Bags For Freedom

“For Freedom” is printed on my new bag. One might think that this is just an ornament like the buttons, but this is not the case. “For Freedom” bags and accessories are created by people (mostly women) at Sak Saum in Cambodia who have escaped human trafficking or other abuse and poverty.

I had read about Sak Saum in the German Christian woman’s magazine Lydia and immediately thought that it was a wonderful cause to support. I browsed their website and fell in love with a bag which wasn’t offered in the German online shop where a smaller range of their items is being sold. So I started the order procedure directly on the Sak Saum website, but got stuck when it came to entering my home address – it didn’t accept any addresses outside the USA. However, with a bit of patience (from my first e-mail until I got the bag it took 27 days), a PayPal account and the kind help of Sak Saum staff mainly in the USA the beautiful bag is now mine :)

Shortly after this first order I bought a messenger bag for Hermann at the German online shop. Both bags are of excellent quality and certainly worth their price! If you would like to buy bags or accessories from them you find the list of (online) shops on the “Where to buy” page on their website. Unfortunately there are not many shops outside the USA yet, but I hope for all bag lovers around the world that this will change by and by!

A Special Gift from a Special Person

As you might know meanwhile that we are sponsoring several children in need in Armenia. We always enjoy getting news from them, either by reports from the charity Diaconia or by their own letters which are of course translated from Armenian to German. Sometimes we are even getting gifts from them like self-made pictures or needlework. These gifts are always a special treasure to us.

Today we received such a very special gift which we were very surprised and delighted about – a beadwork picture made by one of “our” girls, Astghik (propably with the help of her mother).

Astghik is the latest of our sponsored children (only since 2011) and the only one we don’t know personally. She is 15 years old and apart from “just” living in deep poverty has to cope with various disabilities and chronic illnesses. This can be tough enough in wealthy countries, but in a country like Armenia, where even healthy people are often struggling with finding a way to earn their living, disabled and chronically ill people hardly ever get a chance. Welfare payments for those unemployed or unable to work are by far not enough for even the most basic needs, let alone for any medical treatment which has to be paid for in full by the patients or their relatives. As long as our sponsorship lasts, Astghik will get basic medical treatment for free, as well as food, clothing and school supplies.

We pray that in the future even when the sponsorship ends she will be able to live a life in dignity and not end up in devastating conditions like far too many people in Armenia!

My New Favourite Dress

I generally prefer wearing long dresses and skirts in summer instead of trousers (long or short) or short dresses / skirts. And when I say long I mean long – ankle length or even longer is ideal for me, even though these are hard to find nowadays. The style I prefer above all is Regency – and not just because I’m a Jane Austen fan.

So when I received a newsletter from the Jane Austen Centre in Bath promoting new dresses I immediately fell in love with the Cotton Gown! It is a day dress, not necessarily one for a ball. After all, there are not too many balls in the remote little village I’m living in and I don’t have the means just to travel to more “inhabited” places where such things are going on (do I sound like a Jane Austen character now? *s*). As my birthday is coming up I mentioned to my father how much I would like this dress and he replied, that “of course you can have it as a birthday present!” I love my Daddy :)

As colour I chose “Blue Daisy” and also asked Hermann what he thought (without telling him my choice) and he preferred “Blue Daisy” as well, so that was settled :) Yesterday I received the dress – exactly four weeks after I had ordered it which is really fast as it was handmade.

I’m so happy with this dress – it is just perfectly made with very high quality material! Hermann and I did a little photo session and I really didn’t want to take it off afterwards. I put it onto a hanger outside my wardrobe and went into the bedroom about every 15 minutes to look at it and touch it. The last dress which had this effect on me had been my wedding gown – Regency style, of course ;)

Now I’m waiting for the right weather to wear the dress - right now it is too hot and humid which causes a lot of sweating even without much physical exercise. But as Jane Austen already stated so accurately: "What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

The 1 Euro per Day Experiment

It is always impressive to see how much money is being given for charity when famous people appear in telethons and ask for donations. Suddenly people open their wallets which are closed most of the year – except when spending money for one’s own luxury.

In particular, many people seem to be unwilling to give on a regular basis, for example sponsoring a child in need – in spite of the fact that the monthly contributions for a sponsorship are ridiculously low compared to what the children are getting. For app. 25 to 35 Euros (33 to 47 USD / 21 to 29 GBP) the sponsorship organisations care for the basic needs of a child – food, clothing, medical care and school supplies.

If you are not sure whether you could afford a child sponsorship I invite you to take part in a little experiment. On each day for one or two (or more) months put the amount of one Euro ( the approximate equivalent in your currency) in a savings box and see whether by doing this you have to do without something which you are REALLY and URGENTLY in need of. If this is not the case, take the money and decide what to do with it. It’s entirely up to you!

Christmas Gift

I received this beautiful gift from my dear friend Annette - thank you :)

Autumn

It is finally here – even though sometimes in our area it still feels like summer – and this deserves a new layout. I also received lovely gifts from Annette and Lori – thank you :)

Birthday!

I received this lovely gift from my dear friend Annette - thank you :)))

Tomorrow is my 43rd birthday. However, I must say that I don't feel like over 40 at all - I think I'm really just about 25, that's what I feel like ;)

Summer...

… will soon be here and I received this beautiful gift from my dear friend Annette – thank you :)