Writer: Diane Mitchell

A group from Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Great Falls recently donated 14 lap quilts to the children’s response unit of South Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief.

The quilts will be given to children who receive care in the aftermath of a disaster. The group, along with Mt. Zion pastor Andy Simpson, is pictured above showing some of the quilts.

The project began with several children of the church asking to learn to sew. An experienced quilt-maker in the church, Michelle Carr, served as the teacher, with several other adults assisting. The group met at the church on three Saturday mornings, bringing sewing machines with them. Some work was also taken home to complete between meetings.

It was Carr’s suggestion to donate the quilts to someone in need, according to 10-year-old Arden. “We thought it would be something nice to do rather than taking it home,” Arden said. “All of us had plenty of blankets, and some people don’t.”

Each quilt was packed into a homemade tote bag, with a note of encouragement and a Bible verse tucked inside.

Participating along with Arden were Emery, 11, and Creighton, 14. The grownups who assisted and made quilts alongside the children were Diane Mitchell, Tammy Snipes, Phyllis Jacobs and Betty Tyson. “It was done with love,” said Tyson.

The donation was received by Sue Harmon, coordinator of disaster relief children’s response ministries for the South Carolina Baptist Convention. She commended the children of Mt. Zion for their generosity and said the quilts would represent the warmth of God’s love to children in disaster situations.