Yasmina is a 26-year-old Sudanese woman who was raised in a non-Christian family. From an early age, her life was marked by pain and loss. After losing her mother as a child, her father remarried, leaving Yasmina to be cared for by her grandmother and aunt. Despite her dreams and hopes for the future, severe financial struggles forced her to stop her education after high school.
When war broke out in Sudan, Yasmina and her grandmother were forced to flee their homeland and seek refuge in a MENA country. Far from home and carrying the weight of uncertainty and hardship, she lived with her aunt and her family (non-Christians), trying to rebuild her life amid difficult circumstances. Before knowing Christ, her understanding of God was shallow, and she did not practice her pervious faith in a committed way.
One day, a friend invited her to attend a gathering organized by AWEMA for Sudanese girls and women. Although her aunt’s husband did not allow her to leave the house except for important matters (as men in this community have religious and social authority over family members, who are expected to obey because they depend on them financially), she managed to attend the gathering, where she felt comfort and peace. Later, she was given the opportunity to join a sewing workshop run by AWEMA, and she decided to participate. She was allowed to attend the workshop because it would help her learn a skill through which she could earn an income to support herself and the family she was living with.
Each day at the sewing workshop begins with a devotional from the bible and prayer. After that, the sewing instructor teaches sewing and tailoring skills.
On her very first day, the devotional focused on Lydia, the seller of purple (Acts 16:11–14). The message highlighted Lydia’s faith and how her belief led her household to know and receive the Lord. After the devotional, the servant invited anyone who wished to accept Christ to pray. That day, Yasmina chose to pray and receive Christ as her Lord and Savior.
Reflecting on that moment, Yasmina shared:
“This was the first time I heard about Lydia, and everything that was said felt like it was meant especially for me. This time was different, I felt that accepting Christ would bring a new change into my life—and that is exactly what happened after I accepted the Lord Jesus.”
From that moment on, Yasmina began a new journey with the Lord, joyfully saying, “I am happy that I came to know the Lord.”
Throughout the sewing program, the servant observed a clear transformation in Yasmina’s life. At first, she was hesitant to speak about her faith, but over time she became confident and began sharing openly about what the Lord had done for her. Others also noticed positive changes in her behavior, mindset, and responses. The sewing workshop became more than a place to learn skills—it became a space where Yasmina learned spiritual lessons and stories from the Bible. Despite the religious opposition within her family, the Lord opened her heart and allowed her to hear and respond to the Gospel.
Yasmina later enrolled in pre-baptism classes at a local church, and a few weeks later, she was baptized. AWEMA worker, who leads the sewing workshop, and other believers witnessed her baptism and shared in her joy. Now, about seven months after accepting Jesus into her life, Yasmina found a job and was able to rent a place where she and her grandmother could live, away from her aunt’s house, as she had faced persecution from her aunt’s family after accepting the Lord. She now attends church regularly, joined the choir and continues to grow in her faith.
Click here to read the prayer requests:
1- Please pray for Yasmina’s spiritual growth, that she would continue to grow in her relationship with the Lord, remain strong in her faith, and experience His peace and guidance daily.
2- Pray for God’s protection and encouragement as she faces persecution and rejection from some family members because of her faith in Christ.
3- Pray for provision, stability, and blessing over her work and living situation.
* Names changed for identity protection.
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