This Filipino father of six never completed high school, which has made it very difficult for him to find permanent work. That’s why, for a time, he worked for a shop that made illegal, imitation blue jeans—until the business was discovered and shut down.
Like so many impoverished people around the world, Josua had few opportunities available to him and many obstacles that stood in the way of providing for his family. That reality resulted in fights and tension with his wife, which is a story we hear time and again from couples as they share about the impact of the stress that poverty creates for families worldwide.
Thankfully, Josua’s time with the jean shop taught him the valuable skill of sewing—which worked to his advantage when he was connected with us and began sewing bags for Work of Your Hand. Because of the income from his work, Josua was able to feed his family and tensions with his wife eased for a time.
Sadly, we have since lost track of Josua, who has chosen to no longer work with us.
We are thankful for the time that he spent with Work of Your Hand and the impact of his dignified work in the lives of his family members. Our prayer is that God will provide for Josua’s needs and open many doors of opportunity for fair employment in the future.