Today we’d like to introduce you to Milka Waterland.
Milka, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Milka Waterland, I am a Dentist and Specialist in root canal treatment in my native Country, Dominican Republic, Where I managed my private office for more than ten years and where I had been an active part of social work since I was young. I was born and raised in a Catholic family, being the oldest of two children, my brother is three years younger than me—wonderful parents who loved us to the moon and back. One side stands my father, an army veteran who always taught us by example the importance of responsibility, service to others and honesty—a man of soft character, kind and very humble. On the other side, I had the happiness of having a unique mother and for whom today I am worthy of being interviewed.
Milagros Sánchez, a woman who lived with a passion for the gift of service. She needed to help everyone around her and she did so above all, those who almost never understood that inexhaustible need and that natural detachment from things. She was always ready to share everything with those who needed it most. Milagros was a woman with an outgoing and happy personality, always ready to celebrate everyone. She had inexhaustible energy which made her the perfect match for the reserved military. She put a bit of color in his life. They were a very traditional latin couple where the husband was the head of the family and she was an exemplary mother and wife, they always complimented each other and their spare time they love to dance.
My life was perfect, I graduated in dentistry, I specialized in endodontics, I got married and I had a beautiful daughter, I couldn’t wish for more, but suddenly my life changed. Unexpectedly my marriage ended in divorce, and shortly afterwards my incomparable mother got sick in October 2010 and passed on December 6, the same year. Heaven was waiting for her and she said goodbye. Our hearts were broken and did not know how we could continue living without her.
At the age of 51, she died of cancer without realizing her dream come true, of formally helping through a Children “s Foundation who were her weakness and who she always helped.
The story of my mother’s illness and her death must be taken upon another occasion, but also worthy of being called “A Miracle of God,” he marked my life and transformed me. It is incredible how the most difficult situation in my life has given me the best gift, Knowing and loving God.
A few years later, I think that my mom herself from heaven intervenes so that I can meet an excellent man and who today is my husband, after a few years of a long distance relationship, traveling from one country to another, there was no other option than to move to Houston a decision that until today I think has been the most difficult because when I accepted to move, I gave up many of my accomplishment in life: I closed my privet mental practice, resigned from my governmental job at a public hospital where I also worked and took off my military uniform.
Already in Houston, it took me a few years of internal battle, trying to adjust and reinvent myself to find my project. It is when I decided to give God my battle and ask him to guide me towards what I understood would be a new business. I was far from reality and after a lot of praying and trust in him, I understood the message and it was to make my mother’s dream come true. That’s how “Fabrica De Milagros” was born. Fabrica de Milagros” is a non-profit organization that works to change the lives of orphaned children in the Dominican Republic.
We are working in different orphanages providing every child with a better quality of life with his\her basic needs such as food, clothing, studies, school supplies, medicine, medical and dental care. We are also supporting the orphanages with the improvements that the orphanage needs such as cleaning, fumigation, painting, electricity, sanitation, remodeling of study areas, bedroom, kitchen and others.
Finally, we have completed all the necessary requirements in the state Texas to work as a non-profit organization, including the 501 permits, therefore we want to spread the word and touch a lot of people’s hearts to support this project. I am grateful and blessed because from the first day I have felt God’s guidance in this project and I know that my dear mom is very happy because today her dream has become true under her own name: “FABRICA DE MILAGROS.”
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are many obstacles to starting a non-profit organization. First, having a clear objective and a group of people you would like to benefit from your work. Second, finding support for a cause that thousands of people will say “It’s your cause no mine,” it is so difficult to touch people” s feelings. So difficult to bring people to your side of the court. “But guess what, I love challenges, I do not accept as an answer because I know there are even more sensitive people out there willing to help and support others. You know why because every challenge is an opportunity for me to help the child because I believe in the cause, I want to that understood that everyone deserves an opportunity, better life. Everyone deserves to feel loved and love others. Third, getting to know the children. It is a tough job, starting with listening to the story of each of the children, their sorrows, their dark memories and seeing their tears or their dreamy eyes excited that their history may on a day change.
Finally, every day is a challenge, trying to find the economic support that we need to continue helping those kids. I have a phrase that I love: “Make your dollar count” because with only $1 you contribute, you are already part of the change in the story of hundreds of children.
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
This is not a business. “fábrica de Milagros” is a non-profit organization that works to change the lives of orphan children in the Dominican Republic. We are working in different orphanages providing everything necessary for each child to have a life with quality and not missing the most important such as food, clothing, studies, school supplies, medicine, medical and dental care, as well as perform all the improvements that the orphanage needs such as cleaning, fumigation, painting, electricity, sanitation, remodeling of study areas, bedroom, kitchen and others.
Finally, we have all the necessary requirements in the state of Texas to work as a non-profit organization, including the 501 permits. From the first day, I have felt God’s guidance in this project and I know that my dear mom is very happy that today her dream can already be read under her own name: “FABRICA DE MILAGROS.” We have the financial help that each of the people who know about this project decides to offer to help. We don’t have any sponsors or government help.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Moving to Houston has been, without a doubt, the most important decision I have ever made because I believed that what defined me as successful were the titles I had obtained and the jobs that until that moment had been exercising and that I was leaving behind. However, when I arrived in Houston, I realized that the title is not the one that defines my success; it is the ability to reinvent myself as many times as necessary. Today I can say that for me to feel successful, what I am doing must be helping someone else because I have learned that we came to life to leave, not to collect.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 832-468-1010
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @milkawaterlandofficial @fabricademilagros_
- Facebook: @fabricademilagros07
- Other: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fabrica-de-milagros?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
