We continue our prayer focus this week on our ministry and Butterfly leaders in North Carolina, who are ministering in areas of the highest abuse and poverty among women in the US.
Today’s update is from Samantha, the passionate director of Life Works, a Women’s Job Corp ministry and rehabilitation program in NC among the poor, broken and abused. Samantha joined Love UnVeiled in 2012 to be better equipped to minister to the women’s spiritual and emotional needs and to equip others to be spiritual mentors to the women.
1. What are the conditions you see for Women and Children in NC?
- Women that need help are single moms that need a career instead of a job. They are desperate to feel they have self-worth and that someone cares.
- Children in our school systems suffer in the summer months, they have no food in their homes. We have the backpack ministry in our county for children that receive free or reduced lunches. We have more that 65% of children on free or reduced lunches.
- The young women I meet that have children are a part of DSS programs receiving money to help, some try to better themselves and others look for the man to move in with and wait for assistance to end. Drug addiction is a massive problem, prescription drug abuse is terrible. Women need to work but cannot find jobs.
2. What is your heart and vision for women in NC? My heart is to reach as many women to tell them about Jesus, but for me it goes much further than telling them. It is about a relationship and being involved in their lives, teaching them Gods word and answering the hard questions; to train and equip and invest into one woman’s life so she may tell others around her. To me this can change a whole generation. That is my heart to be totally 100% sold out to others. Transformation is a beautiful process to watch in others, a great blessing from God. Nothing is easy about the process.
3. How is LUV helping you minister to these women? God is using Love UnVeiled and LUV material not only for the un-churched but for the mentors who think they have it all figured out because they attend church every Sunday. God is changing them too, it is amazing.
Love UnVeiled has already help our women at LifeWorks. We train mentors to do bible study with the participants using LUV material. Staff use the Butterfly flip chart in group activities. We just started a discipleship training for the ladies when they get ready to graduate.
The training for this group has been tremendous to see God work. We had 5 ladies attending. They are all part of a local church and have made great changes in their lives. Praise God. Love UnVeiled ministry has changed so much in our ministry and the ladies just soak it all in.
4. How can LUV Partners pray for you and your ministry in NC?
- Please pray for LifeWorks. We are always under attack. Pray for our staff leaders.
- Pray for me as director always under attack. Pray that I continue to stand strong for Jesus Christ.
- We are opening a satellite building in the next town.
- Pray we will have enough funds to order Love UnVeiled manuals and materials for teaching.
- Pray that our partnerships stay strong in the community.
- Pray that churches will continue to support us.
- Pray that all the mentors , volunteers, staff volunteers will be protected and healthy for this upcoming year. That we will have more volunteers to come out and help.
Liz