Ursula’s first quilt created for her grandchildren | Mosbach, Germany
What does the ancient art of quilting have to do with current filmmaking?
Quilting began as a necessity from poverty and the need for warmth and community, today it is valued as an art form, whether created alone or in fellowship.
Metaphors illuminate our stories.
When Carrie in Prague wrote describing our revived documentary activity as Quilting, she stirred so many ideas and connections in my mind.
David and Kathi Peters, the producers of our documentary have just released their reworked video clip, first filmed last October by Corey in the Jewish cemetery, Gemünd, Germany.
Verena and I meet in the cemetery and we embrace in front of the memorial stone for my parents, Dave and Kathi weave into the original fabric our longer conversations from that day. The daughter of a perpetrator and the daughter of victims share memories.
Original music composed by Janie flows together with the words and images. Janie was there in the cemetery last October.
We are quilting together, mingling old and new pieces to form an evocative whole.
Metaphors can give fresh insights, even their limitations stimulate our search for fresh understanding.
Jesus often used metaphors when he told stories and he warns about the incongruity of patching old garments (Matthew 9:16) with a piece of cloth torn from new clothing. Pray for us as we join our gifts and craft together.
Pray for humility, wisdom and skill from above as we tell the story.
Ursula’s quilt
In the past when old pieces of fabric were used, the completed quilt would bring back so many memories filled with joy and also sorrow.
When Verena, who has experienced deep healing from her family’s past, watched the clip, listened to our conversation and saw again old newsreels of mobs, hatred, violent attacks and helpless victims, a great sorrow filled her heart as she remembered her father.
In my heart I accompany her into the scars left by the wounds of the past and my understanding of the effects of abuse, expand.
I become aware, we are treading on holy ground when we bring the past to life. We are not patching things up or just sharing information when we recount history, we cry out in warning and invite those who watch and listen to join us in a healing journey.