Submitted by Cindy Jurgensen:
Jean Jaskierny is from the Iowa West District. She has been the past Vice President of Gospel Outreach and Mission Servants, and her Zone President of Iowa West District. She also served on the LWML National Mission Grants Committee as its Chairman for 2 years. Jean had the opportunity to visit Tanzania in 2016 with her husband and did an Eye Exam mission. While there, she met Bishop Dr. Emmanuel Makala who took her team to the Makala Training Center to see the sewing classes being held to train widows in order to have a life skill to support their families. In Tanzania, they do not have pensions, life insurance, etc. so to become a widow often means destitution. This touched Jean as she recalled growing up sewing with her grandmother and mother. She knew how important it would be to learn how to sew for a trade. She was inspired to help the widows in this endeavor.
When Jean came back from the USA, she wrote and submitted a grant proposal to the LWML Sewing Center and submitted it for consideration at the 2017-2019 Mission Grant Selections. It was voted on and passed at the 2017 Biennial LWML Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was passed and fulfilled in 2018 for $25,000. She also wrote a proposal grant to her Iowa West District and it too passed for a grant for $5,000.
What an amazing gift that continues to bless and train widows in the SELVD.