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Taylor woman, 81, taking mission trip to Africa

4,009 views · Published 4 September 2014 · 2:22 · Indexed 26 October 2026

Channel: FOX 7 Austin · 2014 · News & Politics

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Vesta Ryan sews to stay busy and she has for decades. Ryan would sit beside her grandmother who she learned to sew from. Over the years she has made countless quilts and clothes for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

At 81, Ryan signed up for a mission trip to teach women in Africa her craft of sewing. Ryan planned to go to Ghana through the group mPower Approach. The non-profit, based in Kentucky, decided to delay the trip by six months to a year until the spread of the Ebola virus slowed.

"They decided it wouldn't be safe for us to go or we could bring something back to the U.S. and I wouldn't want to do that to my country," Ryan said. She did not want to put off the trip any longer.

"I don't know if I'll be as well as I am six months from now. I'm planning to be but you just don't know," said Ryan who didn't want to pass up the opportunity. After delaying the Ghana trip the group called Ryan offering instead to go to Uganda.

Without hesitating Ryan's itinerary changed. She leaves in October and will spend two weeks in the country teaching an advanced sewing class.

"I'm so excited. I can't believe it is going to happen," she said. Ryan hopes the people she teaches will teach others.

"I feel like my doing for these ladies - well is a blessing for them but really I'm reaping the blessing," Ryan said.

Ryan planned to pay for the $3,000 trip herself but her church family and the Taylor community stepped into help. Friends organized a two day garage sale and raised $3,700. The extra money is paying for children to go to camp per Ryan's request.

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