Giving Bicycles Changes Lives

Navigating a life marked by poverty, family struggles, and societal pressure, Fiona faced immense challenges from a very early age. She was born as the oldest of four children and spent her primary school years living with an aunt who had no children of her own. However, as she grew, the aunt began to overwork her beyond both her strength and capabilities. Exhausted, Fiona returned home and bravely pursued her education despite the obstacles. Her parents did not contribute to her schooling, and, for a while, she was forced to fund her own tuition. One of her uncles began supporting her, but he was in a tragic accident during Fiona’s third year of secondary school.

After the death of her uncle, Fiona’s parents forced her into an early marriage. She resisted this for some time, running away from the men they brought to marry her, but eventually they were successful on their sixth attempt. She left their house and went to be with her new husband, where she gave birth to two daughters. Conflict arose between the husband and his family, which ultimately led to the loss of his sanity. Destitute and alone, Fiona again found herself back with her parents, and it was at this time God led her to a family in need of a housekeeper. Here, her spiritual journey began; she discovered a nearby church where she was given a Bible that she often turned to in times of discouragement.

As time passed, Fiona’s resilience and diligence shone through, and she was elected to be chairperson in her Discipleship Community. Leaders are encouraged to pursue theological training, so she began attending our closest class, an hour’s walk from her. New challenges arose as she faced ridicule from her community for borrowing bicycles to attend classes. But she turned to God, clinging to the words of Matthew 5:11 – “Blessed are you when others insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil about you because of me.”

Recently, Fiona was among the leaders who received one of our bicycles. This has been a transformative gift that symbolizes both hope and empowerment. Even those who mocked Fiona now celebrate for her and say, “Truly your God is great; keep serving Him.” We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the donors and supporters whose contributions make such impactful stories possible.