Against all odds: A story of hope and perseverance
By Suliah Lawal
In a small village in Nasarawa State, two sisters, Sarah and Zainab, lived with their parents, who struggled daily to make ends meet as humble farmers.
The land provided barely enough food to keep them alive, but there was no money for school fees or healthcare. The village lacked good schools and hospitals, and the governor did nothing to help.
Determined to change their family’s fortune, Sarah and Zainab moved to Lagos. They found work as housemaids, hoping to send money home.
However, their employers were cruel, providing only one meal a day and treating them poorly. Despite the hardship, the sisters remained steadfast in their resolve to help their parents.
One day, friends suggested they leave their jobs and join them in a different line of work – one that involved selling their bodies for money. The sisters were horrified and refused, citing their fear of God and the values their parents had instilled in them. “We cannot do this,” they said. “God’s timing is the best.”
Despite their friends’ insistence, Sarah and Zainab stayed true to their beliefs. They continued to work hard, enduring the cruelty and sending whatever they could back to their parents. Their faith and resilience did not go unnoticed.
One fateful day, a kind woman named Mrs. Johnson, who had heard of their plight, offered them better jobs at her business. She treated them with respect and kindness, providing fair wages and good working conditions. Sarah and Zainab were overjoyed and thanked God for this blessing.
With their new jobs, they were able to send more money home, ensuring their parents had enough to eat and could begin to save for their younger siblings’ education. The villagers marvelled at how the sisters’ hard work and faith had transformed their family’s circumstances.
Through their story, Sarah and Zainab taught everyone an important lesson: no matter how tough life gets, stay true to your values, work hard, and trust in God’s timing.
Never take the easy path that leads to wrongdoing. In the end, good things come to those who wait and work diligently.
