PWM Ministries > Special Projects
This program has been developed as a unique and creative way to provide clothing for the orphans and other Hondurans in need. The process begins at churches throughout the United States, who are given the opportunity to receive and distribute plastic tote boxes to their families. Those families are given the opportunity to fill the tote boxes full of clothing, shoes, accessories, school supplies, Spanish Bibles, and other needed materials. After the people fill them up and place $20 into the tote boxes to cover shipping and customs charges, the boxes are shipped to Honduras, where the real ministry begins.
The system will allow people in the Siguatepeque/Aguas del Padre community that are interested in any of the clothing and goods to work at La Providencia or any facility that helps the poor and be paid in Providencialies, which is a voucher system “our own currency” that will be used to purchase the goods from a “Providence Store.” The clothing and goods will be sold at normal Honduran prices for used clothing, but the workers will be paid three times the normal Honduran wage for their task. Importantly, these workers are not full-time workers, but are only those interested in working on short term projects to earn clothing for their families. Such a process avoids simply providing “handouts” to the community, and allows the people to preserve their dignity. This program is a needed commodity in a culture that has unemployment rates of over 40%.
In addition to the Providence Store, we will distribute the clothing to orphans at La Providencia, as well as other orphanages throughout Latin America in a unique fashion. Essentially, we will give the clothing to the orphanages on the condition that the children are required to “earn” the clothing and other goods through chores and other work at the orphanages. That way, they are taught how the “outside world” works, and how they have to make wise decisions with their money. For instance, they will be given the chance to buy either a toy or needed clothing. If they choose toys over clothing every time, they will very quickly learn that they need to stop doing so if they want to have proper attire to get through their days.
If you are interested in finding out more or getting your church involved with this exciting ministry, please contact Nikita Jones at PIB@providenceworldministries.org.
