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Maret remembered when her family was happy. Her husband, Sorin, wanted to provide well for her and their three children, so he moved the family to the city. He found a good job that paid a living wage, and the family of five lived in peace.
Over time, Sorin befriended a bad group who followed the workday with drinking and carousing. His family’s peace soured. Soon, Sorin was an alcoholic, and the financial security his job had once provided evaporated. He borrowed money to pursue his pleasures and struggled to pay it back, falling into debt. At home, quarrelling erupted as Maret watched Sorin drain away the income that should have provided food and school supplies for their children.
After several years of recklessness, Sorin suffered a heart attack, but it was not the wake-up call to responsible living Maret hoped for. Once Sorin recovered, he went right back to his wild living.
Fed up, Maret took her three children and moved to live with her parents, but her financial struggles followed her. Maret could not find work, and happiness remained a stranger to the now fatherless family.
Help Knocks on the Door
One day, Maret met local GFA pastor Arte and welcomed him to their home. Maret told Pastor Arte about her husband’s choices and her difficulty providing for her kids. Pastor Arte encouraged the lonely wife from God’s Word and prayed for her family’s situation. His words of hope and prayers brought peace to Maret. For the first time in years, she wondered if their lives might improve. Maybe Jesus would bring joy back into their lives.
With Maret’s permission, Pastor Arte called Sorin to counsel and pray for him. The pastor’s words touched Sorin’s heart; the estranged father wanted a new life. Maret, hopeful this intervention had changed her husband, moved back to their former home.
Pastor Arte visited Sorin and Maret, discipling them in the Lord’s ways. Maret grew in her trust and commitment to Jesus, but Sorin’s change didn’t last long. His addictions kept pulling him back to a life of debauchery and excess. Eventually, Sorin abandoned his family, disappearing completely from their lives.
Maret Starts a Small Business
Maret worried every day about how to feed and clothe her kids and buy them notebooks for school, but she determined to trust Jesus, even when there was no food for dinner. She faithfully took her children to worship Him at church each Sunday, and the believers helped Maret’s family in their time of crisis. Though grateful for the occasional gifts of food, Maret longed to earn an income with her own hands.
Women in Asia, like Maret and the woman pictured, face many different challenges in raising their families, but God is using GFA workers to bring them hope.
One day, Maret learned that Pastor Arte would distribute gifts for several needy people in the area, and she attended the gift distribution event. To her astonishment, she was presented with a pull cart! Joy filled her heart as she pushed the cart home, possibilities racing through her mind. With a pull cart, Maret could start her own business and finally provide for her family.
Maret started selling vegetables. She piled her cart high with produce and wheeled it to the market, where her mobile business blossomed into a steady income to support her family. All three of her children were able to stay in school, and Maret no longer agonized over how to put food on the table.
Jesus had brought joy back to their lives, and Maret would trust Him the rest of her days.
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