Story and photos by Karen Workman, karenworkman@centurylink.net

Solar Oven Partners Director Marj Evans-de-Carpio went to  Annual conference in Bismarck last week knowing  she’d bring back a few hundred potholders. She’d put out a couple of calls and a Monday@Dakotas story with a request for help to protect the hands of cooks as SOP volunteers deliver oven components and teach Solar cooking this year.

Photo: Karen Collins and her sister Carleen Cross, arrive at the Solar Oven Partners booth with two huge tubs and a big box filled with 300 potholders from the United Methodist Church of Faulkton. Wonderful essential gifts for new solar oven cooks in the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone in West Africa, and soon on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona!

Throughout conference,  beautiful potholders kept coming from the hands of enthusiastic stitchers. When Marj made one last check after the final plenary, she was astounded by the new total…a whopping 1,038 potholders gathered during the 4-day gathering!

Karen Workman, SOP Advisory Council member wrote, “Solar Oven Partners encountered the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of people who sew in our churches in the Dakotas Conference! Thank you for your compassionate care of impoverished, newly trained solar oven cooks in the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, and soon on the Navajo Nation in Arizona.”

Photo: Merna Howard of Tabor United Methodist Church at Big Stone City, SD, gets help from SOP Board Member Rev. Phil Lint as she drops off potholders . “More potholders will be coming soon from our quilting group!” says Merna.

Should supporting churches, UMW groups and solitary sewers keep those potholders coming? Absolutely! Bringing more to Mission U North and South will continue this delightful outpouring of “hands-on” mission!

Photo: Marj Evans-de-Carpio, SOP Board Member Karen Workman, and SOP Communications Team member Connie Smith carry potholders to board member Rev. Phil Lint’s van for transport to the SOP Central Workshop in Volga, SD. At the Workshop they will be packed by volunteer teams for shipment to SOP’s mission fields.