Mary's Story
Create a family a brighter future
Mary, a dedicated mother of five, lives in a rural village in Vanuatu. Her days are filled with hard work—tending to her garden, growing vegetables, and crafting beautiful flower leis to sell at the local market. This income helps support her family, but her path has not been easy.
For the past two years, Mary has been raising her children on her own. “It hasn’t been easy,” Mary reflects, “but I thank God for His power, for looking after me and my children. I make a living from a small market, and I also make flowers for my children and me.”
One of Mary’s biggest challenges is the physical strain of maintaining her garden and household by herself. “I grow a lot of vegetables to sell at the market, but the challenge I face is strength—there’s no one to help me with the heavy work,” she shares. Despite these difficulties, Mary’s garden has great importance for her family. “Growing a garden helps me provide for my children,” she says.
Water is another challenge Mary faces daily. When there’s no water available for washing, she carries heavy loads of laundry to the sea, washes them there, and brings them back. It’s a difficult life, but her children are her motivation. Her eldest son is studying law through a government scholarship, and Mary dreams of similar success for her other children.
“They must know God first, and they must be educated for their future,” she says proudly. “I’m trying to help the younger ones follow their brother’s example. It’s important for them to have a bright future, to go to church, to obey at home, and to get a good education.”
Mary’s dreams for her children extend beyond education. She is committed to ensuring they stay connected to their culture and heritage. “They must come home and maintain their land and their home,” she explains. “No matter the situation, we must keep going and look forward to a better future.”
Mary’s faith and resilience have helped her overcome many challenges, but she also credits ADRA for providing critical support during difficult times. Through ADRA’s life skills training program, Mary learned valuable techniques to manage her household and plan for her family’s future. “The training I received with ADRA helped me plan a better life for my family,” she says. “It gave me knowledge that I didn’t have before, and I’ve seen how it has helped me manage daily life better.”
ADRA has been an important part of Mary’s journey, not just through training but also by improving access to clean water in her community. “When ADRA brought water to our village, it made a huge difference,” Mary shares. “Before, we had to carry water long distances, but now we save time and energy for other things. My children were so happy when we no longer had to fetch water. Their lives became easier.”
Despite these improvements, Mary continues to face new challenges, such as protecting her garden from wild pigs and cattle that damage her crops. “I don’t have enough money to fix the fence,” she says. “But I do what I can. I grow vegetables, sell them at the market, and make flower leis to support my family.”
Mary’s story is one of resilience, faith, and determination. Even in the face of hardship, she remains focused on providing a better future for her children. “With everything and whatever I need in my life, I ask God. God is valuable in my life. I ask, and He answers.”
Your support can help more mothers like Mary receive the resources, training, and support they need to overcome hardship and build brighter futures for their families. Together, we can help families plant the seeds for a better tomorrow.
