‘I look up to see a tiny, shy smile, quickly hidden. But I saw it, and my heart soared. Yes, you sweet girl, I finally cracked that hard shell.’
AIM missionary Marlene was serving in a mud-walled classroom in Torit, South Sudan.
It was an achingly hard town to teach in. And this student was reluctant. She never joined the games or class activities, and tried to hide her damaged arm. Anger radiated from her body.
The truth is, South Sudan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world, and many won’t even get a basic primary school education. Children are often damaged by trauma: war, famine, drunkenness and a culture of child marriage.
It’s a rough environment to wake up to each day. But they do it. Their resilience is astounding and humbling.
And for this child, today was different.
In that shy smile, Marlene noticed the girl’s changing heart:
‘Today you took the risk, you tried, and you succeeded. Tomorrow you might try and fail, but I know you will have the confidence to weather that storm and I will still be here to hold your hand if you need me.’
South Sudan is a country with its doors wide open.
In Marlene’s experience, sharing the gospel at school is welcomed! She writes:
‘When I first moved to the Lopit mountains, one of the girls in my neighbourhood had stopped attending school. I was privileged to teach her to read and write, and she returned to complete primary school. She attends high school in Torit, and we still meet for weekly Bible studies, where she improves her reading comprehension, and the Lord deepens her knowledge of Him.
In a country where girls seldom complete primary school due to home demands or early marriage, it is a blessing to make a difference in at least one life.
There are so many more opportunities to reach the lost for Christ through education’.
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