“There is nobody to help me,” Maina said. “I have no strength.” Ladies from a Women’s Fellowship listened intently as Maina shared her hardships of being ill.
Left Alone to Suffer
A year had gone by since doctors told Maina that she had a tumor in her stomach. She did what she could to survive amid her pain, but Maina was all alone. Her husband passed away three years prior. No one else was there, not even her own daughter, to care for her. Maina was left to deal with the suffering and financial burdens of this illness on her own.
During that time, she thought to herself that at least she could pray and sacrifice to the deities she was taught to trust all her life. So Maina prayed, sacrificed and prayed again to her deities. She had complete faith that she would see them come through for her and heal her body. But after a while, as the pain continued, she began to lose heart. It seemed that her cries to her deities were in vain. Feeling abandoned, Maina eventually gave up on them.
Compassion from New Friends
One afternoon, Maina sat outside of her house to get some fresh air. During that time, a few ladies from a nearby Women’s Fellowship passed by Maina’s small home. Laboni, the leader of the fellowship, and two friends who were with her saw Maina sitting in her front yard looking alone and depressed.
Moved with compassion, they went to her and asked, “What happened? Why are you so sad?”
Maina hadn’t expected company that afternoon, but she felt at ease to speak of her struggles and said, “I have been suffering from a tumor for the last one year, but there is nobody to help me to get healed from my pain, and I am unable to eat or work. I have no strength.”
Laboni and her friends began to offer words of comfort and assurance. After hearing Maina was alone, Laboni said, “Jesus loves you.”
These words touched Maina’s hopeless heart. It was the first time since her husband died that she truly felt loved. To think there was a God who loved her filled Maina’s heart with joy. Laboni and the sisters knelt and prayed for Maina, and the peace that surpasses all understanding filled Maina’s heart as she believed in Jesus.
No Longer Alone
In the months that followed the first encounter with the Women’s Fellowship, Maina slowly recovered from her illness. She has communion with Jesus and new friends to help her through life’s difficulties. Laboni and her friends visited Maina once a week to encourage her. Now, she is growing in the Lord and regularly attends prayer meetings with the Women’s Fellowship and church services.
Read more on how Women’s Fellowships are impacting the lives of women across Asia.
It is wonderful what happened with this lady. These missionaries disciple are doing a beautiful job of being the eyes, the feet, and the hands of Jesus Christ on earth. God bless them for ever.
Praise God!
Praise God for His faithful love and healing grace!! We must offer Him our thanksgiving by returning this gesture of hope and love through sharing His Word with others who are waiting to know Him!
May God continue to bless, protect and provide for all the Gospel of Asia Missionairies and their families, as they accept the Lord’s calling over their lives, to bring the Gospel to those in need!! May all of us do our part to support them with our support, financial contributions and prayers…in the most Holy name of Jesus I pray, Amen!