Will You Help the Widow?

The word of God reads, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  James 1:27  I always liked that verse, but I never saw it lived out until I went to Haiti in December of 2013. One day I was sitting with some of my friends in Haiti and my friend Wilfrid was working on his computer.  As many people know, I'm very inquisitive so I asked what he was working on.  Wilfrid began to tell me stories about widows in their community.  He told me about women who were struggling everyday to care for their families.  The more he shared, the more my heart wept.

One story stood out to me in particular; it was a story of a woman I will call *Laura.  Laura was a mother of 3 children and she was all alone.  Laura was struggling to feed her family and her home was insufficient to protect her children.  It was a home made of straw and sticks.  It was perfect for the sun, but horrible for the rain.  When it rains, it rains in her home; sadly, on the nights it rains she has to hold her children.  Wilfrid informs me that sometimes, and especially during rainy season, she has to hold them all night.

I was confused.  I said, "What do you mean?  What do you mean she has to hold her children?"  Wilfrid responded, "It is raining, so she has to hold the children."  I still didn't get it.  I asked, "It rains, right?"  "Right."  "And, the rain leaks into her home?" "Right."  "Why is she holding the children."  I'm sure Wilfrid was wondering why I was asking the same question over and over again.  So I asked him again, "So, what does she do?  Does she put out buckets and bowls to catch the water?"  He said, "No, the buckets and bowls will not help her.  The rain is pouring in her house.  She has to stand in the corner of the house to keep from getting soaked.  The floor is dirt and it is muddy.  During rainy season, she and her kids may have to stand up all night.  She will have to hold the small children all night in her arms."  I answered, "What do  you mean, all night?"  Wilfrid responded, "All night." 

My friend Wilfrid went on to tell me that many widows were in the same predicament.  They often come to the church for help with food.  The church helps them with food, but they also want to provide a safe place to for them to live.  Many of the women have not finished their education and the young women would like to.  They desperately want to provide for their families.  The ministry I serve with in Haiti is working everyday to BE the Body of Christ; the Church of Jesus.  Will you help me, help them?  Will you partner with them to help the widows?  Will you be the hands and feet of Jesus?  If so, please send me a message or comment and I'll provide more information.  Or, feel free to visit their website at www.gvcm.org.  Thank you and may God bless you!!!

*Name changed to protect identity.

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