Neema means Grace in Kiswahili. Something I feel as though I’m drowning in
these days!
Neema Crafts is a neat cafe, craft store and soon
to be guest house in Iringa, Tanzania. Some friends and I discovered this place
in the first couple days we reached Iringa and soon as I walked in I knew there
was something different about this place, something special.
Neema Crafts was started in October 2003 by the
Diocese of Ruaha. Its purpose is to provide handicrafts training and employment
for deaf and physically disabled people in the Iringa region, and also to
change negative attitudes towards people with disabilities in the local
community. It is empowering an amazing group of talented people who are deaf or
physically disabled. It has it all: coffee, food, library, internet, and a shop
selling beautiful handmade items made right there on site by these talented
people! They gain work experience through sales and marketing, learning trades,
running the cafe, cooking and they are currently doing construction on a 9
bedroom guest accommodation project. This will be the first disabled run guest
house in all of Africa.
On our first to Neema, I was able to meet the
manager Charlotte and learned of the help they could use around the place. I
quickly volunteered us to help out whenever we could, wherever she needed and
was eager to return over the next few days. We’ve been helping out a couple
days a week in a variety of ways. A couple of the guys are helping insulate the
kiln for ceramics and build some shelved in the business office. Several others
have been able to work along the employees in the workshop, where they do screen-printing,
make handmade paper, quilting, weaving on beautiful old looms, sewing, make
jewelry, cleaning, doing food prep and more. In short, we’re in a little slice
of Artist’s paradise here!
I’ve been helping in the workshop covering
journals with handmade paper that they make from corn husk and elephant dung,
both extremely renewable resources. There
are some amazing people in the workshop. I’ve had the privilege to be partnered
with Petro, an amazing young man who is deaf. I’m used to language barriers at
this point but this one was completely different than any other we’ve come
across. I was able to at least use a little finger spelling to communicate some
basic things. He was so excited that I was trying and after the first day we
were communicating pretty well. Language can be a frustrating barrier, but I m
learning to let it be the first steps in uniting us. This ministry opened my eyes to ways we could be helping empower, love, encourage, and employ
people with physical disabilities in the sates and I has inspired me to look into ways I can help upon my return.
“Therefore, since we have been
justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into the grace in which we now
stand.” Romans 5: 1-2
