"He complained that the shop’s customer should give him more money for hauling the goods to their vehicle." 

The oversized burlap bag of supplies extended several feet in both directions from atop his head as he made his way through the South Sudanese shop. He and several other men were carrying supplies that had just been purchased from the shop to the customers’ vehicle. 

These men earn a living by carrying things from shops to customers’ vehicles. His income had probably been devastated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when fewer people could afford to make purchases. 

As he wove through the hand-constructed wooden tables that held bundles of merchandise, he complained that the shop’s customer should give him more money for hauling the goods to their vehicle.

The customer was actually a team of people, led by a man named Morris. Morris’ team was purchasing supplies to take to a community that had recently experienced flooding.

One of the team members heard the porter’s complaint. She was a small-statured, South Sudanese woman with a kind face and smiling dark eyes. She was none other than ITMI’s Vicky Waraka. 

“Can I share God’s Word with you?” Vicky queried. He and the other porters agreed. The porters ended up confessing to drug addictions, mistreating their wives and other sins.

“They repented and were happy,” Vicky reported, “We thank the Lord for saving them. Our prayer is that they will be able to be faithful.”

Vicky and her church recognized that South Sudanese women are facing incredible challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, so Vicky taught a two-day training to build them up in the Lord so they could stand firm, live holy lives and commit themselves to the Lord’s work.

Most of the women attending were from Vicky’s church, but about 50 were from other churches. Many  responded during the prayer time by seeking the Lord and His forgiveness in tears.

They emerged eager to learn and more committed to the Lord.