Black pearl necklace winner
14 June 2008Sharon M was chosen by the random number generator to win the black pearl necklace. She has such an awesome story & be sure & check out her website refugeecrafts as well. A new contest will start on Monday thanks to everyone who left such fantastic comments. Here is Sharon’s comment:
I am not poor, so maybe I don’t deserve to win. I have enough. The rest I tend to give away in the form of things people need to live their lives. The specific people I help are refugees, people who have lost everything except their lives. Our government offers them safe haven, but the rest has to come from within. You can read about this on my Website by scrolling down the right column.
Two friends and I started an empowerment program for refugee women. We do this in addition to our regular busy jobs, not as a job. We put in at least 20 hours per week each trying to make the project something that will benefit and teach the women for a long, long time.
A year–much less than a year–before we started this project, I was sick, I was suicidal. Very suicidal. I lost my faith but not my faith in hope. I wanted hope for myself but found my strength was in helping other people find hope. While I was getting my affairs in order and preparing for the end of my life, I discovered jewelry making. I loved it. It was the first thing I had loved in a very long time.
A few months after I started teaching myself to make jewelry, I had this opportunity to teach refugee women to make jewelry to better their lives. I gave away all of my beads to help the women get started (I have since bought more).
Now I can look back and see how close I was to ending my life. I can’t say I will never feel that way again, but for now I know that the time I have given back to myself has been used well and it has mattered. It’s important to me that my time matters.
Anyway, on the bad days, I turn to pretty, sparkly things to lighten my mood. The pearl necklace is beautiful and something that would brighten my day when it needs brightening.
Thanks for reading my story and considering me for your gift.
on June 17th, 2008 at 2:56 am
Her story is very touching! It is amazing on when we take the focus off of ourselves and reach out to others, transformation can take place. Our police department will try and help homeless people with money, goods, food, etc. The other day our church got a call from an individual asking if the church could help with their mortgage payment. Things like this really get to me! Anyway, I have a friend that is down on her luck. I have taken her to lunch, listened to her in person and on the telephone. These earring would be a fun gift to give her and hopefully be a bright spot in her life. Please enter me in your drawing. I really appreciate it. Take care, Cindi