Fighting world poverty

from The Times and Democrat

WMU will sponsor WorldCrafts Conference, Sale Saturday

By SHERRYL PETERS, T&D Correspondent

Local Baptist Woman’s Missionary Unions are helping to fight world poverty by sponsoring a WorldCrafts Conference and Sale this Saturday, Feb. 3.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. until noon at the Orangeburg-Calhoun Baptist Association located across from OCtech.

According to Kay Rutland, Association WMU director, the purpose of the conference and sale is to make everyone aware of the dire poverty so many people live in.

“We do have poverty in this country, and we do address that. Right here in Orangeburg County, we have CCMO (Cooperate Christian Ministries Organization) and the Samaritan House, just to name a few of the organizations. Many people are only one pay check away from poverty as it is,” Rutland said.

“But there are certain areas of the world where poverty is more widespread than it is here,” she added. “WMU is giving its best effort to stamp out poverty in every country. One way we are doing this is by buying arts/crafts from artisans at their asking price. The items are then marketed through WorldCrafts Ministry: Project Help for re-sale. That way, the artisans get their money immediately, and WMU is able to spiritually minister to the home areas of the artisans.”

Rutland said organizers hope many people will come out Saturday and purchase some of the items “in order to help spread the Word of God and His love for all people of the world.”

“And, every purchase will help take the awful sting out of poverty,” she said.

WorldCrafts Ministry was started approximately 10 years ago. In 1998, the ministry expanded when Ann Reese set up an endowment in honor of her friend, Mrs. Lamar Jackson. Since both ladies were heavily involved in English as a Second Language efforts, their goal was to build new spiritual relationships by reaching new artisans and their homelands throughout the world. Their Purpose Statement includes four objectives: to provide a sales outlet for indigenous artisans who lack adequate income possibilities; to provide ministry opportunity for missionary personnel to relate to the artisan; to participate in the economic and spiritual development of the crafter and to provide a tangible reminder for mission awareness for the purchaser.

Currently, WorldCrafts imports more than 350 items from 37 countries. This results in their supporting more than 2,000 artisans and their families.

Everyone is invited to come look at the display samples and purchase items on Feb. 3. Some of the items include a bread cover from Thailand; greeting cards made from banana bark from Rwanda; a doll from Swahili; jewelry from India, Jordan and South Africa; soap from the Himalayas; doilies from Romania and Madagascar and painted, wooden eggs from Kazakhstan.

For additional information, call Kay Rutland at 803-536-5744 or the Orangeburg-Calhoun Baptist Association at 803-534-9712.

T&D Correspondent Sherryl Peters can be reached by e-mail at Boykinbaby@surrealestate.com or by phone at 803-263-4058. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.