Nyamtoc was one of the first women at St. Monica’s women’s group. When she first heard the creation story from Genesis, she realized with a shock that she was made in the image of God and that her body should not be just for other people’s use, bought or sold for cows to the highest bidder. That was Nyamtoc’s world and now she was determined to change it.

Nyamtoc’s husband had several other wives. In their culture, couples cannot have sex while a woman is nursing, so traditionally the men travel around to the different places where their wives are, impregnating them and then moving on to the next wife until after that pregnant wife gives birth and finishes nursing--then he returns to impregnate her again. When Nyamtoc’s second child, Bakhita, was weaned, the husband returned. Nyamtoc refused to sleep with him unless he brought money to pay for the expenses of raising the child. He was enraged. Though he beat Nyamtoc, she stood her ground. The next night as Nyamtoc, Elizabeth, and Bahkita were sleeping he came with a flaming torch and lit their tukul (hut) on fire. Nyamtoc, Bahkita and Elizabeth escaped but were soon apprehended by the police. Nyamtoc was imprisoned for denying her husband his “rights.” After Nyamtoc’s release, the husband for the most part left her alone.

Ten years later Nyamtoc’s husband reappeared, intending to have 11-yr old Bakhita married off. Nyamtoc’s older daughter, Elizabeth, had been married off earlier, bringing in quite a few cows as a dowry to the father. Nyamtoc fought against the early marriage of Bakhita , insisting that she would not sell her daughter and that Bakhita must stay in school. This same argument was repeated when Bakhita was 15. Nyamtoc has remained strong and 15 year old Bakhita is still in school. Elizabeth, the elder girl, is now a member of St. Monica’s women’s group--the same group where her mother first realized her own human dignity and tapped into unbelievable inner strength.

Nyamtoc’s daughter Elizabeth has borne four children, two of whom are still living. She was married to an alcoholic old man who often beat her and her children. One day in a drunken fury he told Elizabeth that he was going to kill her, but first she had to throw their infant into the river. Elizabeth said she would never kill their baby. When he turned to the house to get his gun, Elizabeth grabbed her children and fled. She left her husband’s village and is now living in Rumbek. She is raising her two little girls and coming to St. Monica’s to learn English and practical life skills. Elizabeth has said she will not be with a man again unless that man is one with whom she can sit and have an intellectual conversation, a man of her own choosing.

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