Odia’s Forgiveness Offering

Today I crocheted.

Three little vessels.

And I’m mailing them to Odia Reimer in Manitoba.

In 1984 Odia’s 13 year old sister, Candace Derksen, was murdered when Odia was only nine years old. Read her story. This is a famous Canadian murder case.

And it has been recently re-opened.

Odia Reimer is a Canadian installation artist, sculptor, photographer. I have witnessed Odia’s work at one of the most beautiful small town galleries I’ve ever visited, Gallery in the Park in Altona, Manitoba.

In the same way that Odia has dealt with her sister’s murder, the grief and the trial, she is dealing with this new twist in her family’s history, with her art.

Seventy times Seven represents the inward journey through emotion. It is 490 crocheted tears suspended from a frame, 7 X 7, hung 7 feet off the floor, to create a perfect cube symbolic of the natural attempt to contain the pain. Each tear is crocheted by hand without any pattern making each one unique, a reflection of the moment of its creation. The color white symbolizes the purity and simplicity of the falling of a tear. The tears also portray an understanding of the answer to Peter’s question… “Sir, how often should I forgive a brother who has sinned against me? Seven times?” Christ’s answer was seventy times seven, 490 times. This is one day. — **Seventy times Seven** represents the inward journey through emotion. It is 490 crocheted tears suspended from a frame, 7 X 7, hung 7 feet off the floor, to create a perfect cube symbolic of the natural attempt to contain the pain. Each tear is crocheted by hand without any pattern making each one unique, a reflection of the moment of its creation. The color white symbolizes the purity and simplicity of the falling of a tear. The tears also portray an understanding of the answer to Peter’s question… “Sir, how often should I forgive a brother who has sinned against me? Seven times?” Christ’s answer was seventy times seven, 490 times. This is one day.

Her latest project is called “The Offering“.

Here’s how she describes it….

Nov, 2013. As some of you know my family and I have been going through a trial. Literally and figuratively, we have just heard that the perpetrator who has been accused of murdering my sister almost 30 years ago might be getting a re-trial. …These recent developments have stirred up old emotions and has brought me to places where I again have to look at forgiveness and loving my enemies to heal from wounds these events have inflicted and continue to inflict.

I have also realized that many individuals that I have shared my story with, have similar elements of pain. I would like to invite you to join me in taking the pain of hurt, anger, and bitterness of whatever you have been through and offer it as a sacrifice in a step of overcoming, releasing, and turning your face towards forgiveness.

“The Offering” is a community art piece, a physical act of taking our hurt sometimes blood, tears or pain and giving it as an offering, I believe this act of giving away our hurt releases our need to hold onto the pain we feel and opens us up to receive the healing and wholeness we are searching for.

After reading Odia’s blog I wanted to participate.

Something drew me to create these little bowls and offer them to her. Not so much due to my own pain, which in no way mirrors hers. But to participate in a corporate sacrificial offering of forgiveness.

I used a combination of threads in earth tones, representing community. One has some bronze metallic representing the unfulfilled life of a murdered teen girl. The little red dots represent blood.

Odia has created a marvellous tutorial. So even if you have never crocheted you can certainly learn.

Here are the written instructions. Download.

Feel free to use any colour, texture, or weight of wool you wish. Use colour and texture as a way of expressing the pain and hurt your bowl represents.

Why not join in? You have until Feb 28th, 2014.

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