Here in Canada and the United States we live in a culture that values a quality education. Within the Christian Reformed Church, this is especially true. We are not alone in this.
In a remote village in Meghalaya, India, a mother named Martha Marak works hard to provide for her children and dreams of sending them all to school. After her husband abandoned her, she was forced to start over with absolutely nothing.
Many years ago, Martha was introduced to World Renew and its life-changing programs. In the beginning, her greatest challenge was providing enough food for her children to eat. So Martha enrolled in an agricultural training program to help diversify her crops and her increase her yield. Over the past few years, Martha has participated in numerous trainings, equipping her to produce enough food so that she has extra to sell at the market. This extra income from sold crops means that she can achieve her dream of sending her children to school even after the ninth grade, starting with her oldest daughter, Wanchy.
Over the years, Martha has been the recipient of a quiet witness of Jesus Christ from World Renew staff and volunteers. In some countries and cultures, including Martha’s, staff members cannot speak openly about Jesus. In these situations, staff members share the Good News through their consistent love and ongoing support of the children, women, and men with whom they work.
Wanchy says that she loves her new school and wants to further her studies to become a teacher. And, as World Renew continues to work alongside Martha, there is hope that she will embrace God’s call and live in joyful obedience to our Creator.
Note: To find out how you can help more mothers like Martha achieve their dreams for their children, visit worldrenew.net/freeafamily.
About the Author
Taylor Smith, World Renew
