“This is God’s mysterious work”
One seventy-year-old widow saw God’s love through a food assistance program in South Sudan.
Sitting with her aching back hunched away from the bright sun, she begged on the side of the dusty road.
All she could do now was hold her frail hands out, asking, pleading, hoping for anything from anyone.
Living in the South Sudanese village of Myakrel, seventy-year-old Ajak Ngong Anei was no stranger to hardship. She had grown up facing droughts, floods, and the drastic impacts of changing weather patterns. Now, in her old age, she lived as a widow and the sole caregiver to her two adult children, both of whom live with mental illnesses and are unable to care for themselves.
Her body—her soul—is so tired. Once again, they were trapped in a dry season, surviving only on the wild fruits Ajak could forage.
Ajak lives in Aweil East County, one of the most food-insecure regions in all of South Sudan. Prolonged droughts, shifting seasons, and years of conflict have left the land cracked and dry, and the people desperate. Aweil ranks among the highest in humanitarian need in the world.
But our God, El Roi, is the God who sees. He does not leave us nor forsake us.
Seeing the dire situation in South Sudan, Tearfund’s partners identified the most vulnerable areas and responded with food assistance and various longer-term resilience programs. Through this project, Tearfund reached 1200 households in 12 different villages—one of the households being Ajak’s.
“I am speechless,” she says with tears in her eyes. “We were hopeless, no food in our household, we were starving—you can see how skinny I am! But the food rations we received brought relief and hope to us.”
Because of your prayers and your support, a widow who once had nothing now has food on the table. Your generosity is helping where the need is greatest, bringing holistic help and hope through the love of Jesus.
“I guess this is a manifestation of God’s mysterious work!” Ajak says with a smile. “Now, me and my children have food to feed on for the next 3 months. I am grateful to Tearfund.”