For 25 years, Christian Women’s Job Corps, a compassion ministry of national WMU, has been impacting the lives of women by equipping them for life and employment in a Christian context, where the hope they have in Jesus is shared. Through the Sybil Bentley Dove Endowment, lives of women are impacted as they are provided with scholarships and financial awards that allow them to pursue their education goals.
Yvonne’s Story | 2018 Faye Dove Scholarship recipient
Yvonne moved to New Orleans from New Jersey in 2001 to escape domestic violence. Through some hard years and then Hurricane Katrina, she ended up on the streets, homeless. In 2015 she discovered Baptist Friendship House, and in July 2020 she celebrated five years of sobriety.
Yvonne shares, “I accepted Jesus as my Savior in August 2015, and, through His help and Christian Women’s Job Corps at Friendship House, I have regained the many things the streets took from me. I realize what a good friend God is in my life, and He is the most important thing. I have gained my self-respect back, I have a home, I got my GED, I got my driver’s license back, I have gained skills to help me obtain employment, and I have become self-sufficient. Living on the streets and drinking can often lead one to focus on self. After becoming sober, I have learned how to focus on helping others. I love volunteering at Friendship House and being able to give back to help others. I am grateful and continue to seek opportunities to grow and to better myself.”
Gina’s Story | 2020 Sybil Bentley Dove Award recipient
Gina graduated from the CWJC site Prisoner Transformation, Inc. Helen Thornton, site leader said of Gina, “She has walked the path of incarceration, seeing the mistakes in her life and seeing the lack of Jesus and faith in her life. She corrected all of these mistakes and is moving forward to tell others her life story. She is truly walking her testimony for others to see.”
In addition, Gina is incorporating her story of addiction and release from that addiction through God’s power into her work and education to help others with addictions to turn to God for healing.
Kina’s Story | 2021 Sybil Bentley Dove Award recipient
Kina Jones found herself part of a generational cycle; like her grandmother and mother, she became pregnant at 15. Also like her grandmother and mother, she dropped out of high school in eleventh grade. She had suffered mental and physical abuse as well as struggled with substance abuse. Then God did a work in her life. Kina graduated from Begin Anew’s High School Equivalency Program in 2016 and graduated from their computer and job skills program in 2018.
Kina started her own business cleaning houses and attended school to achieve her goal of being a medical office worker. In addition, she now faithfully volunteers at the CWJC site.
To support the ministry of CWJC and the women that are served through this ministry, you can give a one-time or monthly gift to the Dove Endowment. To learn more about CWJC and how you can get involved, visit christianjobcorps.org.
Written by Lena Kappen, National WMU Ministry Consultant and CWJC/CMJC National Coordinator.