Read the story below about Rosalina and how the Women’s Social Work Site in Guatemala has given her the tools to learn that she can do anything she sets her mind to and how valuable she is.
We want to share about the Woman’s Social Work Site and the Testimony of Rosalina. Rosalina lives in San Miguel Milpas Altas. She is a woman that has been part of the Site since 2017. She knew about the Site because back then, in 2017, we had a clinic in the ministry, and the Doctor who was in charge shared with her about it.
Rosalina started to attend in 2017, and she was learning crochet. It was very difficult for her at first. Still, with the encouragement of Sheny (the site leader), Rosalina was able to learn how to make hats for babies. After a year of being on the Site, she joined the sewing group. In 2019 she graduated from INTECAP (a technical school in Guatemala), where she learned how to use a sewing machine to make blouses, skirts and pants. For the past two years, Rosalina has been coming to the Site and is helping other women learn how to use the sewing machine.
The Site has helped Rosalina to know her value. She grew up in a home where her father used to tell her that women exist to get married and have kids. He disapproved of women having an education because he thought it was pointless. Her father used to tell her that she would be lucky if she found a good husband, but if she didn’t, she would have to keep up and stay in silence because that was her purpose. When she was 15 years old, she started going to church and accepted Jesus into her heart by the time she was 22. She got married when she was 23 and has two kids now.
Rosalina says now: “When I got to the Site, God transformed my marriage and my way of thinking. My father used to tell me that I was useless and that I was born with the only purpose of serving my husband. But my husband always told me that I could do much more. I learned how to make things with my hands on the Site and realized God gave me skills and talents. At the beginning of my time on the Site, I used to get frustrated very easily. Still, everybody encouraged me, and with time it got easier. The Lord transformed my way of thinking. I never thought I could learn how to use a sewing machine before or that I would be able to make an apron, a coin purse, a scrunchy or many other things. Now I realize I am a brave warrior and a virtuous woman. I remember a bible study in the Site when we learned Philippians 4:13, ‘For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.’ I shared the verse with my husband, and later, he wrote the same verse in my sewing notebook, so I could read it every time I was learning something new. Then I did the same thing with my son’s notebook to know he can have good grades even if it is hard.
On the Site, I learned that I could help my family with the works of my hands. So, now I am motivating other women to go to the Site so that they can learn God’s word and also know that they are capable of many different things.”
You too are capable of so much and are a valuable human! Discover how you can use your gifts and talents to support SI. Explore our website to learn more.