Peace of Thread: More Than Just Purses
Peace of Thread
One of our dear seamstresses, Anisa* from Afghanistan, has spent the past three weeks fighting for her life. A nasty cold turned into pneumonia. On April 21st, Anisa was rushed into ICU and put on a ventilator to help her breathe. Later, she was put into a medically-induced coma to help her heal.
On April 28th, she came out of her coma and was taken off the vent. We were rejoicing that God has answered our prayers for healing when she was found to have a blood clot in her lung and a blockage in her bowel. She went back into a coma and on the vent again.
But on May 4th, she woke up and was taken off the vent. She squeezed Denise’s hand and smiled. Now, praise God, Anisa is recovered and has gone home.
I mentioned in my last post that refugees are people who are worth getting to know better. Anisa is a very dear person: a wife, a mother of four, and a friend to many. I myself don’t know Anisa very well, but in her sweet spirit shines through every time I see her. It’s been absolutely heartbreaking to see her and her family suffer. The constant ups-and-downs of her sickness have been frustrating for me, and they must be absolutely exhausting to people like Denise who visit her in the hospital constantly. But one thing all of this mess has taught me is that Peace of Thread is more than just a non-profit that sells pretty purses. It’s a community.
Peace of Thread is a community of God’s people-“people who sew peace” (Denise’s words)-that will anoint a sick woman with oil and pray for her. It’s a community of people who will literally sit beside someone during the hard times, no matter how much time that takes. It’s a community that believes God can do a miracle, even when everything looks bleak. This community is the best thing we can provide for our refugees.
Living in community is a lot of work, especially when you’re living with people who come from another country and may not speak your language. But it’s the most fulfilling experience that human beings can have. Every person needs love, and love is what unities us across languages, religions, and cultures. I’m glad that Peace of Thread is an organization that promotes love. I would encourage anyone reading this blog post to love their neighbor, no matter what that neighbor looks like or where that neighbor is from.
*name changed to protect privacy