Mary, a widow in Liberia who is in her 70s, has walked a difficult road, filled with more heartache than most of us can imagine. In a region where fear, superstition, and evil practices are rampant, 11 of her 12 children died at the hands of people involved in witchcraft. Since the end of Liberia’s civil war in 2003, Mary has not seen her twelfth child, a daughter. She does not know if she is still alive.
Then another sorrow struck. Her husband became ill and died, leaving her alone. It was then that Mary found God. Though Mary lost almost everything this world could take, she now possessed something that could never be stolen—a deep, abiding love for Jesus Christ.
A CAM staff member visited Mary in her small tin house. It was dark, except for the rusted-through areas in her roof, where light shone in. He noticed the dirt floor and the piece of foam that serves as her bed. Despite her age, Mary walks an hour to get water for cooking, drinking, and bathing.
Mary earns about $1.10 per week, selling brooms she makes from palm trees. This meager income is barely enough to cover her basic necessities. With no living relatives or family that she knows of, she has no one to look after her. “It’s just God and me,” Mary said. “I trust God to help me meet my daily needs of survival.” She continued, “I love to talk to God all the day, because God is the only one who understands and can help.”
When Mary received a Support-A-Widow food parcel, she said, “Thank you for helping me! I pray to God that the donor is blessed who helped me out of despair.”
If you wish to help support and encourage widows and abandoned wives through the gift of a food parcel please click Donate to give a gift.
