Ada Luz met her husband José soon after her conversion in her early twenties. They eventually married and had four daughters, whom they were raising in a godly home. José and Ada started a small store, where they worked together. The business was located next to where they lived, and it was doing well. Each year it was growing. Everything was going picture-book perfect. Then José suddenly died in 2011. Ada was left to raise their four daughters alone and to carry on the business.
Ada and her daughters lived in a large city in Honduras where there was a lot of gang activity. Before long, the gangs called on Ada and told her that she would have to start paying “protection money” to ensure that no “accidents” happened to her business. Ada started paying the protection money, but then the gangs wanted more and more. Ada saw that she had to get out of the city. Unfortunately, Ada was forced to sell her business at a “fire-sale” price because of the situation.
After selling her business, Ada and her three younger daughters moved to Siguatepeque, where Ada had a sister and where life is more peaceful. (By now, the eldest daughter had married.) Ada immediately got involved in a local church, where she actively participates in many different ways. She also decided to start a store in Siguatepeque selling school and office supplies. She had a lot of experience in this area from her previous store. Ada found a place for rent at a central location in Siguatepeque, and she started “Emanuel Office Store,” where she sells school and office supplies and books. She also makes copies and helps students with materials for their various school projects.
Having been forced to sell the family business at a heavily discounted price, Ada had limited resources for the inventory of her new store. Nevertheless, she got the business off the ground and did the best she could. Then her sister told her about the ministry of the Society of the Good Shepherd in providing interest-free small business loans. With a loan from the Society, Ada was able to expand her inventory and purchase additional equipment.
That was back in 2014. Ada faithfully paid off her initial loan, and God prospered her business and her family. Later, Ada applied for a second loan for further expansion, which the Society granted. Ada slowly climbed out of poverty, and everything was finally going well again. Then in 2020, the pandemic hit Honduras. Schools were closed, and most businesses were on lockdown. The public schools will not open until this coming February. Ever resourceful, Ada began growing and selling succulent plants out of her house. This has kept food on the table, and it has helped Ada and her daughters to survive during the worst part of the pandemic.
Due to the hard hit her business has taken, Ada applied to the Society for a third loan, which we granted. She used part of the loan to purchase a new printer/copier for the business, and the rest has gone toward restocking her inventory and other needs. Right now, the most profitable part of her business is making photocopies, printing various documents for clients, and laminating. This has kept the business alive while the schools are closed.
Ada is so thankful for the difference these interest-free microloans have made in enabling her to live and provide for her daughters over the years. She has experienced what it is like to be part of the body of Christ, where even a widow like herself in the small country of Honduras is not forgotten.
Julie Nyhoff de Valladares
The Society of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 122, Amberson, PA 17210 • (717) 349-7033
Click on the following link if you would care to make a donation to the work in Honduras: Honduras Donations