FRESH START FOR SADDENED SUDANESE WOMAN

Hiba,* a woman from South Sudan, felt as if she “lived with all the sadness that is in the world.” But her deep desire for a fresh start is being fulfilled as answers to prayer and one-on-one discipleship from SAT-7 give her renewed hope for “a better tomorrow.” 

Originating from the South Sudanese Dinka tribe, Hiba has a very troubled family history. Her mother passed away, and although her father is still alive, she feels that he “does not care” for her. “My brother is the only one left for me,” she explained. “But he is struggling psychologically because of unemployment.”   

Hiba told SAT-7’s Viewer Support Team that she feels like she is living under an old curse from her father and ancestors. And her stress has been aggravated by the civil war in Sudan, which started in April 2023, as her children live near the conflict zone.   

Our team exchanged many messages with Hiba over the course of a few months, providing emotional support, reminding her how precious she is to God, and praying for her faith and life circumstances. She soon began to pray in her own time. 

“I talk to God in the middle of the night,” Hiba told us, “I share my burdens with Him, confess my sins, and tell Him how weak I am. I committed many sins in my life, but I want Him to be my support and to give me assurance that there’s a better tomorrow.” 

One-on-one discipleship from the Viewer Support Team helped Hiba to grow in her faith and start to believe that God could change things in her heart and in her life. A team member asked Hiba if she would like to have a fresh start. “Yes,” Hiba replied, “I would!” After hearing the Gospel, she was excited and grateful to pray with us. “Thank you,” she said. “You assured my heart once more. I am grateful for all the good things you shared with me.” During a time of prayer, Hiba accepted Jesus into her life.  

Answers to Prayer

Hiba expressed a desire to be reconciled with her father. The team prayed with her about this, and soon afterwards she visited him. “I went to my father to try and restore our relationship. I do not want my children to go through the same thing I had to.” A few days later, Hiba’s father sent her half-brother to check on her to see if she needed anything, a move that she said touched her and made her feel happy. 

Further answers to prayer for Hiba included finding a job. She had shared with us that she had been frustrated and suffering because of unemployment.   

Hiba is continuing to grow in her faith with ongoing discipleship and prayer support from the SAT-7 team, but she remains concerned about her children near the conflict zone. Please pray for the safety of Hiba’s children and for the Lord’s ongoing work of healing and restoration in this family. 

*Name changed for security and image is representative.