The pressure on teenage girls to find their worth in their
ability to be attractive to boys is a prime example. I’m seeing more and more
that this place is no exception to that pressure. It is not uncommon for girls
here to have a child at a young age and even to be married at a young age, and
thus forcing them to drop out of school. There are many reasons for these
things; a family may want to ensure their daughter’s dowry and so choose a
husband for her. A girl may fear that her parents will force her to marry
someone she does not like, and so she will get pregnant by a boy she likes.
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| These are some of my friends from church. Some days they stop by the compound for morning devotions during their break at school. They are no exception to the pressures and challenges girls face here. |
And for the boys, well, sex before marriage is practically
expected, not from the culture as a whole but from their peers, which is not at
all different from the Western world.
Christianity is growing in South Sudan, and I am seeing the
Church being strengthened in this area but Bible teaching is still limited.
There are many who cannot read and who do not own Bibles. It is easy to fall
back on one’s culture or to give in to the pressure.
With this need so prevalent in the community, we desire to
seek God’s help. This Saturday, July 27th, In Deed and Truth is
hosting a Purity Seminar for teenage girls in the area. With the help of some
friends of mine, Stephanie, Stephanie, and new Mango Ministries teammate Tiana, we hope to
create a time for these girls to discuss the challenges they face and find hope
in the value God has given them. Would you pray for us and every girl (we’re
hoping for about 30) who will attend as we seek God’s truth to overcome the
pressures of culture and the temptation of sin in living transformed lives for
God’s glory!
