OUR COLLECTION — ASIA — SRI LANKA 273. COLORFUL NATIVITY
Nativity scenes from Sri Lanka, an island near India, are noted for their vivid colors. This painted wood scene contains ten figures: Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus, an angel, an ox, a donkey, a sheep, and three wise men. The tallest figure measures 4 inches tall.
Gospel House Handicrafts was started in 1976 by John Karunaratne, a Christian, who wanted to provide vocational training for boys from the poor areas in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. In the beginning, John trained the boys to make wooden toys, using two home-made lathes he set up in his own home. As the workforce grew and orders increased, a larger facility was needed and funding was secured to buy land and build a workshop in Madampe, 40 miles outside of Colombo. With the help of TEARCRAFT, a British ATO, the workshop now employs 30 woodworkers- 12 skilled, 10 semi-skilled, and 8 trainees.
Gospel House Handicrafts was started in 1976 by John Karunaratne, a Christian, who wanted to provide vocational training for boys from the poor areas in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. In the beginning, John trained the boys to make wooden toys, using two home-made lathes he set up in his own home. As the workforce grew and orders increased, a larger facility was needed and funding was secured to buy land and build a workshop in Madampe, 40 miles outside of Colombo. With the help of TEARCRAFT, a British ATO, the workshop now employs 30 woodworkers- 12 skilled, 10 semi-skilled, and 8 trainees.
