Our team in South Sudan often prays that the Lord would provide for the needs of our Dinka brothers and sisters. Most of our church friends have very limited means and struggle to meet their families’ daily needs.
It’s particularly challenging for the many women who are the sole or main providers for their families. Some of the woman are widows, have been abandoned by their husbands, or have husbands who don’t support their families much, or at all. Because of this, many women have to find new ways to be able to feed, clothe, provide medical care for, and pay school fees for their children.
Some of the women sell things in the local market. One of the most popular items is roasted peanuts and peanut butter since peanuts are one of the primary crops here. Sesame seeds are also grown and sold, as well as produce like tomatoes, okra, and leafy greens.
There are also “goods” to be harvested freely from nature. They include firewood and bundles of tall, dried grass, which people buy mostly to thatch roofs. Some women add value to the grass by weaving it into mats and selling them.
Other women attempt to run a tea shop or a restaurant, which requires more initial capital and business sense but generally yields a greater return. Some women work for other people, receiving payment in cash or in kind. A few women work part-time for us, getting water from the well and washing our clothes. God also provides for them through a relative or friend who helps them periodically.
In these and other ways, the Lord sustains our friends and their families. There are occasional times of plenty, but usually, they must manage their resources very wisely in order to make ends meet. Join us in praying for our local sisters—and brothers—in this ongoing challenge.
PRAYER REQUESTS
- Pray that God would give our Dinka sisters and brothers diligence in whatever their hands find to do. Pray that they may know that diligence glorifies God, is a witness to others and is the means by which God provides.
- Pray that these believers would continue to look to the Lord as their provider, and not despair when their financial situation seems desperate.
- Pray that they would have wisdom in managing their resources.
- Pray for new ideas for income generating activities that would benefit others and provide a good profit.
- Pray that they would be generous with what they have and share with others in need.
Special thanks to RP Global Missions for allowing us to share this information.
