The widows of Miango still cling to Christ

“They always ask for prayer for their faith. That Christ would give them the strength to forgive when it gets hard, and that they would lean on him to help them navigate their daily trauma… none of them would say they’d rely on their own strength.”

The women can feel abandoned in the aftermath of the violence, which is why these outreaches matter. Where they may feel forgotten in their suffering, their brothers and sisters in Christ stand with them, honouring their dignity and reminding them of their worth.

The aftermath of the attacks continues to shape every part of the women’s lives. They’re grieving and navigating the challenges of rebuilding. In some cases, relatives reclaim their husband’s property and possessions, leaving them with almost nothing. Some have been forced to make painful decisions, such as placing their children in the City Ministries children’s home because they can no longer afford to care for them. But as Dominique describes it, they continue with the daily reality of “getting on with it”.

Many widows have no way to support their families. Without money for food, school fees or medical care, some mothers make the difficult decision to place their children in Christian children’s homes, where they can receive daily meals, education and care.

One of those children is Elizabeth*.

Dominique first met Elizabeth through the children’s home before meeting her mother in Miango. Elizabeth’s father was killed in one of the attacks, leaving her mother unable to provide for all five of her children.

“Through the church, God has made a way,” Dominique says. “Elizabeth is being cared for, and her mum knows she’s safe.”

“It can feel like there’s no justice,” Dominique reflects. “That people are being left to suffer.” But what takes Dominique aback is that, when asked how people can pray for and support them, the women often ask first for their spiritual needs rather than their material ones.

“They always ask for prayer for their faith. That Christ would give them the strength to forgive when it gets hard, and that they would lean on him to help them navigate their daily trauma… none of them would say they’d rely on their own strength,” she says.

Witnessing their faith has also encouraged Dominique. Despite the suffering she has seen, she has been reminded of the power of prayer. “Prayer is our greatest weapon,” she says.

“Through the church, God has made a way.”

For the widows, their faith and their clinging to Christ are what help them endure each day. Their faith does not erase the pain, but it gives them strength to keep trusting Christ in the midst of it.

When she hugs the women, many respond with the same words: “It’s such an encouragement to know that you care about us and you’re praying for us.”

For Dominique, those moments have become a picture of what it means to belong to the body of Christ. Reflecting on Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12, that “if one part suffers, every part suffers with it,” her work reminds her that, as followers of Jesus, we all have a responsibility to share in the joys and sufferings of our brothers and sisters. As members of one body in Christ, Dominique believes Christians around the world are called not to look away.

On the surface, they don’t have much in common. Dominique is from England, while many of the women are farmers raising families in rural Nigeria.

“I haven’t lived through what they’ve lived through,” she says. “But when I hug them I’m reminded, ‘You’re my sister in Christ.’”

*Names changed.