Text: Maria Johnson

On the outskirts of one of the biggest cities in North Africa, there is a small but faithful church of Jesus followers. The community in which they live and serve is a poor neighbourhood of garbage collectors without access to running water or electricity.

Every day the community goes out into the city to collect rubbish, and after returning home they sort the trash–on their doorsteps–and recycle and sell what they can, and burn the rest. It is a hard and dirty work and at times very dangerous.

Last year the village suffered great damage in a flood caused by heavy and unexpected rain. The flood killed over ten people in the community and destroyed most of the poorly-built houses in the village. Now the government has promised new housing for them just across the valley, but until they can move, they try their best to survive each day and handle the trauma caused by the flood.

The village is only a few thousand, but a small, yet growing number are followers of Jesus. Pastor Yacoub* leads the church, and is from the village himself. Some ten years ago he and his then small house church got the vision to build a church building in the village.

They did not have much to offer, but felt how the Lord led them to the passage about the two fish and five loaves. In faith, they decided to put together whatever money they had and start building. Since then, they have seen how God has been faithful and provided what they need for the church building.

Today they still have some building to do, but the church is already in use daily for Bible studies, meetings and even a small day-care centre for the children of the community.

Since October 2020 they run a food pantry in the church, providing food for 300 families in the community every month. The food pantry meets an immediate need in the village, and has proven to be an important tool to share the good news in the community.

“How can I talk about Jesus with families when their children go hungry?”, pastor Yacoub asks rhetorically. In only a few months, the food parcels have opened the door to about 80 new families in the village. “They are not only interested in the physical food, but also to hear more about Jesus.” As their physical need is being met, they also get spiritual food and the church rejoices over it.

This particular Tuesday, pastor Yacoub and his team have prepared a special gift for mothers. Jesus followers from around the globe have contributed financially, and the local church has put together the gift.

As the weekly women’s meeting is about to start, the worship fills the church building as mothers of all ages enter. “Every time we meet, the Lord has something new for us”, pastor Yacoub reminds them and the church agree.

One of the volunteers, shares about Hanna from 1 Samuel and what she learnt before she finally had her son Samuel in her old age: “She had to learn how to pray, wait and trust. This is what a mother does: she pours herself out to God. And then she waits, and then she trusts God for an answer.”

A young girl from the village translates into Arabic, and the church nods in agreement. The meeting is almost over, and all the mothers receive the gift the church has prepared for them: a sparkling gift bag with a new dress that local women typically wear, and a big bottle of shower gel — a special treat for a special group of mothers, with great love from their brothers and sisters around the globe.

The mothers’ smiles lights up the room and their joyful voices can be heard from afar as they leave the church building. Pastor Yacoub and his team hope and pray they all will learn what it truly means to be a mother who prays, waits and trusts the Lord to act. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13).

*Name changed for security reasons

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