Look at this picture - what do you see?
On the surface, it looks like a mom showing her son the skirt she's making. And that's correct.
But, there's more to the story.
What you don't see, is that Marilia is a single-mother to seven children. Her 8-year-old son, Elveson, who's sitting on her lap, has special needs. In Haiti, children and adults with special needs are treated horribly. In fact, many call them...
"Cocobai"
Which essentially means "worthless" or a "disgrace."
So it's not surprising that special needs children are often neglected or abandoned by their parents. In Haiti, these children are often kept quiet and hidden in their homes, because they're considered an embarrassment to their families.
What you see here is definitely not the norm. In fact, Marilia's doing the exact opposite of what many in her situation do.
With a special needs son at home, it's hard for Marilia to find and keep a job. But she's not letting that stop her.
Marilia's taking a bold step to improve her family's situation - she's learning to sew.
"I'm not very good at it, but I want to get better," she says.
You see, sewing is one of the few well-paying jobs she can do from home so she can continue to care for her son. Plus, with her new skill, she'll be able to make clothes for her family.
It's truly a win-win.
And this is why the ministry exists. There are people, like Marilia, who aren't looking for a handout - they're looking for an opportunity. And we're giving them opportunities to learn job skills that will change their lives and their families' lives...forever.
When you get involved with this ministry, you're not just helping a student - you're helping an entire family. There's many ways to get involved - like joining our prayer team, sponsoring a student, or liking and sharing our social media posts with your friends.
Just click the button below to see a list of opportunities available. We'd love to partner with you to change lives in Haiti.
