Evelyn was the wife of Pastor William, a large gregarious soul who laughed easily and was carried along by the desperate needs of his congregation in Nchalo.

Pastor William died September 22, 2012 of a heart attack. Evelyn then went with her two children to live with her mother.

Yesterday her mother died. Today as I spoke with her, Evelyn was without hope. Her nearly two year old son continued to nurse even as we spoke. Food is scarce so she continues to feed him.

I spoke of loss and sadness and grief and how it consumes our soul. All she knows is that all hope is gone. The church there can’t support their pastor, much less the wife of their previous pastor.

What will become of her and her children? Time will tell. Perhaps we will help her start a small business. It’s hard to speak hope in the face of such loss.

Philippians 2:27 NIV
[27] Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

May God somehow spare Evelyn more grief and provide for her in ways that renew her heart.