Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
-1 Corinthians 13:13
For years, this sweetie’s photo has been our Valentine’s Day Ambassador… and for good reason! “Liz’s” world has been transformed by an abundant outpouring of Christ’s extravagant Love that shines through her life.
At age seven, Liz was rescued along with her older sister and younger brother. Her father had died the year before due to an “unknown disease” and war had separated them from their mother. Her extended family — over-burdened by extreme poverty themselves — were unable to feed more mouths from the very little they had. There was no one else to offer security, food, or hope for the future… There were simply no other options for survival in her community.
Orphaned girls growing up in South Sudan face many hardships. A recent report named South Sudan as the worst country to be a girl. According to the report, child marriage and malnutrition among girls in South Sudan are the highest in Africa. Combined with orphanhood, these factors increase young girls’ vulnerability to human trafficking and exploitation exponentially.
In South Sudan, it’s more likely for a thirteen-year-old girl to die in childbirth than to learn to read and write.
However, because of your generosity, steady trust, and unswerving hope in a God who makes all things possible, Liz’s story is instead one of transformation and healing. With your help, we’ve protected and educated Liz — and hundreds of other girls with stories similar to hers — and are empowering them to thrive as change agents in their communities.
Today, Liz is 20 years old and entering the twelfth grade at New Life Ministry! She’s on the path to graduate this December 2021.
“Liz” today
Thank God for helping us to be in this school. As I am an orphan, I do always pray to God to let me finish my school to become a doctor to help my poor brothers and sisters and other needy people. I like New Life Ministry very much because it gives me education and life changing. My thanks also goes to James Lual Atak, with collaboration with Lift Up the Vulnerable, to help the orphans and poor whose fathers and mothers were been killed and others died due to the lack of specialized doctors in South Sudan. Even from a small disease, one may died. May God bless you all!
We’ve adopted Valentine’s Day as the International Day of LUV because we believe that God’s compassionate and extravagant Love is continually transforming the world.
With unswerving hope in the power of this extravagant love for the most vulnerable, your partnership helps us protect, inspire, and empower Liz’s life and hundreds of others like her.
This Valentine’s Day, when you donate in honor of a friend, family member, colleague, or your special someone… we’ll email an e-Valentine to them and share Liz’s story of transformation that your donation and extravagant love makes possible! SEND AN E-VALENTINE TODAY!
Your support will make it possible for LUV to rescue more orphans than ever before. Together, we are saving children and women from a lifetime of trafficking, servitude and violence and grant them a chance at health and happiness.