Martha is Changing Her Story

Martha Marak’s morning begins at 4 a.m. While her children sleep, she drinks a cup of tea and prays about the day ahead.

This busy mother has faced many challenges. When her husband abandoned her in 2009, she moved her family to Nongladew village in Meghalaya, India. Despite the injustice of her husband’s departure, God did not abandon Marak.

Now, through World Renew’s Free a Family® program, Marak is changing the story of her family for the better and experiencing hope and the grace of God in new ways.

Marak has four children, two daughters and two sons who are between 6 and 15 years old. Through hard work and determination, she built a small, thatched mud house for her family and prepared her land for cultivating fruits and vegetables. 

In Marak’s community, World Renew works with NEICORD, a Christian organization that helps families find long-term solutions to poverty through programs in agriculture, health, literacy, and small business.

For Marak, World Renew’s presence in her community is making a huge difference in her life. She took sewing lessons to earn more income by selling shirts, pants, dresses, and other cloth goods to her neighbors. Marak also received training that enhanced her role as a respected community leader and model farmer.

“I am grateful for an opportunity to learn new skills that also help me provide for my family,” said Marak. “It brings me great joy to watch my children go to school and learn about God at church.”

In many areas of our world, hunger, poor health, and illiteracy make it difficult for families to survive and flourish. World Renew works at the community level to help families like Marak’s overcome these challenges. They also address justice issues at the global level by linking with government leaders and advocating for fair policies.