Everyone has a story to tell. The Raining Season has been a part of so many stories over the years. While so many of the stories come with trauma and abandonment, we are so grateful for stories that show hope and redemption. Lucy’s story reminds us why we do what we do - why we are in the trenches, even when the battle is uphill.
Meet Lucy. Lucy is fourteen years old and in 8th grade. While Lucy lives in America now, she came to our center when she was two years old. In 2011, she was adopted by the Diers family and joined their family in Iowa.
Lucy has cerebral palsy, however, that has never slowed her down. She loves to play basketball with her friends, FaceTime with her friend Kylie, and most recently, run her own business. Lucy’s best friend Kylie is also her business partner. They met in first grade and have been friends ever since. Kylie plays basketball, too, and this summer, Lucy loved to watch Kylie play softball after summer school.
How did Lucy start her own business? When Lucy turned fourteen, she saw her brother applying for jobs and wanted to get a job to earn money like him. Lucy has the heart of an entrepreneur, so with the help of her mom, Jen, and friend Kylie, the idea of Lucy Love Boxes was born in June of this year. They sat on her front porch brainstorming and choosing all of the special items they could include in each box. Lucy loves hot cocoa, and after learning how to make it by herself using the family’s Keurig, including cocoa in each box seemed like the perfect way to spread smiles. Beyond gourmet cocoa, each box includes a coffee mug, snackable marshmallows, a stirring spoon, a sweet and tasty snack-size treat, and two Jesus-loving inspirational wisdom stickers. Lucy also includes a card that describes Lucy Love Boxes and the reason every box is sent anonymously.
As a mom, Jen saw this as the perfect business opportunity for Lucy. Lucy has brought so many smiles to so many people over the years. Now, Lucy Love Boxes will bring joy and help Lucy, too. It not only helps with her organization, but she is also working on her fine motor skills as she hand packs each box. She has learned how to weigh each box and understands that the heavier the box, the more it costs to ship. Lucy has learned how to deposit money at the bank through the business, and she can take the boxes to the post office to ship them. She even works hard on the presentation of each box, making sure that it looks good! Finally, as she prepares each box, she gets to shop at her favorite store, Walmart!
Quite possibly the most special part? Lucy prays over every single box before it is shipped and seals it with an air kiss. Lucy’s mom Jen shared, “It touches my heart to see her praying over every box. I can’t always understand, but God knows what she is praying for each person.”
To date, Lucy has already shipped more than fifty boxes, including boxes to Maryland and Arizona. They recently ordered a pinboard to keep track of how many states they have shipped to. While her business is off to a great start, Lucy is already looking ahead to the future of her business and brainstorming new ideas. She just sold out of her fall box, and she is working on developing a Christmas box.
Lucy’s story would have looked very different if not for The Raining Season. Because of The Raining Season and the Diers family, Lucy has a story of redemption. She is able to spread love and joy to others through her new business.
If you are interested in learning more about Lucy, you can visit her website, Lucy Love Boxes.
Many blessings,
The Raining Season