Some of the beautiful recycled beads at TK Beads.
The beads have been recycled from glass bottles.
The Tema girls on their field trip to TK Beads.Â
Well, we're back!
What a whirlwind trip! I wanted to share some things with you while they are fresh in my mind. Overall, the trip was a great success and a lot of fun. Last Sunday, we decided to take a field trip with the six girls in our Tema program. We took them to TK Beads in Accra, which is the bead factory where we purchase recycled glass beads for our Freedom Stones partnership.Â
First of all, the beads themselves are truly works of art. The beads are recycled from the crushed glass of used bottles, melted into molds, fired in a kiln, and formed into beautiful jewelry. I can't help but see the parallel to the formerly trafficked children in our care. Although the children we work with may have been thrown away by society and even their own families, God sees their intrinsic value and worth. Sometimes it takes the crushing and burning by fire for a new creature to emerge. I believe that the children that have been tossed aside have so much value. They simply need someone to stand in the gap for them and speak up on their behalf.Â
Florence, one of the owners of TK Beads, was gracious enough to keep her store open for us, even though it was Sunday. The girls' eyes lit up at the sight of the vast selection of beautiful beads, necklaces, and bracelets. They were immediately drawn to the thin strands of "waist beads," a Ghanaian string of beads that all females wear around their waists. In addition, the girls got necklaces to wear to church. It was an exciting day!
Freedom Stones will be using these beads to help employ women in Ghana so that they have an income stream and don't resort to selling their children to fishermen due to poverty. By stringing beads and making beautiful jewelry with the trademarked Freedom Stones clasp, we are empowering local women and giving them the freedom to raise their children and not default to trafficking them out of desperation.
It's so encouraging to see these young girls develop into educated leaders. The future of Ghana is in the hands of these children, the ones who have the power to the lead the next generation into a slavery-free country.
Thanks again to everyone for your continual support!
Pam
Posted on
Monday, January 25, 2010
by Pam Cope