Nat’s Story

I first texted with Nat and then met her in the Dominican Republic, just a few steps from the garbage dump she once called home. The air was thick and hot. Trucks came and went. Families searched for anything useful. This was the place that shaped her early years, a village wrapped around a trash mountain where mornings began with long walks to the piles. Kids worked beside their parents because surviving left no other choice.

About ten years ago the CUPS mission came. They brought soap and clean water five days a week. They opened an education center in the middle of the village. Friends who had never sat in a classroom started school, even if they were older than usual. That is where Nat learned English. She kept going and finished language school. Now she works as a translator, and she uses that skill to guide younger girls and welcome visitors.

Sewing changed the rest. We went to the fabric store together and touched every bolt like it might be the one. Back in the room with the machines, we measured and pressed and stitched. Each finished bag is recorded and paid. Half of the money goes home for food and bills. The other half is saved for education. Sewing is a paycheck today and a plan for tomorrow. It is the difference between hoping and deciding.