By Stephanie Bowers | Project Leader
Liz was leading a regular life as a corporate sales representative when six years ago, she became a member of Breakthrough Covenant Church in Appleton, WI. As she explained it, almost immediately after becoming a member, she actively got involved with the functions of the church.
Very quickly, she was named the outreach coordinator for the church. As outreach coordinator, Liz was responsible for developing partnerships—not just local, but globally as well. Enter Jake’s Diapers.
Jake’s Diapers had already been working with Breakthrough Covenant Church, but hadn’t worked directly with Liz. Liz was part of a team planning a mission trip to Cuba, and another team member had approached Jake’s Diapers about diapers for Cuba. It had never occurred to Liz the tremendous need for diapers she was about to experience.
When she arrived in Cuba, her world had been turned upside down. As she explained it, she was unprepared for just how different things could be. Specifically, she stated that there is lots to prepare for when going to a country like Cuba, but it was smaller things, like always making sure to have toilet paper on you that took her by surprise.
Along with toilet paper, she did discover the enormous need there is for diapers. She said right away she noticed mothers using and reusing towels as diapers. Liz saw this everywhere she visited from Havana to the smaller, remote towns. She said the feelings she had when she would give out the diapers were almost unexplainable.
“Their faces just lit up,” she said, “they greeted me with hugs and smiles because English wasn’t always possible. They have so little, but they gave you everything.”
Liz stated that having reusable cloth diapers meant less infection, increased sanitation, and it lessened the load of laundry to be washed because feces & urine was contained. Liz couldn’t tell me enough how grateful the families were.
It is truly an amazing thing you have done to help babies in Cuba. I encourage you to reach me at stephanie@jakesdiapers.org with any questions. I'd love to hear from you.
~ Stephanie
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