A Spiritual Solution for Environmental Conservation  

In a world often overshadowed by environmental concerns, one Christian woman’s innovative approach offers a glimpse of hope. Through the art of crocheting, Juanita Bailey not only transforms discarded plastic bags into reusable treasures, but infuses each stitch with heartfelt prayers. This week’s Look on the Bright Side sheds light on sustainability, showing that even in the face of adversity, there exists beauty, faith, and a path towards positive change. Sabreena Daly tells us more.

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

On a cool Monday morning, Juanita Bailey sits on her porch carefully stitching a bag. She’s also faithfully reciting her prayers.

 

Juanita Bailey, Produces Eco-Friendly Plastic Bags
“Every stitch that I put on, I pray.  It’s very relaxing. I could be home and in a worried condition, and I would just pick up and start to pray.”

 

In an informal, yet deeply spiritual routine, her prayers break free from her soul and find their way onto a crochet stitch.

Juanita Bailey

“I know that God is with me and I pray.  I pray every day and every minute of the day I pray.”

 

Juanita Bailey, a woman of Christian faith, is steadfast in her belief that the journey to God begins with a quest for answers. Regardless of whether those divine revelations come sparingly or abundantly, Bailey clings to her faith for the tranquility it imparts.

Juanita Bailey
“I can see God’s hand working inside my life. Because there, there can be days that I am without, I’m on, I’m the last.  And God came right in and said, and, you know, He gives Peace.”

 

Bailey is a member of the Olive Branch Church of Christ in Burrell Boom. It’s here that she found and cemented her faith. It’s also where she picked up a new skill after meeting a visiting missionary.

Juanita Bailey

“I got into this last year, June, when some missionaries came to our church, and there was a lady, Miss Donna, who  brought a few with her and then she decided to show me how to do it. I never liked plastic bags. I hated plastic bags. And  they’re all over the place.  People throw them out in the street, blowing in the wind. You know? And it’s not something you can burn. It’s the smell, it affects people, and so I decided I’m going to learn this to help the environment as a recyclable product.”

 

These are no ordinary grocery bags; they are meticulously crafted from the same single-use plastic bags you’d find at any grocery store. Depending on the size, up to sixty plastic bags—each a potential hazard to the environment if disposed of improperly—are repurposed into a single reusable grocery bag. But where does Juanita Bailey acquire such a substantial amount of plastic bags to transform into these eco-friendly alternatives?

Juanita Bailey,
“After I learned how to do this, I told the ladies at church to save their bags for me when they go shopping. And Sister Vanessa and two other sisters, they always go to the store, like maybe every two weeks and they would  save their bags and Sunday morning when I go to church… Oh, sister Juanita, I have some bags for you.”

 

Vanessa Thompson, Church Sister
“It’s not good for the environment. And with that, this is a big help. I do go to Publics to buy and when I buy, I buy very good. So when she asked in church, I said, well, no problem. Because even though I do use it for garbage, there is extra.”

 

Fellowship and service are fundamental pillars of the Christian faith. Uniting believers in communal support and active service guided by the teachings of Christ, fosters enduring bonds. This shared goal is exemplified by Bailey. It is also affirmed by Vanessa Thompson within their Christian community.

Juanita Bailey

“We have every two weeks, our ladies come together on a Friday night. And we sing, and we worship, and we share with each other different things. We could share craft, we could share, we share all our different lifestyles. You know, we share.”

 

Sabreena Daly

“What would you say is the importance of having this type of bond, um, as Christians?”

Vanessa Thompson

“It’s very important. Why? It’s important because you know, you have someone to fall back on. Maybe you can give them a call or they give you a text and you know, and you get a verse from the Bible. They give you a verse from the Bible. Maybe you’re going through a sad day and bum, she sends you a text message, and she makes you feel very happy. Or she gives you a call or I give her a call and you know, we feel very happy. We communicate with one another.”

 

As their shared faith strengthens the spiritual bond between the church sisters, they find that prayers serve as conversations with God. What we see here is a humble solution for environmental conservation. It is also a litany of prayers manifested in the form of a reusable bag, each stitch embodying a heartfelt conversation with God. Looking on the Bright Side, Im Sabreena Daly.