This week one of the Ministers of the Cloth (quilting group at our church), Darlyne Fratt and her husband Wally are visiting grandchildren in the Washington, DC area. Since they would be close to Bethesda Naval Hospital, Darlyne brought a batch of just-finished quilts made for wounded soldiers by The Ministers of the Cloth as part of their Quilts for Soldiers mission project.
Darlyne and Wally were met by the veterans group that usually distributes our quilts and shown around the hospital. They were thrilled to be able to give out the quilts in person to some of the Marines being treated there. Lou Stavely, who took the pictures for them, wrote:
Darlyne and Wally were met by the veterans group that usually distributes our quilts and shown around the hospital. They were thrilled to be able to give out the quilts in person to some of the Marines being treated there. Lou Stavely, who took the pictures for them, wrote:
"Thank you for the wonderful quilts. The wounded really love them."
Pictured above is the group of veterans who visit the wounded regularly at the hospital and distribute quilts from the Quilts for Soldiers project. The photos below are of Darlyne and Wally with two of the young men they visited.
Lou Stavely told Darlyne and Wally that thanks to many groups like ours, the wounded soldiers at Bethesda and Walter Reed Army Hospital in the DC area are well supplied with quilts, but those transferred for treatment to San Diego Naval Hospital and the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio are not. So the Ministers of the Cloth are planning to direct their future donations to these two facilities.
Darlyne asks for prayers for the recovery of Lance Corporals Ben Lunak and Chris Hahn and Corpsman Dan Jacob as well as prayers for their fellow Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank you, Darlyne and Wally, for sharing these photos with us. And many thanks to these brave young men and women who are serving their country.
Wow. What a great ministry! Blessings on the quilts, those who make them, and those who receive them.
ReplyDeleteThose are wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteDoes your group ever take donations of materials or money?
This is awesome - and I'm glad they got in to actually see some of the wounded. "Random visitors" (visitors, clergy not related to a patient) are not allowed visit the soldiers at Walter Reed.
ReplyDeleteI had a parishioner at Walter Reed with a soldier roommate and was told not to speak to that roommate. Hmm.
The quilts are truly a sign of resurrection.
Mindy--
ReplyDeleteOur group is happy to accept donations. It might be fun for you (or anyone else who is interested) to send us some patriotic red/white/blue themed 100% cotton fabric prints. We would use them in one of the soldier's quilts and send you a picture of the quilt we made with your fabric.
If you like that idea, email me and I'll send the church's address for mailing.