Remember

We've been doing a lot of remembering recently. Hearing widows share
their past is difficult because it leads them to a place of pain and
grief, to vivid images and to memories. Remembering isn't easy. But
hearing how their lives were in comparison to how they are now, because
of Christ, is powerful. Hearing again and again how great the
transformation has been. We've been listening to widows cry as they
speak about life before. Before someone extended a hand of grace, before
they experienced what it meant to be transformed and loved no matter
what, before....Many of those who are brought to tears speak about war
breaking out in their country, their husband dying, and being left with
six children. Instead of finding support she finds herself the victim of
her in-laws as they claim her possessions as their own, destroy her
home, raping her and then leaving her diseased. This is the moment where
remembering makes you sick. Where all you can do is pass the kleenex.
Then comes my favorite part, the part where she talks about how God is
using the body of Christ to heal her wounds. How she is beginning to
understand only Christ can make her whole. Where she finds her value and
identity in Him. That though she may have AIDS and  will still be alone
while having to feed six children she has hope. Christ has redeemed her
and restored her, His love has claimed her. She still lives in an unjust
world but now she has a home, her children go to school, she can afford
to buy clothes and eat food, better food (not just beans and potatoes).
She has been transformed by the work of the Lord, through the body of
Christ, through Sister Connection. Somewhere in the middle of
remembering the pain was replaced with hope. It's beautiful really to
see how God chooses to use pain to show his power and glory, he could
leave her there diseased and broken but he didn't-He saw her, He
remembered her.
www.sisterconnection.org