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It would be any mother’s worst nightmare. Grace was a mother to seven children—one of whom had cerebral palsy—and already had two young grandchildren as well. It was already a struggle to provide for all the hungry children in her home. When her husband died, Grace knew it would be impossible for her to even provide the most basic necessities for her children.
If you are a mother, you can imagine the pain Grace felt on a daily basis—knowing her children were hungry, but not having anything to give them. Knowing they longed to go to school and study, but not having the money for uniforms and books. The worst was trying to care for her son Gracious, who had cerebral palsy, and needed more attention and resources than she could ever give.
Grace says she felt the pain of not being able to feed and provide for her children on a daily basis.
Things didn’t get any better from there. Like many widows in Malawi, Grace was denied the rights to her husband’s property. “I had so many problems from that, that I ended up in the hospital,” she says. Sick from anxiety and depression, Grace’s life crumbled.
That’s where people like you came into Grace’s life. By coming alongside her to help her provide for her children, you have restored the joy of motherhood to Grace.
There are several ways your support has changed Grace’s life. One way is by sponsoring children. Through Children of the Nations’ (COTN) child sponsorship program, Grace’s children began receiving one meal a day, and other basic necessities like clothes, soap, and school supplies. Gracious was sponsored through COTN’s Challenge Children’s program, and he was able to get the extra physical help he needed to attend school. Through physical therapy, Gracious began walking for the first time.
Grace’s son Gracious was able to get crutches and learn to walk because of people like you.
But people like you went one step further to help Grace provide for her family. Through COTN’s Widows Program, you provided Grace with some basic supplies, and training in sewing, baking, and small business practices. Grace began a small business, selling doughnuts and scones on the side of the road. She also sews bags and clothing to sell.
Grace now has the skills to generate income to provide for her family, thanks to people like you!
With her newfound skills, Grace was able to bring in some income—income that helped her provide those other two meals each day for her children. “This group has made me free,” she says of the Widows Progam.
Grace graduated from the Widows Program in 2010, but these days, you’ll still find her around the Widows Program building. Now the leader of the group, she continues to come back to teach other women what she has learned. She is joyfully passing on the beautiful gift that people like you have given to her—the gift of providing for your own children and seeing them flourish and thrive in your care!
As we honor all the “mothers” in our lives, we want to remember women around the world like Grace.
Grace—your quiet courage and tenacious resolve inspire us. Thank you for your great sacrifice and hard work to see your children well-fed and provided for. Thank you for not stopping with your own children, but extending the gift you found to women all around you.
