UNEDITED NEWS RELEASE — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Feeling the smooth, wooden handle of his mallet, Abu San diligently taps it onto a small carving tool cutting the leather in a circle. As he shows his fellow Indonesian workers how it's done, he works slowly using his tactile senses to complete the task. Since he's been making ornaments for more than 20 years, he can practically do the job in his sleep—or even blind.
Eventually, this leather circle will become an intricate Christmas ornament shaped as a wreath with hand-painted green leaves and holly, but San will never see the finished product.
When he discovered at age 29 that he had a degenerating cell disease from the retina to the brain that would leave him blind, San and his wife began training others to cut and paint these leather ornaments that are sold through WorldCrafts, a nonprofit ministry of WMU.
Using his talent and diminishing sight, San taught lessons on how to turn normal leather from tanned caribou hide into beautiful and unique angels, Christmas trees, stars, Christmas bells, and many other elaborate shapes and designs. When he could no longer take notes at training seminars, he used an audio recorder to relay the information to his workers.
Instead of rejecting God's plan for his life during this obstacle, he embraced it knowing his ornament business would be a source of income for Indonesians living in poverty and a place for Muslim craftsmen to hear about Jesus Christ.
Since the job provides an income, many of San's workers are starting to build their own semi-permanent houses out of brick walls covered in cement and a red clay tile roof. But due to unstable incomes, many are also living in unfinished homes with incomplete walls, dirt floors, and no running water.
Right now, the workers are struggling because prices of the materials continue to rise, while sales remain low. They are only paid when an order comes in, so the workers have to find other work. Otherwise, their family will go hungry.
To ensure that artisans like San's workers will have a roof over their heads, medicine and food for family members, an education for their children, and the chance to hear about their Heavenly Provider, WorldCrafts, a fair-trade ministry of WMU, pairs with local micro businesses around the world to market and sell their products to the United States. WorldCrafts partners with artisans in 37 countries currently and continues to develop partnerships with new artisan groups in various countries as opportunities arise.
Helping to relieve poverty, sickness, and oppression, WorldCrafts offers four ways to minister: purchasing gifts from WorldCrafts, hosting a WorldCrafts party to raise awareness, praying for specific situations outlined in the prayer guide of the WorldCrafts catalog, and giving financially to the Jackson/Reese Endowment managed by the WMU Foundation to expand WorldCrafts to new countries and artisan groups.
Since San has paired with WorldCrafts, he has witnessed a steady interest in his ornaments. “We feel that we have been very much helped, in that Americans are wanting to buy our product,” San said. “It is our hope and prayer that this relationship will continue and that future orders will come in. This will greatly help our financial situation and that of our workers.”
Although WorldCrafts provides financial support to artisans, it also gives spiritual support. Throughout San's personal encounters with his workers, whether training sessions or conversations, he's been faithful to share the Gospel. As a result, many of his workers understand the meaning of the ornaments and are learning to respect Christianity with a willing attitude. His own nephew even became a Christian while working on the ornaments.
“We ask for your prayers that through this handicraft project, many of our Muslim craftsmen will come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way,” San said. “Also, that they will enter this project whole heartedly, making the product to the glory of God.”
For more information on WorldCrafts or to purchase online, visit www.worldcraftsvillage.com and discover how participation can impact people around the world.
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NOTE: This unedited news release is published as a public service. Associated Baptist Press is not responsible for its content or accuracy.