Newsletters

With our regular newsletters, we aim to keep you posted on all the interesting and important news and updates of our programs and various activities. Enjoy reading! 

March 15, 2005

            	
Dear friends, Every so often we get to share good news with those with whom we work. This month is a bit special. When we started Tabitha in 1994 - none of us could imagine what changes there would be - how life would impact each of us. Today I want to share the story of Pisette - our very first sewer.
                
Pisette's life has been difficult. She was raised in the country side by her mom - her dad left after the sixth child was born. Pisette, being the oldest girl, was responsible for the younger children. Her schooling was  a bit here and a bit there - she managed to finish Grade 5. When she was fifteen, her mother sent her away to be with her father in Phnom Penh. For the first few years, Pisette helped out vendors at different market stalls. Her father married her off at 18 to her first husband. 
With the money raised at the wedding combined with her husband's selling of his motorbike, they bought a small plot of land in Kilometer 6 - 3 meters by 10 meters. Their house was made of pieces of wood and cardboard, their floor was dirt, their possessions were 2 sets of clothes each and a sleeping mat.
Pisette was a good sewer and she was able to purchase her sewing machine quickly - this meant they had to buy a chair. Their next big purchase was a sleeping mat and net for their new baby - and so it went. Slowly they were able to purchase bits and pieces - the biggest purchase was to buy wood to replace the cardboard and tin for a roof to keep out the rain.
             
7 years ago, Pisette's husband came home complaining of a headache - he laid down to sleep and never woke up again. He died of cerebral malaria - Pisette was a widow with a young child at the age of 23.
3 years ago, Pisette was promoted to staff - she is part of our sales team - her primary responsibility is to quality control.  At the same time she got married to her second husband - he is a good man - his work is to cook for weddings - so she eats well. Their first purchase was a refrigerator.
Pisette saved all of her salary for the past three years. In February, she gave birth to her second son and with his birth it was time to visit her home. They celebrated the advent of this child by rebuilding their home. What a joy it was to come and see what she has done.
Their home is now made of cement - not large - 3 meters by 10 meters - 1 and a half floors - but it is complete with kitchen, modern bathroom, bedroom and living room. The roof is ready to add an other floor when they have saved enough to build it. They are out of debt - their children are healthy, they both have work.
           
Pisette remains a quiet, conscientious worker - but her smile as she showed me her home and her growing family spoke volumes. Ï never believed that I would have such a wonderful life - I never believed I would have a home to be proud of, I never believed that I would have a job as good as mine is. I have no education, I had no future - I thank God for Tabitha, I thank God for my life.
          
These past 2 months have been very busy with teams building houses for people we work with. The staff spend many long, hard hours standing with others as they rebuild their lives. How good it is to see the staff themselves rebuild their lives from the ashes. Pisette is one of many, Mari and Kol and Pat and his family, join so many of our staff this year in rebuilding  their homes, rebuilding their future.
Without each of you, this is not possible - I praise God for each of our staff, I praise my God for each of you. Alongside Pisette, I thank my God for Tabitha; I thank my God for my life.
In His service, 
Janne