By Laura McKillip Wood
Twelve-year-old Mariam (the names in this column have been changed) and her large Southeast Asian family struggle to survive during the country’s economic crisis; her father is unemployed. Even though he goes out each morning to find work for the day, he often comes back with only a stale piece of bread for dinner. He loves all his children, but he began to consider selling his daughter Mariam in marriage, believing it to be the best chance of survival for the family as a whole. Mariam felt scared and hopeless about her future.
Then she learned about courses available through a non-governmental organization (NGO) run by a man named Abraham. If she could take the courses, she would learn skills that would help her family. She had little education and felt afraid she would not understand the coursework, but she surprised herself with what she was able to learn. She started to believe she could continue to learn and hopes eventually she will be allowed to get a job. Sadly, this is currently not an option in her country, but Mariam dreams of the day she will be free to earn money. Seeing her accomplishments, her family realized she could do what a boy could, something many families do not believe about girls. She also began teaching her siblings what she was learning. Through a food assistance program run by the NGO, Mariam’s family received food that relieved some of their worries. For now, Mariam has been spared the fate of so many child brides in her country.
A Hard Place to Be a Girl
In Mariam’s Muslim home country, people deal with poverty daily, and women and girls live under many restrictions. As Abraham’s wife, Faith, says, “It is one of the most difficult countries to be a woman.” She goes on to explain that girls often get married very young and do not have educational opportunities. She further states, “Our work helps provide more opportunities for girls, with the support of their families and communities.”
Not only does the NGO educate girls, it also provides clean water in communities. Much of the population does not have access to clean water, and waterborne illnesses continue to be a leading cause of death in children under the age of five. “We provide clean water within communities and make it possible for families to meet their daily water needs without walking long distances in the harsh climate,” Faith explains. The recent economic decline in this Southeast Asian country has also made it difficult for most of the population to find enough to eat, so the NGO has begun a new food aid project that helps meet people’s needs.
A Dedication to God
Abraham and Faith both grew up in the Midwest, and both attended Bible colleges. Faith studied accounting, but she graduated unsure of what to do next. A friend encouraged her to take a mission trip, and she decided to go to Asia to teach English to college students for a few months. She returned and started working in the home office of the organization she had traveled with. It was there that Faith met Abraham, who was also praying about what to do after his upcoming college graduation. His friend was planning a summer internship to a Muslim country, and he asked Abraham to pray that more people would join the team. As Abraham prayed, he realized God was answering his prayer about what to do after graduation by leading him to the summer internship. That internship was the first of many trips to other Muslim nations. He developed a love for one Southeast Asian country in particular.
When Faith met Abraham, she had little understanding of the Muslim world. She saw Abraham had a strong desire to minister to these countries, though, and she began to learn that the reality of life in Southeast Asia was much different from what the news portrayed. She saw how Abraham naturally connected with people from this area of the world, and it became clear to her that if she were to start a relationship with him, she should first be sure that God was also calling her to minister in Southeast Asia. She began to see that same direction in her life, and she now says, “God has given us both a deep love and compassion for our beloved Southeast Asian nation, and despite the many hardships we have faced, we have not been able to look away from both their suffering and the privilege of relationships.”
Clear Direction
During the first few years of marriage, Faith and Abraham traveled to Southeast Asia several times, worked to prepare their sending churches, and gained further training. When they were prepared to live full time in Southeast Asia, God gave the couple an opportunity they had not expected in a city they had not visited. They began praying for discernment. One day, they were walking along the beach praying about what they should do, when they came upon a full-size, intact conch shell. The shell reminded them of God’s promises, provision, and love for them. Shortly after, they made the move with their children to the Southeast Asian country they had been contemplating. They spent a few years learning language and familiarizing themselves with the NGO, which worked in community development projects in the country. When they were finally established, Abraham assumed the role of director of the organization.
Goals and Flexibility
Faith and Abraham’s goal is to work with communities to empower them to enhance the lives of their members. As Faith says, “Much of their situation is the result of injustice, and as Christians, we believe it is our calling to do what we can to restore these broken places.” Their work provides jobs for local people who then bring about positive change in their communities. “It is also our personal goal to stay present to a nation the world has forgotten,” she adds. “This bears witness to the fact that God has not forgotten them. He is there with them in their suffering.” Abraham and Faith have learned through the years that although goals are good to make, they must be fluid since things often go in unexpected directions. Faith says, “With this mentality, we have seen God do more than we could ask or imagine.”
If you would like to contact Faith and Abraham, email them at [email protected].
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