For Marilyn Vickrey, knitting is not only a hobby, but a craft that allows her to give comfort to those in need.

Vickrey is part of the St. Paul's Episcopal Church's Prayers and Squares chapter, which has been giving quilts to people in crisis for five years. Every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon, a group of women meet at the Yuma church to pray and sew together a quilt.

The quilts can go to adults and children who suffer from illnesses such as cancer, or they can go to people who are recovering from injuries. Yet, Vickrey said that it is not the quilt itself that is important, but the prayers that have been promoted through the use of the quilts.

Vickrey has been a member of the nationwide organization since 2003, and says she is a member because "It blesses the socks right off me (and) it is my favorite day of the week. It is so wonderful to know that the Lord is using you in this way."

The Yuma chapter of the organization was created in 2003 after Nancy Wright, president of the Yuma chapter, went to a church conference in 1992 in California. She went to a Prayer and Squares booth, and came back to St. Paul's with information to start up their own chapter.

"I thought the ministry was so wonderful because it gives people healing and comfort (and) it is never about ourselves. I think the ministry gives people much - much healing," said Wright.

The only requirement in receiving a quilt is that the receiver must believe in prayer, said Vickrey. And anyone who would like a quilt made must sign an application saying who the quilt will go to.

The quilt is 42 inches wide and 54 inches long. Each member sews a square at home, and then the squares are brought to the church on Saturdays and sewn together to make a quilt. The quilt is made of cotton materials and each quilt has the receiver's name on the back. The quilts also have the date they receive it and a cross sewn onto the back of it, unless the person is Jewish.

On Sundays the quilts are blessed by the priest and each member of the congregation ties a knot on the blanket. Each knot represents a prayer and the prayers become part of the quilt, said Vickrey. "It is a concrete way to give a prayer to the person."

Depending on the circumstances the quilt can be hand-delivered or delivered by mail. In their five years, the Yuma chapter has given more than 700 quilts, said Wright.

The Prayers and Squares Web site says that the organization was created in 1992 when the grandson of a Methodist church member, Reva Eggleston, had heart surgery and went into a coma. Eggleston and her quilting group decided to make a quilt for her grandson. There was no time to sew it together so they tied it together with knots. After receiving the quilt the child came out of the coma and kept the quilt with him at all times. Someone at the hospital observed that there must be a prayer in each knot.

Wright says that making the quilts makes her happy because she is helping someone through prayer. "Our fellowship is very strong and we get such pleasure from people healing. We are God's hands."

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Jennifer Lovell can be reached at jlovell@yumasun.com or 539-6849.

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Prayers and Squares is a nonprofit organization that is not limited to
any specific religion. Applications for a quilt can be picked up at St.
Paul's Episcopal Church's office, which is open Monday through Thursday
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. If you are
not able to make it to the office you can call 782-5155. Prayers and
Squares also accepts financial and fabric donations. For more
information about Prayers and Squares go to prayerquilt.org or call
Nancy Wright at 345-9345 and Marilyn Vickrey at 782-3538.