Ubaya is Empowered to Crush Her Debt
Ubaya and her husband Manu were well acquainted with hard work. Manu toiled every day, farming a small plot of land, and his meager harvest helped feed the family. Ubaya worked as a laborer whenever she could, while also caring for their three daughters.
Despite their work ethic, life was always difficult for their family. Financially, they could barely keep their heads above water. Even small obstacles could empty their savings, or worse, cause them to go hungry. They lived in a tiny hut with a leaky roof that exposed them to wind, rain, bugs, and vermin. Ubaya longed for a warm and safe home, but they could never afford to build anything better.
As her daughters grew up, Ubaya’s stress about their finances only increased. In their culture, it was customary for a bride’s parents to pay a dowry to the groom’s family. With three daughters, that financial responsibility loomed large in Ubaya’s mind.
When their oldest was of age, they borrowed money from a lender to pay her dowry. Initially, they were able to make the payments. But then the lender became greedy, doubling their interest rate multiple times.
Just when Ubaya felt completely overwhelmed by her stress and fear, she learned about an Adult Literacy Class starting in her village. She signed up, hopeful that learning how to read might somehow help her.
There had been no school in Ubaya’s rural village when she was a child, so she had to start at the beginning, slowly learning each letter and number. Although the work was challenging, Ubaya persisted.
One day Sansa, who taught the Literacy Class, began a new lesson on managing family finances. Ubaya felt defeated listening to the principles about avoiding debt and saving for a rainy day. Achieving those goals seemed impossible to Ubaya.
After class that day, Ubaya confided in Sansa about her crushing debt. They prayed together, asking God to intervene, and Ubaya felt her worry change to peace.
As Sansa continued the lessons on financial management, Ubaya learned many practical things that she immediately put into practice to save her family money. Even better, after learning how to make soap powder in a special training, Ubaya began selling it at her village market to make extra income. She even joined an accountability group with other students committed to financial independence! She began chipping away at her debt bit by bit.
Today, Ubaya manages her home and family finances with confidence. She even saved enough money to build a new shed to live in! Best of all, through the influence of Sansa and the Bible-based lessons of the Literacy Class, Ubaya received salvation. She now rests assured that God will provide for her family and praises Him for His many blessings! Pray with us that Ubaya’s husband and daughters will be receptive to the Gospel and soon know Christ as Lord.
