She Meant Only to Care for Her Children
Many areas in Sub-Saharan Africa exist in a constant state of humanitarian crisis. Seventy-six percent of the population is in desperate need of humanitarian support.* Climate change, economic distress, and refugee movement also significantly impact the region.
Women and children are most affected by the unrest, and those impacted do whatever they can to survive – including engaging with the problem of alcohol.
The Problem of Alcohol in Sub-Saharan Africa
Despite its widespread abuse and the problems it causes in families and relationships, alcohol sales are a common source of income for struggling families in the region.
But the alcohol industry’s growth in Africa raises health concerns, according to the National Library of Medicine. New data shows an alarming increase in health issues and deaths. Studies reveal a shift to an increase in weekend binge-drinking culture, posing significant challenges.
The population needs protection – especially women and children, who are most significantly affected by alcohol-related harms.
So why was Talia**, a single mom of two, still brewing?
Taste and See
When she enrolled her two children, Wain** and Asim**, in our One More Child feeding program, Talia accepted Jesus as her Savior. She had already been a willing believer, attending church for years, but it wasn’t until she heard the teachings of the Gospel from our ministry partners at the feeding program that she fully understood.
It was then, after accepting the Lord into her heart, that Talia stopped brewing and selling alcohol for consumption, a trade she had taken on as a young widow and mother desperate to feed her two children.
Though her sole motivation had only ever been to care for her children, with a deeper understanding of the problem, she felt deep remorse for her involvement in the alcohol trade. She is immensely thankful for One More Child’s support, which was crucial in opening her eyes to the risks it posed to her family and community.
We rejoice that our feeding program was able to give her not only bread to eat but also living water. We know it will sustain her and her family for eternity.
“I will continue to follow Jesus to my last day on earth despite the problems I face in life. I will try to live a life of service to God and show compassion to others who are in need,” Talia shared.
How You Can Help in Sub-Saharan Africa
We ask that you continue to pray for our partners in Sub-Saharan Africa. They face many challenges in their ministries to families like Talia’s. You can partner with them by making a financial gift or sponsoring a child waiting a long time for someone like you to lift them up.
*Source: World Bank, The National Library of Medicine
**Names are changed for protection and privacy. Regions are referenced to protect our ministry partners’ identities.