Nyiragasigwa / Rwanda

Nyiragasigwa wanted a life where each day wasn’t a struggle. She lived in a tiny house in the Rwandan countryside on a small piece of land with her husband and 3 children. Nyiragasigwa and her husband did whatever work they could get for food, but their labour brought in very little. Every night they would squeeze into a small bed with their children to once again fall asleep hungry.

"It brought us many dark nights," Nyiragasigwa said. "But a light was to cut through this darkness".

A local Church Action Group trained and supported by the Samaritan’s Purse team visited Nyiragasigwa and her family one Sunday evening.

"They came with some food stuffs. They shared God’s word and prayed, and they invited me to attend their church the next Sunday which I did."

Nyiragasigwa became a regular church member. In the weeks following that first visit, the Church Action Group continued to support Nyiragasigwa and her family, teaching them valuable skills in nutrition, sanitation, finance and investments. Using this training, they then joined a savings group where they could borrow money to invest into income generating activities.

"This has helped us a great deal. We have access to food and to health services. We pay health insurance regularly and we now live in a newly completed house. We are grateful to God for the Raising Families Project."

Phiona / Uganda

Phiona lost her father at a young age. Her mother, Robinah, was solely responsible for their six children including Phiona. Robinah became a stay home mother, she had no income to look after her children. She started doing casual jobs to ensure that the children had food and healthcare, but she could no longer afford to send them to school. Eventually Phiona and her other siblings had to drop out of school. The burden was heavy on Robinah, she felt like she had failed them.

A newly formed Church Action Group from Kiswata Church of Uganda in the local area was tasked to identify one vulnerable family to mentor, support, pray with and love just the way Jesus loves us.

Phiona’s family was identified, the Church Action Group members spoke to the family and found out that Phiona was going to miss out on her exams for Grade 13. The members raised through their church enough money to pay for Phiona’s school fees, transport to and from school and school materials so she could return to her academy to finish her Grade 13 studies. Robinha joined a savings group where she will be taught financial skills, she can invest her income and take out loans to start up her own business to support herself and her family.

"I thank God for this programme,” Phiona said. “The Church Action Group members have stood with me to complete Grade 13. They have continued to visit my family and pray with us. They have now started to help my brother with his school fees and transport. I am waiting for my results, if I have passed I want to continue with my education and become a Church Minister."

Semir / Central Asia

Semir, his wife, and their 6 children found themselves in a desperate situation. The lack of work in their home town had led this family to extreme poverty; their children often had nothing to eat. They decided to move to another town where friends had offered them a temporary place to live, telling them there would be seasonal work in the surrounding area. Semir was hopeful for a chance of a better life. Upon arrival Semir began taking temporary work to somehow feed his family, but work was very hard to come by; they still had insufficient food and were living in very poor conditions.

At one of the seasonal jobs during harvest time, Samir met Meryem, a member of a local Church Action Group trained and supported by the Samaritan’s Purse team. Hearing the story of Samir’s family deeply moved Meryem. Samir told her that they would soon need to leave the house they were currently staying in and they had nowhere else to go. Through Meryem, the Church Action Group began to support the family. They provided accommodation at the house of Meryem’s son, rent free. They supplied clothes and food. The Church Action Group were able to arrange for the three older children to start attending school and Salim found a permanent job through the church on a construction site.

Now they finally have their chance at a better life. The Church Action Group regularly shares the gospel with the family, who are Muslim. The family often let the group pray for their children. They are very grateful for the care the Church Action Group has shown and are beginning to open their hearts to Jesus.

"Through Meryem we learned about God and what it means to be a Christian; now we have a roof over our heads, and my children are not left on the street. I like Meryem's God!" says Semir.