"Would you like a cup of tea, Trishan?" Aunt Savitri asked me. "No, thanks." As usual, I was sitting at the table. The bowl of Indian rice pudding sat untouched in front of me. I stared out of the windows in front of me but I wasn't seeing what was there. My mind was elsewhere. …
Widows
Photo by Benjamin Lehman on Pexels.com "Honor widows who have no other family members to care for them. A woman who has no other family members to care for her and who is left all alone has placed her hope in God and devotes herself to petitions and prayers night and day." I TIMOTHY 5:3, 5, …
Glorify God
Acts 9:36-42 God’s purpose is to bless us. Our purpose in life is to glorify Him. When we glorify God, we are celebrating whom He truly is. We glorify God with all that we have—our time, talents, finances, etc. Tabitha had time. Part of glorifying God is impacting other people’s lives. Tabitha used her time …
Simple Eyes
Your eye is the lamp of your body - Luke 11:34, NIV We met in Rafiki's training village in Rwanda. There are ten villages and each one provides living and educational facilities through Bible Study, Education, Teacher Training, Orphan Care, and Widows. Rafiki means "friend" in Swahili. The organization befriends orphans and widows in …
The Widow
Woman, widow, mother, poor, invisible, substandard. Unloved, neglected, shamed. Blamed for her husband's death. Alienated by his family. Believed to be cursed. Life for a widow in her society is tough, unsympathetic and unbearable. Suicide seemed to be the only relief and release from the pain but God had other plans. He sent three female …
When Sister Mary Prays
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice - Psalm 55:17 Nothing is more powerful than prayer. Sister Mary knows that and that is why she is such a prayer warrior. After meeting Jesus more than 10 years ago, Sister Mary has shared His love …
Forsaken and Abandoned
A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation - Psalm 68:5 It's heartbreaking to see how widows are treated in South Asia. They don't receive the care, love or support that widows in North America do. Instead they are blamed for their husbands' deaths and abandoned by their families. A …
A Sewing Machine
And let your widows trust in Me - Jeremiah 49:11b I had an aunt who used to sew on the side and a co-worker who sews her own tops and dresses. My mother had a sewing machine but I don't remember seeing her use it. Growing up it never occurred to me to learn how to sew. I …
Three Miles for Water
Imagine walking three miles each day to collect water and the only water available is in filthy ponds or lakes. This water is contaminated with waterborne illnesses but these women have no choice. They don't have indoor plumbing. They don't have the privilege of filling pots with water from the kitchen sink and using that …
In Need of Prayers
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge - Proverbs 14:26. The earthquake in Nepal left more than rubble in its wake. It left heartbreak, loss and uncertainty. When I look at Drastaa's weathered face, I see unimaginable pain and devastation. I see someone …
Notes to Women 