Not Alone

In the months after Amina’s husband left her, she and her three children lived on scraps of food. Without an income of any kind, she was thankful for the food distribution at a nearby church that a friend told her about. One week, after standing in the crowd outside the Adventist church waiting for the monthly distribution, she found herself wondering why Christians would even care.

She decided to find out. She asked the man who seemed to be in charge if she could join the group that  met in the church each week. Like any pastor, he was delighted to welcome her. She began attending faithfully and participating in the Bible studies. She will never be the same. “Their kindness to me when I had so many needs has transformed my life” she explained to a new friend as she beamed in anticipation of being baptized.

But it hasn’t happened yet. Amina abruptly stopped attending the weekly study. Nobody saw her at the food distributions even. But word came back to the pastor that her husband had suddenly reappeared and, on learning that she had been studying the Bible, had threatened her life.  

For right now her story may appear paused, but God knows where she is. She is not alone.