Naomi
Caring for the widows and orphans of the Suffering Church
Like Naomi, Tsige and Siham's trials have at times been overwhelming and they have many unanswered questions about why the Lord has allowed them to experience such pain.
But, like Naomi, they have both drawn much comfort from their Christian family around the world who uphold them in prayer.
It seemed to Naomi that she'd had more than her fair share of pain. Having fled her family home to escape the ravages of famine, she then had to face a threefold tragedy: the loss of her husband and her two sons.
In her grief, Naomi found comfort and companionship in Ruth, her beloved daughter-in-law. Indeed, God used Ruth to bring restoration to Naomi, healing the scars of her bereavement and giving her hope for the future.
Across the world, there are countless Christian widows who experience Naomi's pain and grief today. Tsige is one of them.
On 17 July 2002, a vicious mob surrounded Tsige's home in the Ethiopian town of Merawi. Although reluctant to leave her husband, Dantew, and their two sons, Tsige slipped out of the back door and ran to the police station.
To her dismay, she found it unmanned. She ran through the streets in near hysteria, desperately looking for someone who could help.
Tsige searched in vain. Shortly after she'd fled the house, the attackers broke in, and attacked Dantew with an axe.
With his two gaping wounds bleeding, Dantew's life slowly ebbed away through the night as his two sons watched, helpless, while the mob kept them trapped in the house.
Still today, Tsige wrestles with the memories of that terrible night:
"God should have taken me, not him" she says, her eyes swimming with tears.
In her distress, Tsige is grateful that Open Doors teams have been on hand to bring her comfort and counsel.
Unending ordeal
Sister Siham from Jordan is another Christian widow whose ordeal seems unending.
Since her husband's death in 1994, Siham has been threatened with losing custody of her children. She's been told to hand them over to an estranged relative for them to be raised as Muslims.
Siham's legal battle continues. Meanwhile, she and the children move in and out of hiding, for fear of being torn apart.
Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to use the Open Doors' family in the same way that he used Ruth in Naomi's life – to bring comfort, hope and encouragement to Christian widows around the world.
|
