For others; Presbyterian women come together in mission outreach

Published 10:08 am Thursday, February 16, 2017

The Westminster Presbyterian Church Women and the Women of the Community Bible Study gathered on Wednesday to lend their hands to world missions.

Some of the hands were sewing; others were knitting.

All hands came together in prayer, before the mission workshop day began at Westminster.

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“May the needs of the world for charity and commitment be the need that speaks to us today,” said Jacky Dietz, who led the group prayer.

The need to serve has spoken at Westminster for over 80 years, said Shirley Hinrichs, who coordinates the annual workshop day with Darlene Berhow.

About 20 were creating items during the day, Hinrichs said. Some do not come until they have retired from careers, when they have more time to devote to the work.

Finished clothes and bags hag at Westminster Presbyterian Church Wednesday.

Finished clothes and bags hag at Westminster Presbyterian Church Wednesday.

It has been that way for years. One of the workers, Gloria Aanonson, said one veteran worker told her that as a child, “she used to crawl under the quilt racks” as women made quilts for missions.

On this day, women worked on items needed for six different service projects, from dresses for Haitian and African girls, to hats, scarves, mittens and booties for Romanian orphans. Tables laden with yarn, fabric and sewing machines filled the fellowship hall.

“We are so blessed” to have willing workers, said Ozzie Earl, who has come to similar workshop days for decades.

“I guess I’ve done a little bit of everything,” said Earl, 89. “I am sure I knitted at one time. Today, I work in the kitchen (to prepare breakfast and lunch) — do you know we used to roll bandages for the Red Cross?”

Earl does more than that. She helps oversee the New Opportunities for Romanian Orphaned Children, an active mission throughout the year. In addition to those things being knitted for the orphans on Wednesday, funds and toys are also collected to send to the children at other times of the year.

Earl said she could remember how the Austin congregation first began its mission for Romanian children.

“[The late] Gloria Falkner went to a church gathering and saw a film about Romanian orphans; all these little babies in cribs, who could not even learn to walk because there was no one to pick them up,” Earl said.

Falkner suggested to fellow church members the idea of sending funds to the orphanage so staff could be hired to take care of the little ones.

“It mushroomed from there,” said Earl. She continues to oversee the mission through the year, with Margaret Blue coordinating the workshop knitting effort.

Unlike Earl, Gloria Aanonson has only been involved in mission work since her retirement in 2010. She coordinates the sewing of dresses for children in Haiti and Africa.

“I love to sew,” she said, as she worked on a piece. “I had girls, I was a stay-at-home mom, and I know how they loved it when I sewed for them. I want to help these little girls feel special too.”

She had sewn 23 dresses, but was working to complete 32.

“I challenge myself every year to do more than the year before,” she said.

Each dress has an embellishment — such as a different colored stripe, or a flower — she said, that makes each one unique. She is always impressed when people who hear about the effort go out of their way to find fabrics or make donations to the mission.

“They hear about it and bring fabric in — I always get excited when I see a new fabric,” she said.

Maridee Ofstedahl, from left, Jacky Dietz and Ann Sundal sew and assemble female hygiene kits during an annual workshop at Westminster Presbyterian Church Wednesday.  Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Maridee Ofstedahl, from left, Jacky Dietz and Ann Sundal sew and assemble female hygiene kits during an annual workshop at Westminster Presbyterian Church Wednesday.
Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Dietz also got excited when she heard about “Days for Girls,” an effort to make and collect items to create sustainable feminine hygiene products for African girls and women who, when experiencing their periods, had to stay at home from school since there were no resources for them. Some estimates say the students would lose as much as 20 percent of their educational year by staying home. The sanitary items, as a result, help to provide “days” so the girls can attend school. Dietz and crew worked to create 12 kits on Wednesday.

“When you think of how just one kit will help one girl get a better education … you’re freeing up a child so they can continue to learn,” Dietz said. “Even one makes a difference.”

Other projects included making walker caddies for Comforcare Healthcare Center; Berhow coordinates that effort. Then there was filling Easter baskets for shut-ins of Westminster, and making blank greeting cards to send to members. Some assembled “Orange Day” ribbons, worn on the 25th of every month, to symbolize taking a stand against violence against women and children.

Pastor Mike Olmsted said the church is blessed to have so many willing hands.

“Each year, they are doing new things” to meet the needs of the world’s children.

“I see different faces and different leaders over the years, but I always see the same, great work,” he said.