Healing Hands

It has been an emotional up and down the past couple of weeks for me. After watching hours and hours of the news coverage in Japan, it just got to a point where I had to do something, anything, to help the people of Japan. I just so happened to get an event invite from a longtime friend. She started a project on that Big Social Network Site and her goal was to fold paper cranes, one crane for each life lost. So yes, we're talking big numbers here. I thought it was a great project and something I could participate in. So somehow, I found myself coordinating with a local cafe where my local knitting group meets up and she was totally onboard with hosting my community paper crane folding event and fundraiser for Japan 2 weekends from now. Our goal is to collect all the cranes, string them together per 1000 and send them to community centers or schools in areas that were directly affected by the earthquake and tsunami and let them know the world is rooting for them and that they're not alone. It's been great getting feedback from the community and people wanting learn how to make the cranes for the project. Wish me luck and let's hope for a great turnout! If you're interested in participating and sending paper cranes, please let me know and I can send you details. My mom, whose hands have not been so nimble as of late, surprised me with the folded cranes (the top photo at beginning of this blog post). I cried when she gave these to me, as it really meant so much to me that she would fold so many when I know that her hands are giving her pain to do such activities these days, but I also know that it meant so much to her too, to support me in the project and allow her to find a way to lend support to her homeland.