One Rwandese refugee reminded me of my breach of procedure. Salesman for the poor In between visits from the refugees, I would assist customers who frequented our shop, showing off our wares and explaining the mission of Jesuit Refugee Service. Often, even the briefest descriptions of the lives of the refugees impelled customers to purchase a good deal more than they had intended to. And I was not above using the occasional measure of guilt to encourage larger purchases. One day I noticed an American woman examining a barkcloth bag made by Jane Tusiime, upon which was embroidered a smiling zebra.
Trees do pretty well in the rain.
The woman who makes these is going through a rough time right now. She's just been kicked out of her house. Not surprisingly, the woman bought three. And somewhere in the States is a young boy dragging his books to school in a wet barkcloth bag. In the afternoon, I visited the refugees in the slums.