Pastor Surin noticed a woman sitting among the congregation as he led the Sunday worship service—the same woman who had been wandering around the village for some time. She was crazy, people said.
Now, for the second week in a row, she had come to Pastor Surin’s church. He decided he needed to meet her.
Unraveling a Painful Story
As Pastor Surin carefully listened, he learned this woman, Mysie, wasn’t crazy; she just lived a difficult life. Mysie explained she was a widow and had no friends or family nearby. Filled with compassion, Pastor Surin encouraged her with the promise that God cares for the poor and brokenhearted. She had come to the right place, he told her. But Pastor Surin still didn’t know the extent of Mysie’s hardships.
Over the next few weeks, Pastor Surin continued to see Mysie wandering the village. When he asked Mysie where she lived, she unraveled more of her painful story: Her husband’s family had despised her, and after he died, they chased her out of the house. She had a daughter, but Mysie lost contact with her after the young woman ran away to elope.
Mysie had no place to live; she slept wherever she could. She earned a little money by finding daily labor work, and when she couldn’t find work, she begged for food.
The tragedies Mysie had experienced stunned Pastor Surin. He began to pray for the woman to know and understand her Creator’s love for her. He also prayed for a way to help her.
Widow Finds Friendship, Transformation
Pastor Surin often offered Mysie food, and he encouraged her with the words of Scripture. Soon, when members of his congregation learned about Mysie’s situation, they also looked for ways to help her.
Mysie’s story of being disowned by her family burdened the heart of Pastor Surin’s brother, Mahruy, and drove him to action. He built a two-room mud house for Mysie on his land. Now, after months of wandering, this widow had a place to rest, a place to call home! The love and compassion shown by Pastor Surin, Mahruy and the other believers overwhelmed Mysie. Although her own family had rejected her, she was now treated as a family member by the believers.
She wanted to know more about the God who displayed such kindness and acceptance through His children; she spent time with the women of the church and joined them for prayer and Bible study.
Through all of this, the love of Christ transformed Mysie’s heart. Now she knows His perfect peace and love, and she rejoices in Him as an active member of the church. Because Christ showed her compassion through His Body, this widow’s story is now a story of hope. Mysie has decided to worship Jesus, the God who redeemed her life, for the rest of her days.
Read how God saved another widow from death through a believer’s prayer.
