Love Means Life

Julie with Maria and Denia

On my first trip to Honduras, I met a woman who had taken her daughter to every medical brigade reachable by bus. Her 12 year old daughter had been born with severe congenital heart disease.  There was, literally, no hope for her from the doctors in Honduras. The country simply could not offer medicine treatment that advanced.  So for twelve years, month after month, year after year, with only slivers of hope, she took her daughter to see whatever visiting doctor would see her.  Finally, she found help for her child. This girl who would not have lived beyond her 12th birthday just celebrated her 27th. She lives because of the love and determination of her mother.  Her name is Denia.  She and her mom were our first jewelry students and they are both now employed in our jewelry studio. This is love.

Mariana

A family of three young adult siblings, all struggling to survive financially - and to raise themselves out of poverty through education - took in their newborn niece.  She had been abandoned.  This tiny little life interrupted theirs - but they took her anyway.  When they realized that she needed a “real” mom - one who could devote all day, every day to her, they made the most difficult decision of all.  And though it was a most painful decision, they found a foster mom for their precious niece. They gave her up. This is love.

The young north american missionary that brought this newborn into her own family agreed to foster her as long as she is needed to love this child.  She encourages the young family mentioned above to see their niece any time they want to.  She loves this newborn as her own.  And yet, should the time come that her aunt and uncles want to take her back to live with them, she is ready to accommodate their wishes.  This is love.

When Sulema finally found work - after many years looking, it was with the Mi Esperanza jewelry studio..  After receiving her first paycheck, she enrolled her young son in a bilingual school.  She knows that he will have a much better opportunity in the world with a good education. She works so he can be educated.  She sacrifices for her son.  She could spend her money to relieve the stress of poverty on her family, but instead, makes the long term sacrificial decision to educate her son in a way to offer him a way to finally break the cycle of poverty in her family.  This is love. 

Another of Mi Esperanza’s employees travels 3 hours on a bus, followed by a 45 minute walk to her job.  She does this every day.  She leaves home in the dark of the morning, works a full day, and returns home long after dark.  Why does she do this?  To put food on the table for her family.  This is love.

Two North American women came to Honduras on a mission trip.  Just a two week trip.  It was a two week trip that changed them.  Having faced the poverty and hopelessness in this country, they could not simply return to life as usual.  They met women struggling just to feed their families, women who had taken their children to orphanages so they will not starve to death, women who walked hours to get a bucket of water for their family, women who wanted only to protect and provide for their family’s most basic of needs.  Out of this two week “awakening” Mi Esperanza was born.  

Founders Janet and Lori with the first six Mi Esperanza loan recipients (2002)

Mi Esperanza now educates over 100 women each year, free of charge.  Mi Esperanza comes along side of these women to help them break the cycle of poverty for their families.  The brick and mortar store and the online store offers ethically made products for sale.  These products are made by graduates of our various schools.  Your purchases enable Mi Esperanza to offer more education and more work to these precious women.  This is love.

This is a beautiful cycle of love.

Julie