The Story of my Scarf

Here is the scarf that I made with the yarn that Mollie so generously provided (remember my "Knitting Emergency" blog entry?) a few months ago. The scarf was a gift for my friend Luz (the director of the PROMESA school) for her birthday in December. Even though it was not completely even she appreciated it and besides there is a fun story that goes along with the making of the scarf and how God used my attempt to enjoy an afternoon for His purposes.

Back in late November or early December, I decided to go downtown one day so that I could sit in a plaza and enjoy some knitting moments. My favorite plaza in Cusco is called Regocijo (Rejoicing). It has a fountain in the middle and is a little more peaceful than the main Plaza (Plaza de Armas). Well, I was all set to enjoy the afternoon alone but God had different ideas. I think part of the problem was that I was knitting with a kind of yarn that is not common in Cusco. In any case I attracted lots of visitors that afternoon.

My first visitor was the security guard who liked to cook. The second was an 11 year old boy named Waldo. We talked awhile about when subjects he liked in school and where he lived. Finally the whole reason he was talking to me came out when he produced a pan pipe and started to play it (wanting money of course!). Another visitor was a Quechua lady who was very interested in my fancy yarn and thought I should open a store in Cusco with fancy yarn.

My final visitor was named Julia and I think she was the reason why I was sitting there that day! She was interested in my yarn of course but somehow our conversation got on to what I was doing in Cusco. I told her that I was teaching and working with a church. Anyway, she opened up and shared some of her sad history: that her family was killed in the terrorists attacks in the 80s, that she used to go to church 8 years ago before her husband burnt her Bible and beat her up. You could still see in her face how her nose was crooked and her teeth missing from that. Anyway, that husband has left her and she was left pretty poorly off financially trying to take care of her kids. She paints and tries to sell her paintings to the many tourists that come to Cusco. Now the security is cracking down more on people selling their wares in the touristy places like parks and plazas. So, she had not been able to see many paintings because of it.

I took the time to encourage her to return to church. I told her that she needed the family and support that the church would supply. I told her that God saw her need and her pain over how her husband had acted and that God wanted to help her! I was able to pray for her and even to help her out by buying one of her paintings. I hope and pray that she will return to church and find the comfort and help she needs from the Lord.

It really was a very exciting afternoon and I'm glad that God interrupted my personal knitting time in order to use me to reach out to Julia. Praise God for interesting yarn that created conversation. I think I need to go out and try knitting in public places with special yarn in the future.