Lately I have been feeling like I need to tap into a place I used to devote much of my time to-helping others. Prior to kids I revolved both of my careers around helping those in need. The gratification often came from watching people rise above their struggles, while my paycheck paid the rent. There was never a day while helping others that I didn’t see the value in it. It often made it easy to see God in all aspects of my life when you are dedicated to serving.
I miss serving others. While thinking about this, I realized I serve my kids everyday. It is a service that goes unnoticed since it is obviously expected. It is hard to compare such work when you are talking about watching various people kick a drug habit, and wiping a kids behind. The truth is it is all necessary.
The difference being, this stay-at-home Mom serving isn’t paying the mortgage. I have been wracking my brain over how I could continue to nurture my kids, while get some income while helping others. Returning full-time to social work or teaching is just not an option right now, especially since the baby is so new. And so I have been praying for months for something to speak to me. Something, anything, that I felt compelled to really work for while not sacrificing my family. After all, three kids, with one being a newborn, is mighty time-consuming, and exhausting.
Recently a dear friend told me about a company her sister in-law co-founded with her two friends after traveling the world and wanting to help. The idea was to help women in underdeveloped countries struggling in poverty by giving them fair trade work. It would also give women in the US job opportunities during our dwindling job availabilities. Women helping women! The women in dire need would hand make jewelry and accessories and sell to this country at a fair trade value. Women here in the US would sell the products to friends and family to support giving the women consistent work, while also paying for their own bills. The idea that a simple bracelet could help save lives spoke to me. The Mena bracelet for instance, is made of gun-metal hand crafted by HIV Ethiopian women needing the work for healthcare. Why buy factory made when you can by something not only handmade, but made by hands that lives depend on that bracelet sale. It moved me. It spoke to me. Now I am knee-deep in it.
This is who I am. When I commit myself to something and find passion in it, I want to be the over achiever that leaves a mark of goodness behind. And so, this is my new side business-Threads Worldwide! Selling this amazing stuff via online, home parties, and while doing fantastic fundraising to! It may not be a direct one on one way to save someones life, but the gratification of the work is still there.
(insert commercial voice)
If you are moved to do so, check out their website http://www.threadsworldwide.com and if you decide to purchase something or have friends and family that would like to, please make sure to put in my referral code “2006-Aimee Dos Santos” in the “referral box” at check out. Like us on Facebook too! And if you are also yearning to do more, you could also join the consulting team! Just ask me how!!!
(end of commercial)
I am so blessed to have yet another prayer answer and to be working for a company focusing on impacting the change in the world, and less about the greed.
seekingup
Seeking Up 