Portraits of Healing

Through Bible-based trauma healing, widows in Rwanda bring their grief to Jesus and find joy in him.

“If my troubles and griefs were
weighed on scales, they would
weigh more than the sands of
the sea.” Job 6:1-2

Bernadette Mukamana was silent for more than two years. When she lost her husband, she shut down. Overwhelmed with grief, she separated herself from everyone—including her own children. She didn’t believe anyone else could understand, let alone help her move through her sorrow.

One day, however, a fellow widow named Apollonia Mukandamage visited Bernadette, prayed with her, and read to her from the book of Job in the Bible.

Like Job, Bernadette has known extreme loss. Like Job, Bernadette has cried out to God, asking him to meet her in her pain. In Job’s expressions of grief, Bernadette saw her own sorrow.

And then Bernadette heard the loving promise that God gave to Job: “Is there any place where God’s light does not shine?” (Job 25:3). That was a glimmer of hope. For the first time since losing her husband, Bernadette felt less alone. Maybe the God of the Bible is with me too.

Apollonia invited Bernadette to join a Bible-based trauma healing group—a group of widows who meet in Muhanga, Rwanda, to share their grief and loneliness with one another and to apply the stories and truths of Scripture to their sorrow.

In Bible-based trauma healing groups, widows come face to face with Jesus. And he, our ultimate healer, meets them in their grief. Because of your support, Bible-based healing groups all across Rwanda and Africa and the globe are helping individuals from war-torn and desperate regions rediscover the hope of Christ.

Because of your support, people are learning their story doesn’t have to end with trauma.

Because of your support, widows in Muhanga are learning that God is near to them in their suffering.

You can share the hope of God’s Word with hurting people in Rwanda and around the world. Visit ABSRecord.com/Bibles

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