Prior to being widowed, Sally* had never worked or held a job: as her husband took care of her. As a child she survived deadly beatings from her step-dad. Then later in life she was rejected by her family on account of the 'curse' of barrenness - so she is very alone in the world.

Being good 'Kiwi Christians' (we like taking on a challenge, mate) we undertook to help her. Knowing she needed to work to earn her keep, we 'hired' her to do some work for us around our home: in return we paid her rent and bought her food (we needed to initially do this as we quickly realized she had no ability to budget and could not even count or manage her money since she had never been to school).

We started teaching her 'who she is in Christ' in a bible study - everything needed translating and she needed the bible verses read to her (remember, she had zero schooling, which means she cannot read, write or speak and understand any English).

We had to fire her twice as her work habits and behavior was shocking! But God is sooo good! She now knows who's she is, and what she is, in Christ. She has learned to budget and manage her money, she is now a delight to work with and her heart has been transformed to reach out and help those around her.

Sally now pays for all of her rent and buys all of her own food from the many jobs she does for families around Langas. She even helps out her neighbors financially from her overflow and donates her spare time to those in desperate need - doing odd jobs for them.

What is more, we have not paid her for over four months: as all the money we pay her goes towards a savings account, until Christmas, so she can go home to see her mother.

She has been a great testimony to us and others about the power of God to lift people up from their circumstances - no matter what those circumstance are or how, seemingly, over-whelming they are.

*Her name has been changed to protect her anonymity.