Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago :: Logos Hope and Tabitha's Home for Women and Children share practical help by completing a construction project.
Continuing a legacy to empower women
A special connection unfolded in Tobago with an organisation called Tabitha’s Home for Women and Children.
Founded five years ago, Tabitha’s Home exists to restore, empower, and transform the lives of women and children who have been abused.
But the story begins years back, with a woman named Yvonne Trestrail.
Mrs. Trestrail always had a passion for helping those in need by offering whatever she could. “Anyone could come to her house and receive a helping hand,” recalls Rowena, director of Tabitha’s Home. “At different points she took in those who had nowhere to live. Even though she herself was not wealthy, she freely gave to others.”
In her later years, Mrs. Trestrail gave up her family home and dedicated it to those in need. She handed it over to two of her daughters, Rowena and Shereese, who now carry forward the legacy of generosity as leaders of Tabitha’s Home.
Coming together
The goal of Tabitha’s home is that different families can come and live in one of the three ‘units’ that the home was divided into. Each of these contains a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom and will serve as a temporary living space until the family is safe and ready to live on their own again.
But to turn the vision into reality, renovations were needed.
Logos Hope crewmembers joined alongside Tabitha’s Home, equipped with specific trade skills and ready to serve. Teams of electricians, plumbers, painters and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) technicians visited the home on multiple occasions.
Hand in hand, they painted nearly every bathroom and bedroom and installed hot and cold-water systems, kitchen units and plumbing systems. They were also able to fix up all of the lighting and electrical switches, as well as implement two air conditioning units. Finally, they cleaned up the debris and tidied the yard, making the home feel welcoming from the inside out.
Mutual impact
“We are extremely grateful to the Logos Hope team for all the work that they did... We feel indebted to our Logos Hope family – that’s how we see them now, definitely as family – for their incredible display of love and support,” Rowena shared.
One crewmember, who grew up in an orphanage, also noticed love and support offered by Tabitha’s Home. “The world needs more places like this,” he said. “I know both sides, and now I can see what these ladies are trying to do.” He left Tabitha’s Home that day with a great joy, knowing that the lives of women and children would soon be changed through the power of hospitality.
Paving the way to a brighter future
Thanks to the collaboration and passion to serve, families will be able to move into Tabitha’s Home this year.
“We have been able to push this project further to completion, to allow people to move in, to be safe, to cook their own meals and to hopefully restart life,” shared Martijn Poppe (New Zealand), who helped lead teams that visited.
This practical renovation will lead to a fresh start for women and children all throughout Tobago. Thank you to all partners and crew who make work like this possible.
If you have a professional trade skill to contribute to the team, consider joining one of our ships! Click here to take the first step.
It is our hope that together, we may continue creating lasting impact around the world, just like Tabitha’s home.