A Mother to Many
Mayi Sitilitsa Dziko's Story
I was young when I married my husband. We had five children together. They were all still small when my husband passed away in 1995. As a single mom, I had to take care of my family. I would travel into the mountains to cut fire wood and carry it back to the market to sell. Cutting firewood is very difficult. I used a machete to cut the wood. Then I wrapped it up into a bundle to carry back on my head. I would leave my home early in the morning and work all day. I could not take food or water with me, because I needed both hands to carry the firewood. So I would be very hungry every day. My children would stay with my mother-in-law. She would care for them while I was working. In those days I could make about 40 cents a day.
I had so many problems. My parents were very, very poor and were not able to help me. I began to pray and pray asking Jesus for a way out of our problems. Shortly after I started praying this prayer, I met Pastor Phiri and I began working at the Grace Center caring for the children.
My life is quite different now. I am very proud of the opportunity to work at the Grace Center. I am so proud of our children. I take care of the boys in Timothy’s Home. It makes me so happy. We pray together and we read the bible together. I can see that the boys are beginning to change. Here at the Grace Center, we are using cement to build our buildings. I am now seeing that the lessons I am teaching the boys from the bible are like cement in our lives. We will not be shaken or moved. Though troubles come at us like flood waters, we are strong, we will not be swept away in the flood. My boys are now able to preach these truths to the adults!
My piece in the puzzle is to raise up young men who can preach the Word of God boldly. Their lives will be built on the strong foundation of Jesus Christ and cemented in with Truth.
