A flourishing piece of land can provide residents of South Sudan with peace of mind and an opportunity to thank God.
Though it’s the heart of the dry season, Angelina bends to tend to the bountiful beans growing in a flourishing patch of earth.
Women in Mayom County and throughout South Sudan are learning how to grow their own food through resiliency training provided by Samaritan’s Purse.
It makes sense that Samaritan’s Purse staffers chose this spot for a training garden, as the nearby stream boasts banks lush with thriving plants. Beyond the river, scrubby acacia trees seem to be the only growing thing for miles.
Angelina is excited to be a part of the Samaritan’s Purse integrated resiliency training program. The program teaches people in South Sudan how to thrive even in the face of adversity like drought and conflict.
“I heard that they were giving seeds out at the church,” she said, “so I went there and got seeds and tools and they trained us on how to plant so we could have food.”
Angelina and half a dozen other women are growing gardens and growing in resiliency as well here in Mayom County.
They now know to plant their crops above the waterline, so that when the rainy season hits, precious nutrients won’t wash away with it. In the dry season, they will sow seeds near the rivers so they don’t have to walk long miles to fetch water.
The women are also learning how to pray and to thank God for His provision.
By learning to be resilient yet dependent upon God, women in our training program are experiencing change in their hearts. They in turn are changing the culture around them.
“They told us that if we plant this, the result will be that one day we will not be dependent upon others and we can provide for those in need,” Angelina said. “That’s what I want, is to be an independent person.”
The resiliency training provided by Samaritan’s Purse helps move local communities one step closer to abundance in a land of scarcity. Scarcity leads to desperation and conflict. Abundance leads to connectedness and prosperity.
As the women work together on the same training plot—enjoying a rich harvest—they provide a picture of what a dry and weary land could become.
“I’m very excited about what I am learning to do,” Angelina said. “Now I can go home and do this in my own land.”
LAYLA* IS A WIDOW who was displaced after conflict and violence forced her to flee her home. When she was finally able to return to her community, Samaritan’s Purse supplied her with a plot of land and an irrigation system. She now grows tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and peanuts. Selling vegetables helps Layla provide for her family. Your gift of $35 will help farming families like Layla’s reap a plentiful harvest as we provide tools, seeds, and training, and let them know that an abundant spiritual harvest also awaits those who trust in Christ. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters” (Jeremiah 17:7-8). *Name changed for security.
