DAVAO CITY — Thelma Dizon, 50, and her family live in a dilapidated shanty in the outskirts of Paquibato District. She is a housewife and a mother to her nine children; seven of them are from her husband’s first two marriages.

Thelma’s husband earns a living by harvesting coconuts, while she does manicure services to add to the family’s income. But their combined earnings are still not enough to meet their needs. Worse, Grace, her eight-year-old daughter, was born with a cleft lip, making the child susceptible to illnesses.

But on March 26, Thelma received double blessings from Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines (OB). She was one of the 19 students who graduated from the Mobile Out-of-School Training (MOST) program on dressmaking that was conducted in Paquibato proper.

As a reward for their completion of the monthlong course, the students were given sewing machines, which they can immediately use to start their dressmaking businesses.

“This is good timing because school will soon start and many parents here would look for dressmakers to make their children’s uniforms. The market is already certain,” Thelma said. In fact, she already has her first customer.

“My cousin,” she said smiling, “asked me to sew for her children once I graduate from MOST.”

And it was not just the only blessing she received. Operation Blessing also committed to having her Grace undergo corrective surgery for her cleft lip.

“I am so delighted, and really happy for all the blessings Operation Blessing gave me!” exclaimed Thelma.

Persistence Pays Off

The MOST graduation was a rewarding day for 26-year-old Ramil Nodnod. He was the only guy in the dressmaking class dominated by females.

Ramil used to work as a carpenter in the city. But when his earnings ran low, his mother asked him to return to Paquibato. For more than a month he had no work. When his mother found out about OB’s MOST, she encouraged him to enroll.

“I enrolled late, and I almost didn’t make it,” he recalled. There were no more slots available for him, but he was advised to attend just in case a student backs out.

“And a student did back out, so I was immediately taken in,” Ramil said with a smile. “My persistence paid off.”

It did not bother him that he was the only guy in the class. Having no background on dressmaking, he was determined to learn how to sew. “And I am determined to improve my skills so that I could set up a tailoring business,” he added.

But for Ramil and his classmates, it was not just the dressmaking lessons that were beneficial to them. They were also taught on the importance of applying good moral values.

“Among all the lessons, what struck me the most were the values lessons. I learned that it’s not enough that we memorize Bible verses; we must apply it. I also learned to value myself and my parents,” Ramil shared.

“Thank you, Operation Blessing, because if you didn’t come to our place, I would have never learned to sew.”

The Mobile Out-of-School Training is just one of the many programs of Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, the humanitarian arm of the Christian Broadcasting Network Asia. Aside from dressmaking, MOST also offers courses on practical electricity and air-conditioning repair.

Through fervent support from its partners, OB uplifts the poorest of the poor not only through skills training but also with medical missions, disaster relief, livelihood assistance, community transformation, water and sanitation programs, and children’s outreaches.

OB’s Davao office is located at 370 3rd Street corner 5th Street, Ecoland Phase I, Matina, Davao City, with telephone number (082) 297-3080.