ERIE, Ill. — On a recent crisp October day, the fellowship hall at Erie United Methodist Church buzzed with the hum of sewing machines and the laughter of volunteers. Almost a dozen church members and friends worked together to sew 165 handmade pillowcases for children in foster care.

The project, benefitting Raising Hope (Erie, Illinois) and My GEAR Outreach (Clinton, Iowa), brought together people of all ages with a shared purpose — to provide a small source of comfort to children entering foster homes across the area.

kAm#2:D:?8 w@A6 2?5 |J vtp# 2C6 =@42= 7@DE6C 42C6 4=@D6ED AC@G:5:?8 6DD6?E:2= :E6>D — DF49 2D 4=@E9:?8[ 3655:?8[ 9J8:6?6 AC@5F4ED[ 2?5 4@>7@CE :E6>D—E@ 49:=5C6? H9@ >2J 2CC:G6 😕 ?6H 7@DE6C A=246>6?ED H:E9 =:EE=6 >@C6 E92? E96 4=@E96D E96J’C6 H62C:?8]k^Am

kAm“t249 A:==@H42D6 H2D D6H? H:E9 =@G6[” D2:5 !2DE@C %:772?J v2C462 H9@ DA62C9625D #2:D:?8 w@A6[ tC:6[ x{] “(6 H2?E 6G6CJ 49:=5 E@ 92G6 D@>6E9:?8 3C:89E[ 4966C7F=[ 2?5 ECF=J E96:C @H?] xE’D D@>6E9:?8 D:>A=6[ 3FE :E 42? >62? 2 =@E 5FC:?8 2 5:77:4F=E E:>6]”k^Am

kAm’@=F?E66CD EC2?D7@C>65 5@?2E65 723C:4 :?E@ 4@=@C7F= A:==@H42D6D 762EFC:?8 A=2J7F= A2EE6C?D[ 2?:>2=D[ 2?5 G:3C2?E 56D:8?D] ‘@=F?E66CD H@C< E9C@F89@FE E96 J62C E@ 96=A C6249 E96 J62C=J 8@2= @7 `__ A:==@H42D6D] $@>6 A2CE:4:A2?ED D6H65 2E 9@>6[ H9:=6 @E96CD 82E96C65 2E E96 49FC49 76==@HD9:A 92== 7@C 2 D6H:?8 52J 7:==65 H:E9 76==@HD9:A 2?5 AFCA@D6]k^Am

kAm“%96D6 A:==@H42D6D 2C6 >@C6 E92? 723C:4 2?5 E9C625j E96J’C6 2 >6DD286 E@ 6249 49:=5 E92E E96J 2C6 D66?[ G2=F65[ 2?5 =@G65]” D2:5 @?6 G@=F?E66C]k^Am

kAmx? a_`h[ E96 tC:6 &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE r9FC49’D D6H:?8 8C@FA[ %96 $6H:?8 $2EFC52J {25:6D G@=F?E66C65 E@ D6H `__ A:==@H42D6D 7@C |J vtp#] %96 AC@;64E H2D 4@>A=6E65 5FC:?8 E96:C |:DD:@? (66< E92E DF>>6C] %96 =25:6D C62==J 6?;@J65 E96 AC@;64E] x? a_a`[ H96? !2DE@C %:772?J 4C62E65 #2:D:?8 w@A6[ E96 =25:6D 25565 E@ E96:C 677@CED E@ :?4=F56 96C >:?:DECJ] ~?46 2 J62C[ E96J 82E96C E@ D6H[ 76==@HD9:A 2?5 AC2J 7@C E9@D6 C646:G:?8 E96 A:==@H42D6D] $:?46 a_`h[ E96J 92G6 5@?2E65 @G6C `[___ A:==@H42D6D 36EH66? E96 EH@ 7@DE6C 42C6 4=@D6ED]k^Am

kAmu@C a_ae[ E96J 92G6 564:565 E@ 9@DE EH@ 4@>>F?:EJ D6H:?8 52JD] %96 564:D:@? H2D >256 H96? E96J C62=:K65 D@>6 @7 E96:C G@=F?E66CD >:DD @FE @? E96 76==@HD9:A 3642FD6 @7 E96:C D49@@= D4965F=6] %96 J@F?86DE G@=F?E66C 😀 f J62CD @=5Pk^Am

kAm%96 49FC49 =25:6D 92G6 2=D@ 25565 r9C:DE>2D $E@4<:?8D 7@C #2:D:?8 w@A6’D p?86= %C66 8:7ED E@ E96:C 4@>>F?:EJ D6H:?8 @FEC6249]k^Am

kAm!C:@C E@ @C82?:K6CD 56=:G6C:?8 E96 A:==@H42D6D E@ E96 7@DE6C 42C6 4=@D6ED[ E96 >6>36CD @7 E96 tC:6 &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE r9FC49 3=6DD65 E96 `ed A:==@H42D6D 5FC:?8 H@CD9:A D6CG:46]k^Am

kAmp?J@?6 :?E6C6DE65 😕 96=A:?8 H:E9 7FEFC6 D6H:?8 52JD @C 5@?2E:?8 723C:4 42? 4@?E24E tC:6 &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE r9FC49 Wb_hX edh adc` 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?] p=D@[ 4964< @FE #2:D:?8 w@A6[ tC:6 2?5 |J vtp# ~FEC6249 @? u2463@@< E@ =62C? >@C6]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2>2K:?8 E@ D66 H92E 42? 92AA6? H96? A6@A=6 4@>6 E@86E96C 7@C 2 4@>>@? AFCA@D6[” D2:5 s63 $E@CEK “tG6CJ A:==@H42D6 H2D >256 H:E9 =@G6—2?5 E92E’D D@>6E9:?8 6G6CJ 49:=5 56D6CG6D]”k^Am