Trusting in Jesus gave Goma joy in life.

The chatter of a waking village reaches Goma’s ears as she begins to set up for literacy teaching at the side of the Wusaraambya airstrip. With a brilliant smile directed towards heaven, she thanks GOD for saving her from a life of despair.

“I used to think that I would never be free,” shares Goma as she remembers how her mother would make her work long hours in the garden digging sweet potatoes or force Goma to baby-sit her five younger brothers and sisters while she went out gambling.

As a young teen, Goma found very little to look forward to. Life was hard.

“Sometimes, I would run away from work,” explains Goma. “I would steal a little bit of money to gamble, or I would attend a dance. But it all got more and more unfulfilling—and every morning I would have to go right back to work. I felt empty inside.”

But God changed her life when Goma began to attend the first Firm Foundations Bible lessons taught by missionary Andrew Goud.

“I started to see that yes, my life was worthless—just as I had always known,” says Goma. “But the reason for the worthlessness was different than I thought—it was because of sin. I was meant to go to hell, but then Jesus came and paid the price for me to be set free.”

After accepting Jesus into her life, she went back to her work, but this time it was with a renewed enthusiasm and joy.

“The work was still there, but my heart had changed,” said Goma. “At first it was hard to obey my mother because it meant giving up time to read my Bible or go to Bible studies with the other girls. But as I started obeying my mother, God came through for me in amazing ways. One of the Bible teachers noticed me and decided that he wanted me as a wife.”

Despite her mother’s protest that she would no longer have someone to work for her, Goma was given in exchange to Josek, one of the Bible teachers in the village.

“My husband treats me wonderfully,” Goma beams. “And with my marriage, God has answered other prayers too. Now I have time to teach literacy and lead the Sunday school—but most of all, I have time to read the Bible!”