In Kathmandu, Nepal, a group called Educate Nepal are imparting skills such as sewing, carving and jewellery making to women and girls who have been born into a life of poverty and sexual exploitation, but recently rescued and seeking to find a way to support themselves ethically.
I won't go into the atrocities these women have faced in their lives, but it's been no small task for people like Raju Sundas, a Nepali pastor, and his team to win these women's trust, get them out of the abuse and poverty they were trapped in and then train them to financially support themselves. For the younger ladies and girls, schooling is also offered.
I'm amazed at how beautifully this ministry has been working in these ladies lives. One woman in particular, who we saw the before and after photos of, almost couldn't be recognised as the same woman in both pictures. Before she looked utterly hopeless and distant, and after several months of love, friendship and purpose in her life she looked life a new woman. There was light in her face.
So, what I want to share with you, is the fruit of their labour. Educate Nepal has contacts in Australia and are shipping over some of the beautiful work these ladies have created for sale via their internet store. Last year we bought a handcrafted doll that was exquisite, as a Christmas gift for my sister. The face had even been hand painted!
With Christmas coming up again, it's great to be aware of places like Educate Nepal's store where you can find some of the gifts you need to buy, and be supporting the transformation of lives at the same time.
Here's the store http://transformthenations.org/store-categories/