A couple of days ago I opened an email from a lovely woman Michele with this picture and immediately burst into tears:
I remembered the story Michele had told me when she bought the cushion a few months ago. She bought it because her Mum and her mum's partner Geoff have been long term advocates of Asylum Seekers and they visit Villawood detention centre on a weekly basis to offer support to those illegally imprisoned there.
Michele had found the cushions on Etsy on the same day the man in the picture who is a refugee from Sri Lanka was coming to stay with her mum and Geoff that night. He has been granted residency and is now waiting for his family to have theirs granted too.
To see this photo, to see a refugee from Sri Lanka and Michele and her wonderful supportive family holding my cushion makes me cry so much. To know that this man, who Michele describes as kind and caring from Sri Lanka and his family know that there are so many people here in Australia who welcome asylum seekers with understanding and compassion without discrimination, who understand what asylum seekers have fled from, the trauma they have been through and the anguish of being separated from family and loved ones, well it really does make me feel good.
I have mentioned before that I have got some pretty horrible emails in the past about this cushion but this just makes me determined to make more.
Last year I sold 11 of these and $110 went to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre
this year I want to double that!
So to celebrate Michele and her family and their lovely photo if you would like your own cushion cover please use the coupon code ICARE at checkout for a 10% discount.
Thanks so much Michele.
Well done Michele. I find it really sad to hear that you have had horrible emails about this in the past. Thank you for sharing this lovely story, it is so nice to hear a good news story about immigrants for a change.
ReplyDeletexx Sannah
It upsets me that you've been recieving abuse for these cushions. I can't understand the mentality that says being lucky enough to be born here gives one the right to lord that privlege over people fleeing for their lives. The asylum seeker debate actually makes me feel quite sick.
ReplyDeleteI hope you sell these cushions faster than you can make them!
Great story. Goodluck with the sales.
ReplyDeleteAwesome CATH. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, Cath, that is amazing! What a beautiful story! I worked with a man at school (he was an aide and translator for the Bhutanese kids) and he was 27 years old when he finally made it to Australia and until he arrived here, he'd spent his entire life in a refugee camp. 27 YEARS! These are the people, the faces behind uptight selfish peeps who don't want to share. Like 2 year olds with a toy.
ReplyDeleteNeed to stop, will rant forever.
See my fury made me type shit. You know what I mean. Selfish, insular and uneducated fools really think these people don't deserve to be here? To have a chance at a good life, a free life? They really think they are better than these people when the truth is, they just won the sperm + ova lottery and got born from a lucky uterus in a good place!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome way to start the new year! I'm going to save this page & hopefully come back, grab the code & order myself a cushion.. just have to check the $$ situation first (after Xmas & a new mortgage just hit us!!).
ReplyDeleteamazing, amazing, amazing Miss Cath.
ReplyDeletewhat a photo.
love your work. xx
Wow! That's a good start for this year and congratulations for the great sales that you have been made. I love the photo and the message. Good luck for more great sales and be happy always!
ReplyDeleteThat is an awesome photo. And you are awesome for this work of yours. I hope you sell triple the amount this year.
ReplyDeleteWhat a start to the year Cath.
ReplyDeleteAmazing!XXXJ
Nice one Cath and Michele.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful story, Cath. Hold onto that and ignore the ignorant, nasty people as much as you can. x
ReplyDeleteA fantastic and inspiring story of how your creative work is doing so much GOOD in your part of the world - this makes my new year feel even more hopeful about the healing power of creativity in the world =-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post and picture!
Exactly! Keep this photo on the fridge, message board, where you can see it all the time.
ReplyDeleteVery emotional indeed, craft can touch peoples lives! Very cool.
ReplyDeleteSar xo
How utterly utterly special. What a moment Cath.
ReplyDeletexo
That is just the BEST!!
ReplyDeleteI just love this picture and the story that goes with it!
ReplyDeleteI also love that my girl was checking out your blog the other day (as she does!)-she scrolled a couple of posts down to your last picture of this cushion, and asked me why the cushion said "let them stay"... I explained it to her as well as I could for a sensitive 4 1/2 year old, and she totally agreed, and started wishing we had a spare room so asylum seekers could stay with us (hopefully we can come up with some more practical ways to help out together, but gosh I love her!). I hope you keep getting lots of positive messages and support and lots of sales xo
What a nice touch! Dont let the naysayers bother you.
ReplyDeleteHi Cath,
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting on the blog the photograph of a family outraged about this Governments immigration policy.
Our friend "Gopal" is a Tamil and has been kept in detention for 2 1/2 years as a legitimate refugee not a criminal.
If you want stories, ideas or political comment get in touch.
eg. Action Now - Sleep Later
The Cushion of Unrest
Re-bake The Pie
Marx My Words
Kind Regards,
Geoff.
Well done Cath....I love that you put your opinion out there, I feel exactly the same. It is so sad to think that people can not respect your opinions and feel the need to share theirs with abuse. I love that cushion, I shall be ordering one once I have paid off my very ugly visa bill. hx
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