Faith through the flood: Swimming to the surface after losing 20 acres of land
Mary’s belief that with God’s help, she can overcome future challenges just as she did with the flood.
Nothing could have prepared her for this: over 20 acres of hand-cultivated land, utterly destroyed.
The story of Job in the Bible is tragic. A completely righteous man blessed by God suddenly loses it all. His animals, his children, his livelihood — gone. He cries out to God, wondering why he would ever let that happen. Despite all that happens to him, his story is one of resilience: resilience through faith. Similarly, Mary Anot, a single mother in South Sudan, embodies this same faithful resilience in her own life when tragedy strikes her livelihood, too.
Nothing could have prepared her for this: over 20 acres of hand-cultivated land, utterly destroyed. The recent erratic rains in South Sudan have caused countless farmlands to be flooded, wiping out any possibility of harvest. Months of cultivating what was supposed to become income and food for her and her 8 children were now washed away. With her husband gone to war, and 8 children to send to school, Mary was lost. But, in her faith, hope endured.
Mary’s faith sustained her through this dire situation, much like Job’s unwavering trust in God. Everything seemed hopeless, but that was not the end. In her deepest need, she received assistance to be able to get off her feet. This life-changing food-aid allowed her to open her very own restaurant! Then, Tearfund introduced the concept of Village Savings and Loans groups to her local church, and she was immediately intrigued. She jumped right into the opportunity to learn to save money with her local community, and this allowed her restaurant to thrive. She explains, “I owe these institutions who’ve helped me immense gratitude because it is with them that I’ve elevated my life.”
A woman owning a business — let alone a thriving one! — in South Sudan is remarkable. Mary was willing to do whatever it took to give her children the life they deserve, and the VSL group has allowed her this freedom. It took 9 months for the VSL to help give loans to its members, and afterwards, some people walked away with the equivalent of selling an animal! She explains how she used the money: “I used this big amount of money to stock my restaurant, and from there, it has gone on to sustain itself.” With this group, Mary was even able to establish her business in the local market!
The name of this VSL group that has brought her so far translates to ‘let us be resilient through all these challenges.’ Understanding the difficult realities of living in South Sudan, she explains that “this is in the quest to say our challenges will never fade away, we have to deal with them.” She knows the future is uncertain and that more challenges will come her way, but she is confident that God is with her.
Beyond anything Mary could have imagined, this group has allowed her restaurant to flourish. Now able to send her children to school and pay for their uniforms, Mary saw through the work of Tearfund how God provides in his abundant love.
Through these VSL groups, Tearfund is equipping hundreds and hundreds of women like Mary to be resilient. Hope is offered to those in deep need through the love of God, and lasting change is brought through the help of donors like you. Thank you for allowing Tearfund to accomplish this transformative work in the name of Christ.
