BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) — Marie Beam says she’s always liked working on cars. She found out early on that she didn’t like being stranded — she’d rather be able to do something about it when her car had problems.

“I started learning how to do it myself,” she said.

Then she started helping the women in her apartment complex who frequently had car trouble.

“It’s something I love to do,” Beam said. “So I started thinking maybe I could do it as a career too.”

Through Christian Women’s Job Corps (CWCJ) of Tyler, Texas, she’s had the support to enroll in college and start making that happen.

“I’ve got six classes left,” she said.

And thanks to the Faye Dove Scholarship, a gift provided by the Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) Foundation to help a CWJC graduate further her education, Beam now has money to buy the tools to finish her associate’s degree in automotive mechanics at Northeast Texas Community College.

The scholarship will also help her continue to provide support for her four children, who range in age from 2 to 12.

“Everything I learn, I get out there and show my kids what I learn,” she said. “Hopefully it’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

Beam was one of two recipients of the Faye Dove Scholarship this year — Evelyn Ribeiro, a graduate of Begin Anew Nashville, also received funds to put toward tuition at Middle Tennessee State University.

Ribeiro got connected with Begin Anew after coming to the United States from Brazil just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Through the program there, she earned her GED diploma and began pursuing a career in nursing.

“Every opportunity that comes my way, I can see that God is behind it,” Ribeiro said.

Two other CWJC graduates — Laurien Assis of Begin Anew Nashville and Jacklyn Powell of Heart & Hands of East Texas in Lindale, Texas — also received a CWJC Academic Scholarship.

Assis will use the funds to continue to pursue her degree in business administration and management at Williamson College.

Studying there “aligns with my desire to fulfill God’s mission for my life, and I am confident that the college’s educators and resources, combined with the support from Begin Anew, will continue to guide me toward realizing this purpose,” she said.

Powell’s scholarship will help her pay for tuition and books at Tyler Junior College. After losing her husband, she walked through some dark times, including a night in jail and a journey to sobriety. At Heart & Hands of East Texas, she gained skills and confidence and surrendered her life to Jesus.

Currently, Powell lives with her parents while raising her two children, one of whom has special needs. Her goal is to become a counselor who can help others experience the love and hope of Jesus no matter what they’re walking through.

“My journey is not done yet, and I still have some things to do, but God is showing up and showing out daily,” Powell said. “I am blessed and have been born again through Christ.”

Peggy Darby, president of the WMU Foundation, said the gifts that fund the scholarships for Powell and the three other recipients make a difference.

“Your gifts to the Sybil Bentley Dove endowment help to support Christian Women’s Job Corps by providing scholarships to participants, program development grants for sites and a grant for Dove award recipients,” she said. “Whether you make a one-time gift or become a monthly donor, your support will help to change lives forever.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Christian Women’s and Men’s Job Corps are compassion ministries of WMU. Through more than 100 sites across the US, CWJC/CMJC seek to equip women and men for life and employment in a Christian context. To learn more about Christian Women’s and Men’s Job Corps, visit wmu.com/jobcorps or contact Tonya Hancock, national CWJC/CMJC coordinator, at [email protected].) 

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Grace Thornton is a freelance writer in Alabama.)