The early morning sun was still low on the horizon when the little group of church members started on their mission. The goal for the day was to go help Riina’s family plant their cassava crop on their two-hectare farm plot.

Riina is a 16-year-old tribal girl who, with her two older brothers, has chosen to follow Jesus. Her parents were resistant to Christianity for themselves but allowed the children to join the church family. About six months ago, Riina’s father died, leaving her mom to support their five children. The church members have especially been praying for Riina’s mom to open her heart to learn more about Jesus, so when they found out that Riina’s mom was struggling to get her cassava field planted, they organized a group of several youths and some adults to help.

The planting day was filled with laughter and cooperation as the young people went behind the tractor with their baskets filled with cassava sticks to bury in the long mounds of freshly turned earth. They visited each other in the field house during lunch and finished the planting by midafternoon. The overwhelming job of planting her cassava field was finished in one day! Isn’t it beautiful how, when people join together to help each other, they can turn a big job into a fun day?
This simple act of kindness from the church youth and leaders touched Riina’s mom so much that she asked the church members to go to her house the following weekend to pray for her and her family, further opening her heart to Jesus. Please pray that this newfound love of Jesus will continue to take root.

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