I (Karen) want to introduce you to a woman that faces a struggle as a christian like no other believers in our church. She is a widow with three children. She has been a widow for several years and has a desire to marry once again. Her family is also wanting her to be married, because for this culture, it is a shame to not be married. The job of a woman in this culture is to be married, birth children, cook, clean, draw water and care for her husband and family. In their beliefs, there is no other purpose for women. Women are to do everything for her husband and his mom. However, for this christian woman her desire to be married is not solely based on her culture. She is forming a new culture in her faith. Her desire to be married is to serve her husband in a Godly way and to have a partner in this life. She seeks to be married to a christian man.
The problem she faces is finding a christian man. There have been many men that have come seeking her for a wife, some for their second, third or even fourth wife, but all are non-believers. Currently, she has one man, an unbeliever, that has come to her family to ask permission to marry her. If her family would accept this proposal she will then need to spend a week with the man and act as husband and wife for him to see if he still wants her. If they would end up being married, this woman would have no choice in her life. If he would want to do a ceremony to an idol, she would have to cook for it. If he beats her or her children, she cannot say anything about it. If he would decide she cannot attend church or talk about her faith, she would need to be obedient.
This woman has been asking for prayer for this situation. She does not want to be married to this person. Her prayer is for her family to not accept his proposal. I have read scripture with her and we have talked in depth about what Christ asks of her life. She has been begging me not to forget to pray for her. There are no christian men in our church that she could marry. She is losing hope that she will ever get to marry a christian man. I have repeatedly encouraged her telling her that God will bring someone when He wants her to be married. She asks us all to pray that God will answer this prayer.
I share this with you so you can understand just a little bit about what people here face, but also to ask you to join us with praying for her. We believe that God cares about everything, even bringing her a husband. Please pray for this woman that her faith will remain strong and she will not doubt God’s faithfulness. Please pray that God will bring a christian man into her life.
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