Made by a team... why each piece is special

This week we have appreciated the service of a team from Singapore who have been working with us in Ishinomaki.  One of the members, Daniel, works as a sub-editor for the largest newspaper in their country.  He interviewed a number of us for the purpose of writing an article about the Nozomi Project when he returns home.

One of our staff was being interviewed.  She was asked what the favorite part of her job is.  She thought for a bit, and then she described one of her jobs once the jewelry has been made:

"So I pick up the necklace...And I think about the work that is behind one piece....  The shard has been cut into a beautiful shape,

and then ground down, had a bail placed on it, cleaned, taken into the jewelry room, where one of the staff has chosen it and made a necklace around the shard.  

She works hard to make it into a lovely piece of jewelry.  Then the whole necklace gets cleaned, and I have the privilege of taking the finished product and placing it carefully into a ziploc bag to be sold.  Somehow I hold that necklace and I realize how special it is... because it wasn't just made by one person, but it was made by the hard work and courage of a team of women who are all working together for the sake of this enterprise.  Each necklace is special because a community has helped to create it....I love getting to handle each piece because it represents so much."  

She could barely finish the interview because she was crying so much.

Beauty from brokenness.  (See our current products for sale worldwide - made by a  team -- here).