How did 17-year-old Sharon end up living in a city dump where she scavenges through garbage each day to feed herself and her baby?

Sharon's story is a heartbreaking one, and one that is far too common in the part of East Africa where she lives.

Her life has been marred by tragedy since childhood. Both of her parents died when she was very young. She was left in the "care" of abusive relatives who did not even feed her. Eventually, the neglect and abuse she endured became unbearable. So, she ran away to a nearby town in search of work, determined to build a better life. She was only 13 years old.

Vulnerable and unprepared for life on her own, Sharon was taken advantage of by several predators. She moved in with a man whom she thought would protect her. But he was a drug addict who held her captive, continually abusing her.

Sharon ran away again in order to be free from her captor. She escaped, but her hope of a better life quickly faded. She had nowhere to live but on the streets. Homeless, she sold bananas in a failed attempt to support herself.

By then, Sharon's dreams of a better life were shattered. The meager pay she earned was not enough to support herself. Desperate to survive, she made the degrading choice to sell her body.

More vulnerable than ever before, Sharon met a boy from the city dump. He lured her to stay with him, promising her "protection, love, and provision." Hoping he might be the protector she was looking for, she agreed.

Sharon's new "husband" did not prove, however, to be the savior he promised to be. Life in the dump quickly became another prison. As you are reading this, Sharon is 17 years old and the mother of that man's 8-month-old baby. She is solely responsible for keeping her helpless child alive.

And that is how Sharon ended up scavenging through garbage every day in search of anything edible to feed her son. Most of what she finds is expired or rotten, leading to constant sickness for both her and her baby.

To make matters worse, Sharon continues to experience the horrifying reality of sexual abuse at the hands of her "husband's" friends. Instead of protecting her like he promised, he allows this abuse because he himself engages in similar acts with his friends' "wives."

Sharon is living in a nightmare. With no opportunities, her problems go from bad to worse. She continues to be exploited by men who use her to satisfy their lustful desires. She yearns for freedom but doesn't know how to escape. Her main concern is for her baby, whom she desperately wishes to rescue from her cruel environment.

Family, no mother should have to raise her child in these conditions. No woman should be left to suffer this horrific abuse.

Amidst the darkness, there is hope. Heaven's Family is promoting a life-changing method of agriculture called Farming God's Way (FGW) in several East African nations. As a result, farmers who once lived in crippling poverty are enjoying bountiful crops. They are now able to feed their families and send their children to school. Communities are being transformed.

What does this have to do with Sharon? Our dedicated FGW trainers in Zimbabwe, Oni and his wife Wendy, run a women's training center across the street from the city dump where Sharon lives. And their ministry goes beyond just helping farmers.

Wendy trains destitute women to sew and cook so they can become self-sufficient. To date, she has helped 442 women—in very similar situations as Sharon—get out and stay out of the city dump. At her training center, women are given the skills and tools they need to support themselves and rise above poverty.

In addition to vocational training, the women are also taught how to study God's Word. They are placed in groups where they receive loving Christian support. They are not just receiving temporary relief. They are finding hope for eternity!

This is an exciting opportunity to finally give Sharon the love, protection and hope she has been searching for all her life.

However, Oni and Wendy's ministry faces an imminent threat. They don't own the land their training center is built on. The land is about to be sold, which will force them out. This will jeopardize the work that is being done to rescue women from poverty. Without intervention, Sharon will remain shackled in her abusive situation, with no means to provide a better life for her child.

Family, this is where your support is vital. Oni and Wendy have land where the center can be relocated. Your help is needed to build a new permanent training center that will serve as a beacon of hope for Sharon and 60 other women in similar plights. Our goal is to raise $50,000 to complete the new women's training center.

For only $16, you can help provide a month of training for one woman like Sharon. For $265, you can help her complete the entire 18-month program. Your gift will make a lasting change in a life that has been filled with abuse and suffering.

I hope you will prayerfully consider making an investment in Sharon's future. Through your support, she will finally learn how to support herself and will no longer be forced to feed her child garbage from the dump. She will be free from her abusers for good. Together, we can not only help Sharon, but hundreds of women like her.

Thank you for your compassion,

David Servant,
Founder and President, Heaven's Family

How did 17-year-old Sharon end up living in a city dump where she scavenges through garbage each day to feed herself and her baby?

