11 years old.
That’s how old my friend Mary was when her father kicked her out forcing her to navigate this cold dark world on her own.
Mary was the 9th of 13 children. The oldest 3 were from her mothers first marriage, and they were taught about Jesus from a young age. When Mary’s mother married her father, she converted to Islam and her father was insistent on raising their children according to Muslim beliefs.
When Mary got to be 11 years old however, everything changed. Her older sisters told her about Jesus and one day she decided to follow them to church. It was at that service Mary decided to give her life to the Lord. When she got home that night her parents asked her where she had been. When she told them about the church service and giving her life to Christ, her father became very angry. He yelled at her, kicked her out of the house, and refused to continue to acknowledge her as his daughter.
She decided to live with one of her older sisters at first, but her sister’s husband did not like it and wanted her gone. One night she left and traveled to another town. When she got there she didn’t have anywhere to go and didn’t know anyone to contact. When the day turned to night, she found herself hidden under a covering in front of someone’s shop. As she squatted in the corner scared and hoping no one would find her, a piece of bread dropped from the balcony above. She picked up the piece of bread and stared at it. She hadn’t eaten all day and was starving, but she knew the right thing to do was give the bread back to the owner. So she stood up and walked toward the door to give the bread back to the owner. …
To Mary’s surprise the owner was a woman that used to live in her village. The woman stood there shocked. She asked Mary what she was doing there and when Mary told the woman what had happened, the woman insisted that Mary come live with her.
Mary had a dream of becoming a nurse and knew that this was her shot at receiving an education again. That quickly changed one day when Mary was doing dishes. She was just an 11-year-old girl doing her daily chores, when the woman’s husband tried to force Himself on her. Scared and confused, she quickly pushed him away and ran. When she told the woman what happened, the woman thanked her but kindly asked her to leave.
So once again, Mary was on her own. She was 11 years old with no where to go and no one to turn to for help.
After a few more homes and people who betrayed or abandoned her, she eventually ended up living with a wonderful woman who loved her. She taught her how to bake, how to sew, and she encouraged her in her walk with the Lord. Although Mary never did have the opportunity to attend school again and work toward her dream of becoming a nurse, she was able to use her baking and sewing skills to make a living and eventually go out on her own.
One of our squad leaders, Allison, recently asked us to reflect on the question, ”Is Jesus worth it?” After Mary told us her story, I asked her this question. I asked her if following Jesus was worth losing her family, her home, her education, and her safety. When I asked her this her immediate answer was, “Yes, of course!” She went on to say, “Even if I lost everything in this world, I would gain even more in Christ. I would never change what happened because God was able to use it for His glory. I was never alone, He was with me every step of the way and continually protected me.”
Now Mary is 31, married, and has two beautiful (and super energetic) little boys. She teaches her sons about the Lord and sends them to a school where they will receive the education she always dreamed of for herself. Her parents ended up divorcing and she has recently regained relationships with both of her parents. She said that with the Lord’s help she was able to forgive her father for all that he had done and even visits him occasionally. She boldly tells others about her story and uses it as a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness.
Although Mary doesn’t sew very often anymore, she graciously made my teammates and I the most beautiful African skirts. I cannot wait to wear her skirt and use it to share her story with people around the world.
I pray that her story will reach people who may be facing similar situations, and give them the encouragement they need to surrender their lives and follow Jesus. I pray that they will see that Jesus IS worth it. He is the answer to all of their problems. That he will give them the joy and happiness they have been searching for and be there with them every step of the way. I pray that they will experience His comfort amidst every mountain, and feel His presence in every valley. I pray that they will know that they are fully known and fully loved by Him.
Joyfully His,
Lizzy
