Sunday, August 6, 2017

She sent me a box full of dolls

My friend Beth is an artist. She had accumulated a number of Bratz dolls, with their high-style fashion and their glamorous makeup. She decided to scrub their faces and create a more natural look and to dress them as normal children.

Here are some "befores"



Here are a few dolls after Beth transformed them:



Beth got the idea from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG-7e1vaB18

Beth posted a note on her Facebook page, asking if any of her friends would like one of these dolls. I responded right away. "I'd like to have them all. I'm sure there are children at Oinofyta refugee camp in Greece, where I volunteer, who would love to have one of these dolls." Beth said that would be great, and she mailed me a box full of dolls.

I checked around to see if anyone I knew was going to Europe who'd be willing to take them along, but everyone who responded was either already in Europe or not planning to go. So I took them to the post office and, for $61, sent them on their way.

The dolls arrived at camp at the end of Ramadan. There's a celebration at the end called Eid, and traditionally children receive gifts at that time. Camp volunteers prepared gift bags for the children, and each of the twelve dolls went into a bag.

I asked Lisa, the camp manager, if pictures could be taken of the dolls with the children who received them. I wanted to send the picture to Beth so she could see the outcome of her generosity. But I had forgotten that if a child's picture is taken, the parent must approve. And all of the parents said no. A privacy issue at least, and perhaps for safety as well.

Now I'm at the camp myself. This week I'll try to find out who got the dolls and see if I can take a picture of just the doll, in the room of the owner. It's a balance of my own curiosity with respect for the culture of camp residents.

Thank you, Beth, for your gift to the children of Oinofyta.

9 comments:

DJan said...

She has made these dolls into wonderful representatives of childhood. Good for her, and good for you, Linda. I hope you are finding ways to get some rest for yourself. :-)

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

I love what people do to remake these dolls. And what a nice set of gifts for Eid!

Linda Reeder said...

What a clever thing to do, remaking those dolls. And I think they probably found a new home where they will be loved.

1NurseRatched said...

Great gift. So glad you get to see the children with the dolls!

Barb said...

Love this!! Just a thought, I've begun writing a craft book, and many of my testers are kids. What I do is take pictures without the faces, while they are crafting-hands and arms and such! maybe mom and dad will let you take a picture either of the kid holding said doll, or else what the kid has done with such doll?

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

I am sure that the children loved the dolls.

Olga said...

What a great transformation and a very generous gift.

Arkansas Patti said...

Can't see where the originals would have been appropriate for the girls in the camp. It would be a bit American show offishness. Love what she did and what you did. I'm sure you made some little girls happy.

joared said...

Like what she did with the dolls.