It never ceases to amaze me the accomplishments children can achieve, but more importantly and impressively, their hearts behind it. The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but one of the largest hurdles the families in our programs have had to face is watching the prices for their basic needs increase dramatically. Parents are doing all that they can, going above and beyond working long hours, extra jobs, and difficult jobs to provide for their children. And God has been good and faithful to care for them and take care of their families.
But in the midst of this we’ve seen something that we didn’t expect: Children desiring to use the hobbies they enjoy to find ways to help provide for their families financially.
Alexis, María and Enmanuel all live in Cuba and attend our children’s program there. They have each discovered tasks they can complete with their own hands to help provide for their families’ basic needs.
Alexis learned from a relative to make aluminum rings out of useless coins. He now gives the rings to a friend to sell them, and uses the income to help the family.
María plants cactuses of different kinds in old various containers and once the plants are established, neighbors come and buy them. María joyfully gives the money to her grandma to buy the loaves of bread they need for the day.
Enmanuel was given two rabbits and decided this was a good opportunity for him to start a business raising rabbits for extra food and money. With no animal shelter or means to buy anything, Enmanuel began collecting used materials from around the community and built his own make-shift cage for his rabbits.
None of these children were asked to carry out these duties, but these three amazing kids found ways to help their families meet their most basic needs, while doing something they enjoy.
I’m humbled as I have learned about these incredible children. They were not asked to help out. They initiated finding a way to help on their own. They found the tools they needed to complete their tasks. And more impressively, they have done so with joy. Enjoying their hobbies and desiring to be a blessing to those they love most.
We have been gifted with so much and yet we often find ourselves grumbling to complete our tasks. These children do so with a smile and find joy in doing it. They find joy serving. They find joy being used by God to make a difference in the lives of others.
My prayer is that we too would not only be grateful for the opportunities we have to provide an income for our families, but we’d also find joy in looking for opportunities to bless others. What a difference this would make not only in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us that need a Savior and would see Jesus in us.
A special message from one of our sponsored children in Oaxaca, Mexico: Receive an affectionate greeting all of you. I would like to tell you a little bit about my life in Trigo y Miel Program. My name is Berenice Santiago Lugo. I have 5 siblings. Audre, Uriel, Joselyn, Dulce
Have you come across Sell a Home, Save a Child and wondered what it is? Abbreviated SAHSAC, Sell a Home, Save a Child is a funding program for Forward Edge International. The premise is simple: sell homes and save children. Real Estate professionals can partner with Sell a Home, Save
It started with a simple nudge—a last-minute feeling that I was forgetting something important. Rushing through the airport, I couldn’t shake the urge to buy a Bible. I didn’t know why, or who it was for, but I trusted the feeling. A week later, in a small village in Ghana, that Bible found its way into the hands of Talata, a girl who had never heard of Jesus. This is the story of how God’s quiet whispers and a small act of obedience became part of something much bigger than we could have imagined.
Someone Thought of Me? Did you know that a simple note can change the trajectory of a child’s life? It’s true! For children living in poverty, life is challenging and filled with hardships. They may feel overlooked, forgotten, and alone. But when they receive a note, it shows that they
18 yrs. old
Entered the program: March 2023
Pearl lives with her mother and two siblings in a one-bedroom cement brick house. The family has access to electricity but no potable water. The village women and girls must fetch water from a local dam or walk long distances to find other sources.
Pearl is from a family that practices polygamy; her father has two wives. Pearl, her mother and her siblings, Moses and Thomas (also in the program), are going through much difficulty. Her father neglects them and refuses to provide for them and their education; all of the responsibilities have fallen to her mother who has a disability. She offers hand-laundering services to other people to try and earn money, but it is infrequent. Before Create Hope, they lived on less than a dollar a day and some days there was no food. Now, Pearl and her siblings do not have to go to school without eating. Pearl is a Christian and she prays things will get better for her and her family.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