Sharon's story is a heartbreaking one, and one that is far too common in the part of East Africa where she lives.

Her life has been marred by tragedy since childhood. Both of her parents died when she was very young. She was left in the "care" of abusive relatives who did not even feed her. Eventually, the neglect and abuse she endured became unbearable. So, she ran away to a nearby town in search of work, determined to build a better life. She was only 13 years old.

Vulnerable and unprepared for life on her own, Sharon was taken advantage of by several predators. She moved in with a man whom she thought would protect her. But he was a drug addict who held her captive, continually abusing her.

Sharon ran away again in order to be free from her captor. She escaped, but her hope of a better life quickly faded. She had nowhere to live but on the streets. Homeless, she sold bananas in a failed attempt to support herself.

By then, Sharon's dreams of a better life were shattered. The meager pay she earned was not enough to support herself. Desperate to survive, she made the degrading choice to sell her body.

More vulnerable than ever before, Sharon met a boy from the city dump. He lured her to stay with him, promising her "protection, love, and provision." Hoping he might be the protector she was looking for, she agreed.

Sharon's new "husband" did not prove, however, to be the savior he promised to be. Life in the dump quickly became another prison. As you are reading this, Sharon is 17 years old and the mother of that man's 8-month-old baby. She is solely responsible for keeping her helpless child alive.

And that is how Sharon ended up scavenging through garbage every day in search of anything edible to feed her son. Most of what she finds is expired or rotten, leading to constant sickness for both her and her baby.

To make matters worse, Sharon continues to experience the horrifying reality of sexual abuse at the hands of her "husband's" friends. Instead of protecting her like he promised, he allows this abuse because he himself engages in similar acts with his friends' "wives."

Sharon is living in a nightmare. With no opportunities, her problems go from bad to worse. She continues to be exploited by men who use her to satisfy their lustful desires. She yearns for freedom but doesn't know how to escape. Her main concern is for her baby, whom she desperately wishes to rescue from her cruel environment.

Family, no mother should have to raise her child in these conditions. No woman should be left to suffer this horrific abuse.

Amidst the darkness, there is hope. Heaven's Family is promoting a life-changing method of agriculture called Farming God's Way (FGW) in several East African nations. As a result, farmers who once lived in crippling poverty are enjoying bountiful crops. They are now able to feed their families and send their children to school. Communities are being transformed.

What does this have to do with Sharon? Our dedicated FGW trainers in Zimbabwe, Oni and his wife Wendy, run a women's training center across the street from the city dump where Sharon lives. And their ministry goes beyond just helping farmers.

Wendy trains destitute women to sew and cook so they can become self-sufficient. To date, she has helped 442 women—in very similar situations as Sharon—get out and stay out of the city dump. At her training center, women are given the skills and tools they need to support themselves and rise above poverty.

In addition to vocational training, the women are also taught how to study God's Word. They are placed in groups where they receive loving Christian support. They are not just receiving temporary relief. They are finding hope for eternity!

This is an exciting opportunity to finally give Sharon the love, protection and hope she has been searching for all her life.

However, Oni and Wendy's ministry faces an imminent threat. They don't own the land their training center is built on. The land is about to be sold, which will force them out. This will jeopardize the work that is being done to rescue women from poverty. Without intervention, Sharon will remain shackled in her abusive situation, with no means to provide a better life for her child.

Family, this is where your support is vital. Oni and Wendy have land where the center can be relocated. Your help is needed to build a new permanent training center that will serve as a beacon of hope for Sharon and 60 other women in similar plights. Our goal is to raise $50,000 to complete the new women's training center.

For only $16, you can help provide a month of training for one woman like Sharon. For $265, you can help her complete the entire 18-month program. Your gift will make a lasting change in a life that has been filled with abuse and suffering.

I hope you will prayerfully consider making an investment in Sharon's future. Through your support, she will finally learn how to support herself and will no longer be forced to feed her child garbage from the dump. She will be free from her abusers for good. Together, we can not only help Sharon, but hundreds of women like her.

Thank you for your compassion,

David Servant,
Founder and President, Heaven's Family

Yes! I want to provide a month of job training for: