Update on Andrew & Quilts

Friday Andrew called to wish Grandpa a "Happy Birthday" and to tell us that he is a line coach for a little league football team in Lehi.  I took Andrew to lots of games when Elder Stokoe was announcing for Skyline's football team.  Andrew played for Highland and Alta so they have a lot in common.

He said that Luke Staley, former BYU player, is their running back/quater back coach. Chelsey's dad is head coach.  Chelsey and Andrew are expecting a new baby in February.   We are excited about having another great grandchild.   We are very proud of Andrew who works full time at Oil Well while taking classes at SLCC.

They closed on a three bedroom home in Lehi last April and got an amazing 3% interest rate.  I told Andrew that I wanted to send him something else besides the shoes that I had ordered.  They were made by a member in Namibia sight unseen and turned out to be a huge disappointment.  Partly my fault as I did not ask Elder Critchfield the name of the style he was wearing.  Nor I communicate clearly with Elder Smith who placed the order for me.

The natives here in Africa love beautiful shoes.  Men buy Addids and Neikes or European dress shoes.  The women wear the latest styles to church according to Mariam Clark, who has worked in a shoe store in Green Acres for twenty years.   Some white Afrikanners and/or their kids often go around bare foot.

I decided that a beautiful African quilt would be a nice gift for their new home.  I'm leaving the one we bought when we arrived last year for the couple who replaces us.   So I called Elizabeth who started a cottage industry in Africa to order a quilt for Andrew.  Her reply describes some problems the humanitarian missionaries who try to help set up home industries often run in to.

Hello sister Stokoe,

Thank you for your interest in our quilts. However  I have to update you on the situation. I moved back to the  USA last year and my project is limping along without supervision. Here are the options. I can pass the order on to the Ladies from Sweetwaters but I do not know what  they have in stock and what the quality is . The last I heard is that all the quilting machines are broken and they are looking for help from Rotary which is not going to happen. I left them a lot of fabrics but again who knows what is available.

I can make the quilt myself, but the price would be $250 for a queen and $300 for a king. I will not charge for shipping  

and I have all African fabrics  available. I am still in contact with several people from your church, as a mater of fact, the Hudsons are coming  to visit on Monday and bringing some quilt for quilting and picking up one that I finished for them.

So please let me know what you want to do.

Sincerely,  Elisabeth Baratta

This beautiful Africa quilt graces the bed in our guest room.  I can't bear to bring it home because it goes so well with the picture.