Looking for KIDS QUILTS!

 It's that time of year again--time to go on a prison visit--yeah!!  This summer my mom and I will travel to Cooper Street Correctional Facility in Jackson, Michigan on July 27 and 28.  

On Saturday July 28th, about 50 boys and girls will be spending a precious day with their dad.

Margaret's Hope Chest has the pleasure of providing the dads an opportunity to give their child the gift of a quilt.  

But we need help (as always!).

We need more quilts!

Currently we have about 10 boy quilts and

15 girl quilts.  We like to bring between 60-70 quilts so that there is a selection (we never know the exact ages of the children that will attend but the range is from 4-17).

Can you help?  

Do you have a boy or girl themed quilt just waiting around for a good home?

Do you have some time to finish off a quilt top 

or start a new quilt?

Here is what I hope to be an encouragement for those who aren't sure if they have the time or energy to make a quilt for this program.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom shared the story of Margaret's Hope Chest with a group of quilters at an area church.  I wasn't there but I heard that she did an awesome job :).

During the question and answer period after her talk a woman raised her hand and said something like this:

" I have a real problem with your program and how it makes these dads look like heroes to their kids."

Well, as you can imagine I was a bit bothered by this comment and I couldn't stop thinking it. Finally, last week while I was making a special gift for my own daughter I realized why it bothered me so much.

This is the pillow I made my daughter for her 11th birthday last week-it says: 

"I am the best ME there is"

Look at that beaming face-she loved it! And guess what?

My mom made me a pillow for my 8th birthday with those exact same words on it and I loved it. I read those words over and over as a child. That pillow decorated my bed, it absorbed my tears after a bad day, it reminded me of my mom's love. It was an encouragement and a comfort. I still have it and it is one of my most treasured possessions.

Why are we giving these dads an opportunity to give quilts to their kids? The purpose of these quilts is not to make the dad, or Margaret's Hope Chest or anyone else look like a hero.  The purpose of the quilts that we make for this program is to show each of these children that they are the BEST ME THERE IS.  That they are SPECIAL and LOVED by their father.  

Margaret's Hope Chest also believes that each child is loved by their heavenly Father and He is the one who has given us this program and these families to serve.

And so, I know that there are 40 or more quilts out there that God will lead people to send because...

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." John 15:16

Please help us show a child that he or she is special and loved.

We are looking for:

- kid themed quilts boys and girls but we always need more BOY quilts

-approx. 40 inches by 60 inches

-can be quilted or tied

-Deadline is July 25th

You can mail quilts to:

Margaret's Hope Chest

630 Griswold SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49507

If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me!

 

Here is a boy themed quilt I made a few weeks ago.  You can never go wrong with sports and race cars!