Tombe did not have a stable job and struggled with life challenges one after the other. He had two children and a failing marriage. He resorted to drinking to “forget his suffering.”
This 40-year-old man in Juba, South Sudan, recalls, “I was jobless and, as the head of the family, I was confused and didn’t know what to do. I was drinking too much alcohol. I thought this would make me forget the pain and suffering in my life. I was far away from Jesus and did not know God’s plan for my life.”
His wife was a member of a Pentecostal church in Sudan, but Tombe did not go to church. Instead, he lived away from God. However, the church was very concerned about the family. The congregation took responsibility for the two children and paid their school fees.
Gismalla, a participant in a Bible League Project Philip Bible study at that church, reached out to share the hope of God’s Word with Tombe. He found answers to his troubles in God and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Tombe’s life was changed.
“I learned that hope was found only in Christ,” he says. ”I changed from being an alcoholic to a man with Christ in his heart. I had started drinking to overcome suffering, but since I am in Christ, I have found hope. I found a job in construction, and I can provide for my family. I feel a joy that I have never felt before and a peace of mind that I have never experienced. I am eagerly waiting for Sunday and Tuesday for the Bible study group gathering.”
The changes didn’t end there. “I noticed a change in my health, too,” he explains. “I stopped drinking and am now saving money. I asked my wife to forgive me, and she did. She accepted me as her husband. We reconciled, and things are getting back to normal.”
“I have a dream to lead others to Christ, just like my brother in Christ led me. I want to see many people come to Christ and get to know him better. My friends are still addicted to alcohol. I want to lead them to Christ. I want to equip myself with the Word of God,” he shares.
Tombe concludes with these grateful remarks. “Thank you for supporting us with these Bible-based materials. My teacher was very patient with my many questions. Thank you for this life-saving program in South Sudan.”
