I’m hear to tell you a story about a woman who has endured all the pain and nervous tension of having a husband
go to another country to defend the freedom that we sometimes take for granted. Her husband has been
defending another country’s democracy for 18 months out of a two year-term, so that they may live in a country
without fear. He left for Iraq in October 2005, leaving behind a wife and five kids. She was depressed, worrying
of his return and her family. In December, she decided to make a quilt for her grandson, in order to cope with the
overwhelming stress. She found herself praying to the Lord, and searching her dreams for an answer. As she
was working on the Christmas quilt, her prayers were answered. She thought if “I can make quilts for my family,
why can’t I make them for the armed Forces overseas, and all those that served”. There are other families like
herself, with loved ones’ overseas, who deserve to be acknowledged, respected, and remembered for the
heroes they truly are. She felt that by connecting the families waiting at home, to our men and women overseas,
it would help the ones’ who have suffered as well as show our support for the ones’ still fighting. Her name is
Irena Bell, and this is how she discovered Peace Quilts Around the World. The quilts allow the community to give
thanks with a loving message, something that has never been done before. Our goal is to send these quilts
around the world to support our men and women, no matter where they are. So far, my husband Scott Bell has 9
quilts in Camp Taji, Iraq, for the men and women to sign there. The ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ quilt shows the
names of every person that has passed away during Operation Iraqi Freedom. We also created the ‘9-11’ quilt,
for the heroes who have also lost their lives. These people did not deserve to die, but we honor them as heroes
through these quilts. Our dream is to send a quilt to every military base around the world, giving thanks and
retribution. Soon, each one of these quilts will be going home to a fallen soldier’s family to show our thanks, as
well as those that are in hospitals that have been wounded in this war. To make our dream come true, we ask
everyone to join forces with Peace Quilts Around The World, to give thanks to our men and women, of the
Armed Forces. Thank you all – Irena Bell and Family
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