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As I tried to help the women relate this story to their lives
today, Elvira said, "I have a testimony to share." She
told how some years ago when her three children were small and
her husband was in the United States and she didn’t know
whether he was dead or alive, she had no food to feed her children.
She gathered them around the empty table and told them there was
no food but that they would pray and ask God to help them. When
they finished praying, there was a knock at the door, and when
she opened the door she saw a neighbor, holding a large pot of
food. The neighbor asked if she would like this food for her family,
a huge pot of chicken and rice! Elvira could hardly believe this
answer to her prayer and as she served the food to her children,
there was another knock at the door, another neighbor bringing
tamales and cheese! Elvira firmly believes that God supplied her
needs just as God provided for the widow, her son, and Elijah.
Her faith strengthens my faith!
In this same workshop, I had the women work in four small groups
to answer some questions about the Scripture passage. One question
asked, "Where was God in this story?" The first three
groups all answered, "God was in Elijah, the prophet."
I had hoped that someone would see that God was also in and with
the widow. The fourth group’s answer was "God was in
the widow and in the abundance of food God provided!" I had
not thought of God in the food, a new and welcome insight for
me and a new and deeper understanding of Scripture for the women.
As I rode the bus home after the workshop, tired in body but
refreshed in spirit, I thanked God for these women whose faith
and lives are a living testimony to me of the faithfulness and
love of God.
Ellen H. Dozier
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 242
Contributions to help continue this ministry with the women
of Guatemala may be sent to: Central Receiving Service, Section
300, Louisville, KY 40289. Write the title ("With the Women
of Guatemala") and the ECO number (#051618) on the subject
line of the check and put it on your cover letter, too. Send
a copy of the cover letter to the Area Office for Latin America
at 100 Witherspoon St. Louisville, KY 40202-1396.
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