Lumiere Charity remembers Bangladesh

A candle has been by Lumiere Charity in remembrance for all who have been recently affected in the devastating floods in Bangladesh. It is reported that seventy people have gone to final rest, and 200,000 people are stranded in the floods. People are feared trapped in the mud, and rescue operations continue. May strength and safety be with all who are helping those affected by the floods which set off landslides. In the spirit of Lumiere, is there any way you could help?


With thanks to the reporter who reported the plight of our Bangladesh brothers and sisters in our human family, in the link
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/thirty-dead-150-000-stranded-bangladesh-floods-050039361.html?nc 

Sewing Circle Tips - Making curtains easy!

Gathering tape sewn onto curtain, with hooks

For years when funds were tight in mission areas I used to make extremely cheap curtains swiftly and easily in the following way;
I purchased two single sheets in a pretty cotton fabric at the local store selling cheap linen. 
Then I would buy some cheap heading gathering tape and white plastic cotton hooks from the local sewing store.
 Measure the heading gathering tape to fit the top of each sheet exactly with 1cm to spare on either side, then cut off the gathering tape. 
Note there is a right side, and an underside to the gathering tape.
The side you want facing upwards on the back of the curtain is the side which has extra pieces of tape where the hooks go in.
Turn under the raw ends of the gathering tape to the length of 1cm of the heading gathering tape, and pin and tack the tape to the top of the sheets on the wrong side (the back of the sheet with the underside of the pattern). 
Pull out the cords at the end of the curtain which will be at the middle of the window, 
and knot them together. 


Sew the tapes on. If you don't have a sewing machine, sew them on by hand. I have done this when I didn't have a sewing machine, it takes a long time and you need both patience and a thimble. 
A sewing machine gets the job done quickly. 
Sew along the top of the gathering tape, and the bottom of the gathering tape in order for the tape to be firmly fixed to the curtain; it will last well.


Take care when stitching not to stitch over the loose cords. 
When stitched, gently pull up the gathers by pulling at the loose cords which were unknotted, at the end of the curtain which will be at the end of the window. 
Do this until the curtains measure the correct width. Knot the cords together. 
Space your gathers evenly. 
Insert curtain hooks fairly closely together and mount the curtains on the track.  
You make this kind of curtain for curtain pelmets with tracks suited for hooking the hooks through.


You can line the curtains if you wish, to make them even stronger and to let less light in. Curtain linings help to protect the main fabric from dirt and direct sunlight and to provide additional insulation, handy in winter. We will show you how to make curtain linings in a later post.


Another option to buy curtains is from your local Charity store. Beautiful curtains are often on sale there, cleaned, pressed and ironed for use for a small sum of money. 


*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette
*Please sew carefully. Get someone to show you how to use a sewing machine properly if you have never used one before. Never pull on the sewing machine needle while sewing on the machine, as it may snap. Always sew safely! Good luck with your curtains

Give a child a cup of food

Do you want to give a hungry child a cup of food? Here is an easy way.
1. Click into the website www.thehungersite.com
2. Enrol to receive a regular email
3. When the email comes, click on the button marked 'Click'
4. Sponsors pay for cups of food


You can shop in the fabulous online store if you wish and give more.


The Hunger Site has given over 832,518,338 cups of food since June 1999 on this date. Why not add to this   wonderful number? We can make a difference - why not wipe the tears from a hungry and vulnerable child's eyes by the simple click of a computer mouse.


"We ourselves
feel that what
we are doing is just
a drop in the ocean
But the ocean would be
less because of that
missing drop."
      Mother Teresa


Want to register to help? 
You can register by clicking on 'Register' in the 'Free Ways to Help' box  on the left upper side of the website page on the following link;

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

Want to know more about the Hunger Site?
http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/aboutus.faces?siteId=1&link=ctg_ths_aboutus_from_home

*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette

Children at risk of starvation in the Sahel - can you help?

Baaba Maal is a Senegalese Musician living in the reportedly drought stricken Sahel Region in Africa.
An email received by Lumiere from Baaba Maal and the Avaaz team apprises that 18 million people are on the brink of disaster, including 1 million children at risk of starvation. According to the email, in days world leaders in Brussels will gather to discuss the Sahel. 


As I write this blog, the soft Irish rain is falling outside the window. In the front of the little whitewashed Irish cottage where I am fortunate to live, the seeds and flowers I planted recently are growing due to the refreshing water falling from the skies. I have sufficient food for my needs, and plenty of water at hand. However, I have lived through dry times in South Africa. When I was growing up, I remember one time when we experienced a drought. It was horrendous. The heat was so strong that the earth cracked, and as a teenager when I walked a few steps barefoot on the tar road the tar had melted and bubbles were popping on the surface. I had blistered black tar burned into the soles of my feet for months.


