by Adena Wildman
28 September 2011
In our fallen world, everybody suffers, but someone has remarked that “it is God’s people alone for whom suffering brings the outrageous opportunity for both temporary and eternal benefit. Indeed, it is in the context of suffering that God’s redemption work can be powerfully experienced” (Tender Care, p 146). What a remarkable perspective! Recently we have watched God’s people have the “opportunity” to experience suffering.
- Christian Nigerian widows and their mentors. To be a widow in Nigeria can mean losing your home, your primary means of support and retirement, and perhaps your children to the father’s family. Some EMS (the national missionary arm of ECWA, SIM’s primary church partner) widows lose their husbands because of their Christian testimony. I recently visited Samaru Widows' School near Jos where dozens of Christian widows are training in Biblical studies and life skills to help them support themselves and their children. Two SIM missionary sisters live there to train and teach. It’s not an easy location, especially when civil unrest erupts in nearby towns. It was a privilege to visit with these sisters as well as meet with the teenage daughter of one of the widows who is continuing to recover from a traumatic experience during the post-election violence.
- Alex, the Nigerian “father” of the boys at Transition House (former street boys) and his wife eagerly anticipated the arrival of their first child after nine years of waiting and praying. She died 15 minutes after delivering their beautiful baby girl.
- A number of our friends and supporters are going through cancer treatment. One of our home church pastors is experiencing over-the-top levels of back pain.
- Our Nigerian brothers and sisters challenge us with their resilience as they face repeated civil unrest. Sometimes people suffer simply because they are in the wrong place, and sometimes it’s directly linked to their identity as Christians. Sunday night a bomb exploded in a Jos neighborhood. Amazingly the number of casualties was very low.
Trauma Healing Workshops
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Adena Wildman with women at a destroyed church location |
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One of the ways local churches in
Crisis Partnership Program Committee hope to come alongside those who are suffering is to hold
Trauma Healing Workshops. During this weekend event, church members and leaders will consider from a Biblical perspective such topics as,
If God is good, why does He allow suffering? How can our hearts be healed? What happens when someone grieves? and
Forgiveness.
Helping Christians deal with their own issues will free them to reach out to Muslim neighbors. We hope to follow the model of this weekend trauma workshop in other affected churches.
PRAY
- that God will use these uncertain times to strengthen His people and that they will powerfully experience His redemptive work in the midst of suffering.
- for our committee as we organize the Trauma Workshops and look for ways to come alongside. First workshop: 21-22 October 2011.
- for Agnes, a widow whose husband became a martyr when he refused to deny Jesus during post-election violence in April 2011. Our committee arranged trauma debrief for her and four of her boys. She has now returned to her village and is receiving help to complete their house and for the children’s education.
- for stamina, perspective, and wisdom for us as missionaries living alongside our Nigerian brothers and sisters.
Thank you! We could not do this without your prayers.
BBC News: Jos Unrest: More than 1000 killed in the past two years
