Hello! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about why I started this whole "Made by Mady" thing. Fair warning, I'm going to give you the long version.
March 2014, as a freshman in high school, I went on a mission trip with my church to Haiti. There, we stayed in an orphanage for one week - a week surrounded by the heat, the bugs (and by bugs I mean BIG spiders), the rice and beans, and approximately 50 beautiful children. I heavily recall looking at the interns who were living at this orphanage for 10 weeks, thinking, "I could never do that." I kid you not, every single day for the next five years I felt called to be an intern in Haiti. I repeatedly said no - coming up with every single excuse to talk myself out of it. That didn't work, but God did. Eventually, one day in December 2018, I said yes. I applied for the internship in Haiti and long story short - I got hired.
For a little back story, I spent 6 months in British Columbia, Canada at Trinity Western University. At TWU, I joined a student ministry called IMAGO. Through the other five amazing women alongside of me in IMAGO, we went to a women's rehabilitation centre to work alongside the residents in their market. This is where I learned to make jewelry! For about 2 hours once a week, we would sit and work with these women, talking with them and showing the love of Jesus through our actions. The coolest part was that even just our presence meant SO much to these ladies! The Market then sold the jewelry that we made on Saturday mornings to the general public.
The thing about this internship in Haiti is that I had to raise $2,500 in order to go. I decided to use the skill that I had learned with IMAGO and to take it and use it in another way to further His kingdom. This was incredibly successful, and it was not for me but for the children in Haiti and the Lord Himself. Unfortunately, after raising a great amount, the trip got canceled due to civil unrest in the country of Haiti. The US had a travel ban on the country and for safety purposes, mission trips were canceled and we could not go.
I am completely trusting that there is ministry that can be done, that I can do, straight from here in Freeport. I didn't want to quit making jewelry - it has become a major hobby for me and it has become a WONDERFUL creative outlet that I am incredibly thankful for. This whole jewelry thing started from a heart for ministry and I did not want that to go away after the Haiti trip got canceled. It actually makes me feel sick selling things to people and taking their money, so we now know I definitely don't have a future in any type of for-profit business. However, I am still human and the extra side cash has been nice. It is a constant reminder to myself that none of this is for me. It's all for Him. I don't need all of this money, but someone else does. It has taken me a while - about 3 months now, to decide once again what to do with the funds from this little business.
Introducing Tina: I have decided to use the money to sponsor a child from Togo, Africa. She is a 15 year old orphan and is at high risk for exploitation. She needs this money. For $38 a month, she will receive education, nutrition, health care, Christ-centered guidance, and be able to participate in recreational activities. I have committed myself to this form of care for Tina until she leaves the program - which will be 7 years from now. $38/month for the next 7 years. This is a huge commitment - and I pray that this will become something huge for her and that it can influence you. $38/month, I am her only sponsor (plus all of you who are supporting - I will be posting updates as I receive them so you can all be included!!) so it's not as if she has 20 other US citizens supporting her. You can make a difference. Split the cost with a friend or within your family.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27
Love,
Mady
March 2014, as a freshman in high school, I went on a mission trip with my church to Haiti. There, we stayed in an orphanage for one week - a week surrounded by the heat, the bugs (and by bugs I mean BIG spiders), the rice and beans, and approximately 50 beautiful children. I heavily recall looking at the interns who were living at this orphanage for 10 weeks, thinking, "I could never do that." I kid you not, every single day for the next five years I felt called to be an intern in Haiti. I repeatedly said no - coming up with every single excuse to talk myself out of it. That didn't work, but God did. Eventually, one day in December 2018, I said yes. I applied for the internship in Haiti and long story short - I got hired.
For a little back story, I spent 6 months in British Columbia, Canada at Trinity Western University. At TWU, I joined a student ministry called IMAGO. Through the other five amazing women alongside of me in IMAGO, we went to a women's rehabilitation centre to work alongside the residents in their market. This is where I learned to make jewelry! For about 2 hours once a week, we would sit and work with these women, talking with them and showing the love of Jesus through our actions. The coolest part was that even just our presence meant SO much to these ladies! The Market then sold the jewelry that we made on Saturday mornings to the general public.
The thing about this internship in Haiti is that I had to raise $2,500 in order to go. I decided to use the skill that I had learned with IMAGO and to take it and use it in another way to further His kingdom. This was incredibly successful, and it was not for me but for the children in Haiti and the Lord Himself. Unfortunately, after raising a great amount, the trip got canceled due to civil unrest in the country of Haiti. The US had a travel ban on the country and for safety purposes, mission trips were canceled and we could not go.
I am completely trusting that there is ministry that can be done, that I can do, straight from here in Freeport. I didn't want to quit making jewelry - it has become a major hobby for me and it has become a WONDERFUL creative outlet that I am incredibly thankful for. This whole jewelry thing started from a heart for ministry and I did not want that to go away after the Haiti trip got canceled. It actually makes me feel sick selling things to people and taking their money, so we now know I definitely don't have a future in any type of for-profit business. However, I am still human and the extra side cash has been nice. It is a constant reminder to myself that none of this is for me. It's all for Him. I don't need all of this money, but someone else does. It has taken me a while - about 3 months now, to decide once again what to do with the funds from this little business.
Introducing Tina: I have decided to use the money to sponsor a child from Togo, Africa. She is a 15 year old orphan and is at high risk for exploitation. She needs this money. For $38 a month, she will receive education, nutrition, health care, Christ-centered guidance, and be able to participate in recreational activities. I have committed myself to this form of care for Tina until she leaves the program - which will be 7 years from now. $38/month for the next 7 years. This is a huge commitment - and I pray that this will become something huge for her and that it can influence you. $38/month, I am her only sponsor (plus all of you who are supporting - I will be posting updates as I receive them so you can all be included!!) so it's not as if she has 20 other US citizens supporting her. You can make a difference. Split the cost with a friend or within your family.
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27
Love,
Mady
Comments
Post a Comment