Storyropes

As mentors and volunteers who are intimately connected to teen moms, we get a front-row seat to see what God is doing in their lives. But we also come face-to-face with deep pain, despair, abuse, and darkness. It's not always easy to know what to say or how to validate teens in the midst of their past and present pain.

Enter the Storyrope. Creator Marge Malwitz says, "It is a tactile timeline of one's life or part of one's life." By giving teen moms permission to share their stories and making their life into a work of art, we extend worth and value to them and their stories - and also give them a safe outlet for sharing and beginning to heal from the sad or tragic pieces of their lives.

Storyropes have been used in places like Cambodia and Rwanda with women who have lived through tragic losses. To make a Storyrope, participants tie short strips of fabric representing events, people, and feelings onto a longer piece of fabric that represents their life. Participants have the opportunity to share their Storyrope with someone safe who prays over them and for them as they share.

When the Storyropes are completed and shared, each rope is tied onto one long gold rope representing God's story, symbolizing the greater picture that we are each a part of. 

For pictures, more description, and a short video illustrating the process, visit the Creative Call website.

What a great project for a Campaigners series or a weekend retreat!

Thank you, Sharon Kurtzman and Lisa Hassing-Dyk for sharing this idea!