Factory Supervisor Speaks of Life Changes

Jean Barrosa, a sewing supervisor who used to be called Simang (for simangot, the Filipino word for frown) by workers on the lines she supervised, shared the following story of how the Lord transformed her into a cold-hearted boss into a caring one, at the 22nd annual membership meeting of the Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries in March 2014.  To read Jean’s testimony in Filipino, click HERE.

Good evening everyone! It is an honor to be chosen to stand before you to share changes that have happened in me since I accepted the Lord Jesus into my life.

My name is Jean S. Barrosa, a sewing supervisor for the Covenant Community Service Cooperative in Dasmarinas, Cavite. I am 49 years old and have been married for 21 years.  The Lord has blessed me and my husband, Marlon, with two children.

I was born into a poor family so I studied hard, hoping to someday help my family rise above poverty.  However, I was unable to finish college, and at 19 I began to work in a garment factory. I became connected with several garment companies before joining Hoffen Industries as a sewing supervisor.

 I strove to do well at my job and to love it. I became obsessed with my position to the point of being unaware that my conduct was getting out of hand.  I was criticized for being cold-hearted and was called a lot of names behind my back such as ‘Dragon’ or  ‘Tigress’.  I was even called, 'Simang', for  simangot, the Filipino word for frown, because I was never seen smiling. 

I was never considerate toward colleagues. I fiercely defended what I was doing if I knew it was right because I yearned to change the course of my life.

I was earning well but I was still always short on funds. My family had a lot of health problems.  I had to undergo D and C (dilation and curettage) several times until finally my uterus had to be removed. Then at about that same time my husband lost his job. 

I didn’t know how I would survive. I almost lost faith in God and asked him often why this had to happen to a hardworking person like me. I asked even more questions when Hoffen Industries closed. The separation pay I received was just enough to cover my debts.

Hoffen is owned by a CCT board member. I thank the Lord that the owner decided to open it again under a cooperative setup with the assistance of CCT.  We resumed work under the management of Covenant Community Service Cooperative or CCSC .

CCSC had some strange practices that I could not adopt to at the start. There was this concern for spiritual development. We had to come to work early for morning devotions. I considered it a huge inconvenience that workers were still not yet through praying when the workday should have already begun.  Management committee meetings began to be held every Wednesday and these would take two to three hours. Co-workers found it hard to convince me to attend these meetings. They needed to come fetch me from the production area, especially when I was trying to beat a shipment deadline. I reacted to these changes negatively. But little by little, I began to look forward to the meetings, especially the sharing of the Word of God.

Soon, I invited our Lord Jesus into my heart. I discovered how much I need Him in my life. I have learned about many of His promises. I am quite conservative but now I sing and dance to the Lord. I smile lot more often now than I used to. And above all I'm learning to love and to love my family and colleagues unconditionally. I still am a strict supervisor but no longer heartless. I now feel guilty whenever I yell at one of the staff.

I worry less nowadays and God’s blessings overflow. In less than two years time I purchased a new home in a good subdivision. I invested in two vehicles  that my husband uses in his business, and I moved my children to good schools.

My youngest son has also received the Lord and is graduating this year from a Christian school. My husband has also become a  CCT partner and now attends a Bible study in our area. Hopefully he will also receive Jesus. God is good!

The Lord prepared me too for a trial. Six months ago my eldest child eloped. She was just a college junior.  What she did was just so painful for my family. She has not come home yet but we are in touch.  She promises to come home after giving birth. I am excited about my new role -- one month from now I  will be a grandmother! I pray God will take care of my daughter  and that my husband will be able to accept what happened. He is quite affected because they were very close .

All these changes happened since I asked the Lord Jesus into my life. May I become a blessing to others .

Good evening and God bless you all !

Sewing Supervisor Shares Transformation Story

Jean Barrosa, a sewing supervisor who used to be called Simang (for simangot, the Filipino word for frown) by workers on the lines she supervised, shared the following story of how the Lord transformed her into a cold-hearted boss into a caring one, at the 22nd annual membership meeting of the Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries in March 2014. To read Jean's testimony in English, please click HERE. 

Magandang gabi po sa lahat! Isa pong karangalan ang  mapiling tumayo sa harap ninyo upang i-share ang pagbabagong nangyari sa buhay ko buhat ng tangapin ko ang ating Panginoong Jesus sa aking buhay.

Ako po si Jean S. Barrosa, sewing supervisor po ng Covenant Community Service Cooperative sa Dasmarinas, Cavite.  Forty-nine years old na po ako at 21 years na po kaming kasal ng asawa kong si Marlon. Biniyayaan po kami ng Diyos ng dalawang anak.                                                                                                                

Galing  po ako sa mahirap na pamilya kaya naging masikap po ako sa aking pag-aaral upang makaahon sa kahirapan. Pero hindi rin po ako nakatapos ng kolehiyo dahil sa kakapusan. Nineteen years old po ako nang mag-umpisang magtrabaho sa garment factory. Naging konektado po ako sa ibat-ibang malalaking kompanya bago mapasok sa Hoffen Industries bilang sewing supervisor.

