I was with a group of women one night last week and the conversation went to a very odd place. One of the women began talking about her distrust of other cultures, of a general feeling of…for lack of a better word…fear. And it wasn’t pretty. As I listened I felt my stomach begin to tie up into a knot and my mind began spinning, trying to come up with a gentle way of combating this mindset. When I did speak, I framed my response within the context of The Sewing Machine Project.

I framed it like this…

We live in a world where, despite the abundance of communication methods, many people seem to feel more and more  isolated. Perhaps this points to one of the reasons why people connect with The Sewing Machine Project. This effort gives people an opportunity to help others, whether by donating machines, donating money or donating time and this help is direct. We are a very simple organization, taking tools that people no longer need and placing them into the hands of those who need them and to whom these simple tools can make a world of difference. It’s a connection point, a way for us to touch lives and make a difference.

Now I realize that there are many reasons that someone may find a resonance within The Sewing Machine Project but I can only hope that this simple, grassroots effort can be a force for love and peace and understanding.

What the world needs now is love.