"A friend who is part of a group that supports refugees in York asked if I could do something creative for the small social group of Syrian ladies that live in York and are encouraged to get together weekly on a social basis. Not having much English they must feel very isolated.
This week only three turned up but they very much enjoyed making origami boxes and talking. We even managed a small concertina book to fit inside the box too. Touchingly they wrote the names of their children on the pages. Their children seem to be scattered in camps all over the middle east. With the paper squares that were left I showed them how to make a self sealing envelope. They had very little English so I had to work through an interpreter.
I gave each of them one of my little boxes full of love for themselves but they each said they would give it to their favourite child – no idea whether that would be a small or an adult child. I was so keen for them to have one of their own I gave them each another just for them.
I promised that I would go again and show them some other simple paper folds and also take some of my books for them to enjoy. Even though we couldn’t communicate with a common language there were lots of smiles."
What a wonderful experience this seems to have been...for both Margaret and the women who participated. It will be very interesting to hear if the women begin to get more involved with book art.
Thank you Margaret for sharing this experience with us.
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