh, how about that. No problem. It's just that, as a newbie, I had not been into the Classifieds section yet, since I didn't anticipate buying or selling anything. I wondered if there were many other members the same way.

Jan in VA