LIFE SKILLS
A Tale of Two Tailors at the Lord's Counseling Room
CBN.com –
Theressa Mzila has benefited greatly from the training provided by the sewing center at the Lord's Counseling Room situated in Pietermaritzburg. Because she has a full time job, Theressa, who has one child, attends sewing courses only on the weekends.
She has always wanted to learn to sew properly, and so finding this sewing center was for her a Godsend.
Trained in Zimbabwe as a clothing designer, Nathan Nyandeni moved to South Africa six years ago to seek a better life. After living in Johannesburg where he worked as garment maker, Nyandeni relocated to Pietermaritzburg in August of this year. The Lord guided him to the Lord's Counseling Room after he made friends with a lady who helped out at the sewing center there.
Nyandeni is an excellent garment maker. He designs clothes of high quality with consummate ease. He teaches students how to cut material using a tape measure, assemble panels and press and unpick garments. In order to complete the course and receive their certificates, each student must be able to make and complete five different types of garments on their own. Theressa Mzila has been one of his best pupils.
Since being trained at the center she has learned how to make various types of garments. The garments she has produced are of good quality and saleable. Selling her creations is something that she intends to do in the future.
Headed up by Nyandeni, the sewing center has expanded considerably. Nyandeni has a heart for people and wants to see them grow in every facet of their lives. More people are expressing interest in learning how to sew and have made plans to attend classes at the center early in the New Year. Nyandeni foresees a very bright future in 2005. The center currently has 22 machines, so there is room for growth.
Greatly encouraged by the progress demonstrated by all of the students, Nyandeni says, "The ladies are very happy and overwhelmed with joy and are inviting their friends to come and sign up."
The effect on his current students reflects both the skill gained from training and the spiritual blessing of being in the environment of fellow Christians. Theressa has much more self-confidence as a result of what she has learned at the center. She also feels much healthier and happier and is more exuberant than she has ever been before. In addition she says that she has grown closer to the Lord and is more aware of His love for her. Her prayer life has improved and her desire to read the word of God is much stronger than it has ever been. In the words of Nyandeni: "There is a definite improvement in Theressa's life and she's happier and smiles more".
The founder and leader of the Lord's Counseling Room, Pastor David Peters, is pleased with the progress of the sewing center.
"More than a sewing center," he says, "this ministry is being very successful and is changing the lives of many people by equipping them with practical training and spiritual and emotional encouragement. We are very grateful to CBN and Operation Blessing for the initiative they showed when they brought the first sewing machines and initial training here. They continue to show an interest in our progress and we value their regular input."
Because of many lives like Nyandeni (the trainer) and Theressa (the trainee) that have been touched through this sewing experience, it is important that more of these centers are established in cities and towns in South Africa. The encouragement and hope that they bring to people is vital for the uplifting of communities in a nation that has an extremely high rate of unemployment
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