Amy's Story

Amy grew up in a home with parents of two different people groups but both Cousins. She was forced into an arranged marriage at a young age. Life for her was difficult. In 2005, she got a job helping the wife of a missionary couple learn the language. One of their religious duties is to pray five times a day. Amy was confused when the young missionary wanted to pray all the time. The young lady wanted to pray before beginning language class and when they ended and any time the Spirit lead her in between. It was the young missionary's love for Jesus and praying that lead Amy to want to follow Jesus too. Amy's husband divorced her and kept the children when Amy's choice was known.

Amy then taught herself English so that she could go out to translate for volunteer teams. She has been out with teams and gone to follow up even when teams were not around. She has supported her family and tried to help mentor young believers to grow in the Word and provide for themselves. Eventually all of her daughters came to live with her as well as her mother, who is still a Cousin.

In April, while out at a village where Amy had shared many times before, she was attacked, beaten, and left for dead. Thankfully others saw her and brought her into town where she could get treated at a hospital. The first hospital was unaware of her diabetes and so complications with her treatment arose. She was transferred to another hospital which worked in conjunction with a larger facility to give her the treatment she needed over the next two months. During this time, the local pastor and others from the Family went often to pray with and over Amy.

Amidst Amy's recovery, a man proposed to her. In July, they were married. Jennifer and the local pastor's wife attended the wedding, helped with food preparation, and prayed for the couple.

As August came to a close, Jennifer called Amy to see about gathering together to study. If that were not praise enough in an area where brothers and sisters have not always gathered without help from an outsider, Amy was back out in the village. Not only was she out, but she was in the village where she had been beaten. What a testimony and challenge to see her perseverance!