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Dear brothers and sisters, today we are talking about the first project of the Stephanus Mission: the "Widows and Orphans" project.
Most of us are familiar with the well-known passage from the Bible in James 1:27: “The true and undefiled godliness in the sight of God the Father is to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” The Luther and Elberfeld translations use the term “worship” instead of “piety.” We primarily associate the word “worship” with a gathering in the church. Here, however, James is addressing our practical actions. For example, he writes earlier that we cannot serve God if we do not bridle our tongues. And before that, he emphasizes that we should be not only hearers but also doers of the word.
This brings us to our topic. A person who has lost their spouse, and their children as well, need special attention. Action is required. In the Bible, we read that God has a special eye for widows and orphans. In Psalm 68:6, we read that God is a father to the orphans and an advocate for widows. God cares especially for these people.
A brother, himself a half-orphan since early childhood, told me how God had especially helped and protected his mother. When she was summoned to the village chief because her daughter refused to become a Pioneer, he threatened to take her children away if they didn't join the Pioneers. On top of that, she was forced to sign a document stating that no more church services would be held in her home. Coerced, she signed. On her way home, she realized what she had just done. She felt as if she had betrayed God, wept bitterly, and felt deep remorse.
Since her sister was dying at that time, she went to her, cared for her, and shortly afterward another visitor arrived: a sister who was a vessel. During the prayer, God spoke through this sister: “I see your heart and all your worries. But I have protected your house with my presence, so that no one can enter. No one! [Meaning none of the Communists.] Trust me! I have seen everything, and I do not hold it against you.”
That very evening and night, the widow had to work. Meanwhile, the congregation gathered again in their house, which was located in the heart of the village. Their faith in God was very strong back then. And indeed, the church services held in their house were never, not once, discovered! Of course, there were always challenges. Sometimes there was already snow on the ground, and they had no hay, no fodder for the animals. The mother would gather her children and weep and pray to God. And what happened? The next morning, there was a large haystack in the yard. God had used someone from the congregation during the night to help this family. The children often experienced God answering their prayers in this or similar ways. The congregation, especially the youth, often supported this family.
Brothers and sisters, we must understand that God cares for widows and orphans in a special way, but He needs people to do this! How sad it is when God gives us the opportunity to help, yet we refuse to take advantage of it!
We can help in various ways:
- We can pray for widows and orphans.
- We should make sure that they are not overlooked, but that they are invited and visited.
- If widows and orphans have other family members, we may encourage them to recognize and fulfill their responsibilities from the Lord – and support them in doing so.
- We are encouraged to visit widows. They may be lonely and miss the Christian fellowship outside of church services. They may have questions about God's Word that they cannot ask anyone else. They may also need practical help with matters that were previously handled by their spouse.
- We can also regularly invite widows and orphans to our home.
- If we get the impression that a widow or orphan lacks financial resources, we can speak to the brothers who are responsible for managing material possessions. We ourselves may feel called upon to give money, etc. However, we should do this in such a way that the recipient does not know where the money comes from. Our experience shows that such a "hidden" approach is an encouragement for a widow, but at the same time does not make her dependent on any one person; she can accept the money as a gift from the Lord.
While widows and orphans are more financially secure today than in James's time, this is not always the case. The situation is particularly problematic abroad. Here in Germany, widows and orphans usually need spiritual and moral support, while abroad they also face financial hardship.
The mission frequently receives requests for urgent assistance. Providing help in such cases is particularly important to the mission, which is why this project is its top priority. Several such aid projects have been carried out in the past. In 2019, for example, 20 refrigerators were distributed to needy widows in Ukraine. It should be noted that only one in ten widows could be provided for.
A widow is happy to receive the much-needed refrigerator.
In 2020, we were contacted by a widow whose husband had suddenly passed away. She lived in the countryside with her children, and since they didn't own a car, she couldn't go shopping, to the doctor, to government offices, or to church. The youngest child was one year old, the oldest 17. In this time of need, God miraculously provided donors who raised exactly the amount needed to purchase a bus. A suitable bench seat was even found to convert the 8-seater into a 9-seater. The bus was shipped from Germany to Ukraine and delivered to the family. Imagine the joy these donations brought to the family!
Last December, two families were involved in an accident, and one of the fathers was killed. Financial assistance was provided in this case as well. In another family in Ukraine, the mother died; the father, an alcoholic, sold everything in the house to satisfy his thirst for alcohol. Five children were left behind and were eventually taken in by their aunt.
Brothers and sisters, this is an urgent problem, and in order to help, the mission needs funds. A financial cushion is especially needed for spontaneous relief efforts. May God touch your hearts and use you in this time of need!
Today we stand on the side of those who give. Who would want to be on the other side? Who would want to be dependent on help and have to ask others for it? Brothers and sisters, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). We are no better than others, but God has given us these resources so that we can help others. So let us fulfill the law of Christ by each of us bearing one another’s burdens (cf. Galatians 6:2).
Tobias Vogel
CDH-Stephanus
More information about the project and the opportunity to donate:
https://cdh-stephanus.org/witwen-und-waisen/