Pinilit kong ayusin at mahalin ang trabaho ko para sa kinabukasan ng pamilya ko. Naging obssessed ako sa mga posisyong hinawakan ko. Hangang sa hindi ko na nalalaman na wala na pala sa lugar ang pag-uugali ko. Lahat na po yata ng negatibong adjective  ay naikabit na sa pangalan ko: masungit, dragon, tigre, walang puso. Sa isang company nga po, ‘Simang’ ang ibinansag sa akin dahil di po ako marunong ngumiti.   

Wala po talaga akong konsiderasyon sa mga kasamahan ko. Naging palaban ako basta alam kong nasa tama ako. Iyon po ay  sa paghahangad kong baguhin ang takbo ng buhay ko.

Kumikita  nga po ako ng maayos pero lagi pa ring kapos. Madaming problemang dumadating sa pamilya ko lalo na sa aming kalusugan. Nagkaroon po ako ng problema sa matres.  Ilang beses po akong niraspa hangang sa kinailangang magpaopera upang alisin ang matres ko. Kasabay nito ay nawalan pa ng trabaho noon ang asawa ko. 

Doon ko po naranasang halos di ko na alam kung paano makaka survive. Halos nawalan na ako ng pananampalataya. Tinatanong ko na ang Dios kung bakit nangyayari ito samantalang nagsisikap naman ako. Lalo na po akong tagtanong ng hindi nagtagal ay nagsara ang Hoffen Industries. Ang perang ibinayad sa akin ay naging pambayad ko lang sa mga naging utang ko.

Ang Hoffen ay pagmamay-ari ng isang board member ng CCT. Salamat sa Panginoon na nagpasya siya na magbukas ulit sa pamamagitan ng kooperatiba sa tulong ng CCT.  At nag start nga po kami sa pamamahala ng Covenant Community Service Cooperative o CCSC.

Naging kakaiba po ang  pamamalakad ng CCSC na talagang hindi ko ma adopt noong una. May Spiritual Development -- kailangan kong pumasok ng maaga for morning devotion. Naging negatibo po ang aking naging pagtanggap. Itinuring ko itong isang malaking abala  dahil dapat start na ng trabaho pero di pa sila tapos mag dasal. Lalo na po nang mag-umpisa ang mancom meetings tuwing Miyerkules. Tumatagal ang meetings na ito ng  two to three hours.  Nahihirapan po talaga silang kombinsihin akong umattend. Kailangan pa nila akong sunduin sa production area, lalo na kapag may mga hinahabol akong shipment. Pero unti unti, na mimiss ko na ang meetings, lalo na ang sharing ng  Word of God.

At dumating po ang araw na tinangap ko na po ang ating Panginoong Jesus  sa puso ko. Noon ko napatunayan na wala pala akong sapat na kakayahan kung wala Siya sa buhay ko.  Marami na akong naririnig  na pangako buhat sa Kanya.  Conservative po akong tao, pero kumakanta na pala ako at sumasayaw para sa Panginoon.

Marunong na rin po  akong ngumiti na dati ay naging napakahirap para sa akin. At  higit sa lahat natututo na akong magmahal at magbigay ng unconditional love sa pamilya ko at mga kasamahan ko sa trabaho. Mahigpit pa rin po ako sa trabaho pero nagtatrabaho na po pala ako ng may puso. Nakakaramdam na po ako ng guilt kapag naka sigaw ako ng tauhan ko.

Unti-unti, na realize ko na nababawasan na ang aking mga alalahanin. Naranasan ko ang walang tigil na agos ng blessing mula sa Kanya.  In less than two years time po nakabili po ako ng bagong  bahay sa isang maayos na subdivision, nakapundar po ako ng dalawang sasakyan na ginagamit ng asawa ko sa kanyang negosyo, at nailipat ko po ang aking dalawang anak sa magandang eskwelahan.

Tumangap na rin po sa ating Panginoon ang aking bunsong anak isang lalaki na graduating na ngayon sa isang Christian school. Ang akin pong asawa ay isa na ring CCT partner at kasalukuyang uma-attend ng Bible study sa aming lugar at hopefully ay tatangap na rin kay Jesus. Talaga pong kay buti ng Dios! 

Inihanda Niya rin ako sa mga pagsubok  na syang nagpapatatag sa akin. Six months ago po ay nagtanan ang aking anak na panganay. Third year college lang po sya at naging napakasakit po ito para sa pamilya ko. Hangang ngayon po ay di pa siya bumabalik pero may communication na po kami. Pangako  po nya na  babalik siya after siyang manganak. So isang  bagong role na naman po ang aking haharapin dahil one month from now ay magiging lola na ako at talaga pong excited na ako. Dalangin ko po ngayon ay ang pagkalinga Niya sa anak ko, at sana’y matangap na rin ng asawa ko ang nangyari sa aming panganay. Siya po kasi ang  higit na naging apektado dahil sobra po silang close.

Ito ang pagbabagong naganap sa buhay ko  mula nang tangapin ko sa buhay ko ang ating Panginoong Jesus. Nawa po ay maging blessing ako para sa iba.

Magandang gabi po at GOD BLESS YOU ALL!