Mercy prayed hard as the dusty Land Rover rumbled towards a South Sudanese town.
Her tiny newborn triplets were traveling in the back seat. Each weighing less than 1.5kg, they had been born at home against all odds, and urgently needed medical care.
It was a two hour trek into the hospital. When they arrived, people there prayed and brought supplies. And thankfully, the triplets were able to receive the care they needed.
A week later, Mercy made the return journey home. She took with her three strong and healthy babies and the prayers of many.
Stories like Mercy’s show just how great the need for skilled maternal care is in South Sudan.
That’s one reason AIM missionary Julia is there.
A missionary and midwife sent by Parramatta Baptist Church in partnership with AIM, Julia trains and disciples future midwives who will go on to care for women and babies across remote communities. Her church has also donated vital equipment to support the hospital where she serves.
She writes: “The needs here are many, yet I know God has not abandoned this place and that every person is precious to Him.”
Alongside her midwifery work, Julia regularly encounters people facing difficult circumstances and must decide how best to help.
She regularly prays for wisdom, saying ‘I know that sometimes God has placed someone on my path to help be the answer to their prayer and it is appropriate for me to provide material support. Yet for other needs that come to me, I am called to redirect them to the church or seek wisdom from local pastors. I learn a lot from local missionaries about how to always offer kindness and dignity to people in need, even if you can’t fix their problem, to pray with them and trust God cares for people much more than I do.’
The volume of need means that faith is tested frequently.
Julia reflects ‘I don’t personally know what it’s like to pray for my next meal, or for medication for my sick kids, or for a family member that I can’t even afford to call and check on. So I learn a lot from the believers here about desperation for God’s mercy and how to fully depend on his provision, when there seems like no other way…
Jesus washing the feet of his disciples and suffering death is a good picture for how to walk in humility here. The gospel also shows me how important hope is, as I trust Jesus will one day return to overthrow evil and end the suffering of this world. I look forward to seeing many South Sudanese praising God in heaven.’
Mercy returned home with three healthy babies.
And as Julia equips South Sudanese midwives for the future, many more women like Mercy will have skilled and faithful people ready to care for them.
Their story shows what can happen when churches send: people are equipped, communities are served, and the love of Christ is made known.
