Ourdear Joice: How God Transformed One Student’s View of Business

Growing up watching her mother sell peanuts just to survive, Ourdear Joice never imagined business could be a form of ministry. Her discipleship journey at the Leadership Academy of South Sudan (LASS) changed everything.

Ourdear Joice has vivid memories of her mother standing by the roadside, selling peanuts under the scorching African sun. It wasn’t a business strategy. It was survival. Day after day, her mother worked tirelessly just to put food on the table. 

“I admired my mother’s hard work, but I never considered entrepreneurship to be a calling,” Joice reflects. “I thought business was for people who wanted to make money, not people who wanted to serve God.” 

In her mind, ministry meant preaching from a pulpit or teaching in a classroom. Business? That was something completely separate from faith. 

A New Picture of Purpose 

Everything changed when Joice arrived at the Leadership Academy of South Sudan (LASS). During a Bible study on Proverbs 31, she encountered a different kind of woman of faith. One who worked with her hands, made wise business decisions, and ran successful ventures. 

“That’s when everything clicked for me,” she says. “The Proverbs 31 woman wasn’t just praying and reading the Bible. She was buying land and running her own business. I realized that business and ministry can go hand in hand.” 

But understanding this truth intellectually was one thing. Living it out was another. 

From Theory to Transformation 

Joice’s breakthrough moment came during a class entrepreneurship project. She led a soap-making initiative to raise funds for the children of Builders of Hope in Africa. What started as a simple assignment became a moment of calling. 

“When I saw what we could do as a team—how we could raise money, serve others, and make something valuable—it stirred something deep inside me,” she reflects. “I realized I love this. I love organizing, solving problems, and seeing real impact.” 

Through this hands-on experience, Joice discovered gifts she never knew she had. Leadership. Problem-solving. Vision-casting. Most importantly, she learned that these abilities could be used to honor God and serve others. 

Building Dreams That Transform Communities 

Today, Joice walks with an entirely new mindset. She dreams of launching a business that empowers women in her community, creates jobs, funds education, and uplifts entire families. 

“I want to start something beautiful and sustainable, something that reflects God’s heart,” she says with quiet conviction. “This journey has taught me that honoring God isn’t just about what you say, it’s also about what you create and how you serve others through it.” 

Her vision extends far beyond profit margins. She sees entrepreneurship as a tool for transformation, a way to address the root causes of poverty while building dignity and hope. 

The Ripple Effect of Investment 

Joice’s story represents exactly why we focus on people over projects at 4africa. When you invest in a young leader like her, you’re not just funding education; you’re unleashing potential that will multiply across generations. 

Ready to transform more lives like Joice’s? Join The Venture, our community of monthly partners who are building tomorrow’s African leaders. Your recurring gift creates lasting change that echoes through families, communities, and nations.