Beads

The students at Holy Cross have been introduced to the craft of beading. They can make a bracelet which they give to the school office, and in turn can earn money towards their modest tuition fees. The beaded bracelets are sold at the school office to tourists, volunteer teams, etc.

Part of the beading challenge is to have enough beading supplies pre packaged so the students can easily begin in the classroom or possibly take a packet home, to produce a bracelet .
Joel and I were given the task of sorting beads, then packaging them into small kits. There were a lot of beads; multiple colours, sizes, textures. We figured out some interesting, all be it simple designs, and started the process of bagging the beads.
 It was a pleasant job, as we were in the sewing centre where you get a little breeze from the fan. We listened to the sewing ladies chat, and occasionally engaged in the discussion. The moms who work in the sewing centre have learned to sew as a way of providing for their children to go to school at Holy Cross.
As the various ages of children were released for the day, they would check in with their moms, hang around, asks for snacks and play with their friends in the sewing centre. Sometimes they would be aware of Joel and I and watch what we were doing. For a short time they became fascinated with sorting the bags into what they felt were appropriate boy/girl colours. Mostly they were more interested in playing. The sewing centre, and connecting breezeway held an infinite number of  imaginative games and make-believe scenarios. The sounds around us breathed life  into what could have been a monotonous task.