With the natural world fully blooming in Canada, we can't help but be reminded of our great God's artistic ability--and the fact that He's placed that gift in people like Kan.
This young Cambodian woman has an eye for beauty and design. We discovered it soon after meeting her, though her day-to-day life does not have space for artistic expression.
Kan lives in a poor village, where her days consist of 10 or more hours of manual labour in Cambodia's sweltering heat.
 Far from donning shorts and a tank top to cool down, Kan covers up with long sleeves, pants, a hat, and a scarf to cover her nose--all in an effort to protect her from the rotting trash that she sifts through hour after hour for items she can sell for profit.
Kan makes less than $1 a day--and lives most of her life without opportunities to express the artistic talent God has placed in her.
But we were blessed to catch a glimpse of that gift when we arrived in Kan's village last year to teach villagers how to make greeting cards.
Our primary goal was (and still is) to equip those villagers with a skill that they can turn into a fair, safe job. But we were excited to discover that, though the wage was certainly helpful for Kan, the chance to express her artistic abiltiies was also a wonderful opportunity for the young woman.
You see, Work of Your Hand has never been just about employment. Our mission is so much bigger than that.
How so, you may ask?
The employment we offer is a message to each person we employ: of their worth, of the money they deserve for their labour, of their right to be able to access a safe work space, and of their innate value as human beings made in God's image.
The beautiful reality about being made in God's image is that we get to reflect Him, each of us in our unique ways.
And Kan is a powerful reminder that our God is an Artist. She demonstrates that reality by simply expressing her gift in the world.
Kan is also a reminder that people in poverty don't lack ability--simply opportunity.
Each artisan that we see succeed is further proof that God's word was trustworthy when He promised to:
Our prayer is that more and more people in poverty will have opportunities to express the beauty God has placed in each of them.
Thank you for joining us in honouring them and creating opportunities for them to thrive.
Blessings,
Darren & Minako Polischuk
Founders, Work of Your Hand
P.S.
- Purchase a carefully hand-sewn pillow cover to add an accent to your living room, and help artisans in Laos continue to practice their traditional handicraft. Click the link above to peruse a variety of colours and patterns.
- Donate to our "Where Most Needed" Fund, so when life's storms wipe out a struggling family, we have resources to help them get back on their feet.
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