Life skills
Sewing for Success
CBN.com – When her father died, 15-year-old Zulma decided to help her mother by making tacos and selling them in the market of Zacapa, Guatemala.
But her mother, Candida, also encouraged Zulma to stay in school. It wasn't an easy decision for Zulma because she knew it meant that her mom would have to work overtime to cover the expenses of her studies.
"I wanted to study, but I felt bad because I had to stop helping my mom," Zulma said.
But Candida accepted the challenge of working overtime so that her daughter could achieve her dream: finishing school so she could become a teacher.
"I was very happy because my daughter wanted to study,” Candida said. “And I decided to make the sacrifice of supporting her in this goal."
Sewing for Success
Candida and Zulma didn't have the money to buy new clothes; they only had money for food.
A representative of Operation Blessing knew about Candida and Zulma’s situation and how Zulma was also a gifted seamstress. So one day OB visited their family and brought with them some very special gifts: a sewing machine and fabrics. Zulma was very happy because she had prayed to God for an additional income to help her mother without affecting her studies.
"I thank God and Operation Blessing very much for giving me this support that is so important for my mom and me," Zulma said.
The teenager began making clothes and selling them in her neighborhood with great success. So, Zulma decided to take a step further. She began to teach dressmaking to other women in her community. Now, she has ten students, which brings in some extra money to cover some expenses.
"I'm very happy because I'm not the only beneficiary. The neighborhood's women come here and they also take advantage of this gift from God [the sewing machine],” Zulma said.
Candida said words could not express her gratefulness towards Operation Blessing.
"With these fabrics, Zulma has been making clothes that she sells to many women in this community…” Candida said. “She wanted to help me because she is a good daughter. And all this was provided by God through Operation Blessing.”
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