It was so dry that families were at risk. We were blessed with a marvellous municipality which sent a water truck to each road daily, where families could collect water for their needs. I remember we were a family with five children at the time, so received a larger portion of water than smaller family units. The clear water in buckets was guarded as precious in our kitchen, and outside the trees wilted, gardens and flowers died, and cracks appeared in the earth. A few wells owned by the privileged few in Welkom had helped many of us suffering from the drought restrictions get through that terrible time.


At the school where I was educated, we sat in the broiling heat in the classrooms, trying not to faint with the heat. The teachers allowed children to drink glasses of water in the classroom, as we were dehydrating so fast. Outside the air shimmered with the heat. A set of teenager lads my brothers knew who were real jokers fried eggs on the bonnet of their car by simply cracking the eggs onto the metal hood. The eggs then promptly fried. The lads had to move quickly to prevent their impromptu meal from burning.


Animals suffered, and so did we. It was so difficult trying to keep clean in the heat, when each ration of water we were given presented the choice whether to drink it or to use some for washing. I had long hair at the time, I came very near to cutting it all off as precious water could not be wasted on the luxury of long hair. The pinnacle of the drought came when we as teenagers walked home, our lips cracked and bleeding due to the sheer heat. As my friend walked past a tree, a bird in the leafless tree expired from the heat and dropped down dead in front of her. A drought is no fun.


The day the storm of sand came swirling in through the Dutch door of our kitchen and into the houses, under the door frames and down the chimneys, all we saw was a tornado of red sand coming in through the half open doorway. The choking blanket of dust stung our arms, faces and legs. I remember grabbing teatowels to cover our eyes, noses and mouths as the sand was so severe it was difficult to breathe. And then came the glorious rain, an explosion of thunderous curtains of water with lightning which broke the drought which had so nearly broken us.  My mother often told the story how she looked out and saw us, toddlers and teenagers all out in the front garden, dancing in the rain, oblivious to the lightning and thunder. The joy when the drought broke, and the cool wind blew through the South African veldt...


So. I know what a drought is like. However, because of our municipality, my hard working parents and our resources, we came through it well, and had sufficient for our needs. I shudder to think if we had not had the assistance we so badly needed ... I often remember those days. Many people were not as fortunate as we were, and are not so fortunate. Children are at risk in the Sahel - people who live there are struggling with horrendous circumstances.


In the spirit of Lumiere, is there anything you can do to help a drought stricken area? 
Baaba Maal pleads that we join globally with him to ask world leaders in Brussels to help in the Sahel.
Please find information at
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_grain_sacks_are_empty/?bUtIbdb&v=15175

*Photograph courtesy of Baaba Maal and Avaaz team petition

Professionals; Mawadda needs your valuable knowledge

Mawadda International Aid requests assistance from professionals to give a little of their free time online, at home, in order to share their specialised knowledge. Mawadda estimates that there are more than ten million of our human family over the globe in need of food aid, education and health care.  These situations are caused by hurricanes, drought.  Another estimate is that 90% of victims of war are civilians. 


You can help even when you are at home. Mawadda is in need of professionals and experts from different parts of the world to give a few minutes of their free time, through online consultation. Just share your knowledge with Mawadda, and make a difference. Save a life.

Dentists

Psychologists

Optometrists

Architects

Engineers

Physicians

Nutritionist-Dieticians

Social Workers

Teachers

Are you perhaps being called to 

give of your free time in this way?

To join Mawadda, or read their information, see this link;
http://mawaddainternationalaid.org/

Mawadda International Aid provides humanitarian aid internationally. 

Lumiere Charity remembers Italy

A candle has been by Lumiere Charity in remembrance of those departed in the recent quakes in Italy, and for all those left behind and struggling financially due to losses from the quake. German dentists gave generous donation to those in need after the quake. Pope Benedict XVI has given generous donation. Italy activated phone, SMS donations for earthquake victims. In the spirit of Lumiere, is there any way you could help? 

German dentists donate

http://www.dental-tribune.com/articles/content/id/8632/scope/news/region/europe

Pope gives generous donation

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=14442

Impact on those in quake areas

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_europe/2012-06-01/italy-quake-victims-try-to-rebuild-lives.html

Italy activated phone, SMS donations for earthquake victims

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/italy-activates-phone-sms-donations-for-earthquake-victims

Lumiere Charity remembers Syria

Reports continue to be received by Lumiere Charity re the recent tragic bereavements in Syria due to violence. Many children have died.  A video seen by Lumiere shows a family member overcome with grief. A candle has been lit by Lumiere as we continue to remember those left behind to deal with their unimaginable grief. A further candle has been lit in remembrance for the UN Monitors who have entered the area to monitor the situation. 


Reports received from Avaaz. They are at present running a petition. Please see
http://www.avaaz.org/en/
War Child report via tweet;

War Child UK ‏@WarChildUK

As UN observers enter Mazraat al-Qubeir, the horrific stories emerge.http://ht.ly/bsFwG We feel compelled to get involved & help

A third candle has been lit in remembrance for all those endeavouring to assist in this situation.