Managers deliver products from their branch for inspection by Sarah before being paid for their work. Sarah – the one woman, one slum, one sewing machine lady because of whom so much of Jacaranda was built – carefully looks over the stitching and notices the improvements in quality between this and the previous order delivery. While they’re not perfect, they are beautiful, she accepts the order. Sarah is such an encourager. She helps these ladies overcome their insecurities through encouragement and reinforcement which results in better quality work in the jacaranda product line.
I had a lot of time to talk with Sarah about her methods and ways and learned so much from her. I believe she is absolutely right when she says the ladies of Konoweka need a mentor who is already an excellent tailor to help them practice rather than leaving them to themselves or to a spiritual leader. The model is forming in my head about how to make possible the financial arrangements needed to have a staff tailor who can travel from group to group teaching and mentoring. I can never learn enough from Sarah and am so thankful to her and to Brenda for their time and investment in these ladies and in me as I try to help other groups of ladies.