Bracelets for Blair

Well technically these bracelets were made for children in Ethiopia that Blair is going to visit but I am a sucker for an alliteration. Today I want to share with you a fun project I participated in through a blog I follow. I am a huge fan of Blair's blog A Case of the Mundays. Awhile ago she posted about a trip she and her husband will be taking to volunteer in Ethiopia. They will be bringing soccer balls and bracelets to give out to the children there. In this post I am going to share why I think this is such a wonderful idea. Check out the post about her trip here (and if you are feeling crafty make her some bracelets!)

{The bracelets I sent Blair}

In the summer of 2008 I spent a large chunk of my summer volunteering in Tanzania with people affected by HIV/AIDS. It was a life changing experience (the details of which I won't get into here). During the five weeks I lived there I got malaria, got very lonely at times (I went all by myself) but more importantly I met inspirational people that changed my life forever. I was shocked at how people that I thought needed so much help were incredibly strong, resilient and tremendously loving.

I wanted some kind of gesture that I could do for these people that had inspired me. So, being the crafty person that I am, I decided to make them something. Now I was in a rural area (sorry, no Hobby Lobby here!) so finding supplies wasn't easy. After a long time of searching I found some colored cord at the local market and I took off making a few dozen bracelets. I was even asked to teach the women at the community center how to make bracelets because they thought they could sell them for income. Also a new friend there insisted on making a bracelet for me and I came home wearing a bracelet of my own that stayed on my wrist for more than 3 years.

{New friends wearing the bracelets!}

{Teaching how to make bracelets}

Making and giving these bracelets is one of my fondest memories from this trip so as soon as I read Blair's post I knew I had to get involved. I made some bracelets out of the same cord I purchased in Tanzania and sent them to her recently. She mentions receiving my package in this post!

{My cord from Tanzania}

This fun blogging experience was so exciting for me. It also made me think a lot about my experience in Tanzania and for that I am grateful.

What do you guys think? Have any of you volunteered and brought fun personal gifts with you? Are any of you off to make some bracelets? I sure hope so!

*Bonnybee