Sarah is just eighteen years old. She was born and raised in Rwanda. As a child she dealt with her parents and brother being killed as a result of the Rwandan genocide. Shortly thereafter a local church took her in, along with her younger sister. Because of this church Sarah learned about Jesus and accepted Him as her Lord and Savior.
Despite the circumstances, things were good.
Until three months ago when Sarah‘s world was turned upside down.
Sarah met a man, twenty years her senior. He promised to send her younger sister to school and to take care of the two of them. Both desperate and naïve, Sarah married the man. Shortly after the wedding things changed. Her husband became incredibly abusive; branding her, beating her, and threatening to kill her. Sarah also found out that he is a devout Muslim. He forced her to partake in the religion and forbade her from going to church or reading the Bible. She snuck to church one time and upon finding out, he threatened to kill her. He also has another wife who is deeply involved in voodoo and witchcraft and has threatened spells upon Sarah.
Sarah has spent the last three months of her life trapped in fear and anxiety so intense it’s hard to even begin to comprehend it.
Despite the threats of her husband she came to church yesterday. It was her first time to Deliverance Church and it just so happened to be the only service in town we were running. My God is a God of pursuit and love. He would stop the world to chase just one. Yesterday He was chasing Sarah.
Through a translator we sat and listened to her for hours as she told us her story of heartache and deceit. Tears streamed down this young girls’ face as she recounted her losses to a group of people she didn’t even know.
Tears streamed down her face again as she recommitted her life to the Lord. In an instant I saw shame, guilt, heartache and pain fall off of Sarah. I saw a girl full of fear and trepidation come alive in Jesus before my very eyes.
After she went home we took turns praying through the night for our new friend and sister. We pleaded with the Lord to protect her and keep her safe. We covered her with the Blood of Jesus and asked God to send down legions of angels on her behalf.
By ten in the morning she was on our doorstep. Her husband had left for work and she made her way to us. She seemed uneasy, afraid, and hesitant to proceed with our plan. At her request Drea and I escorted her to the hospital to get a pregnancy test done. She said if she was pregnant she would have an abortion. We prayed some more.
Negative. Praise the Lord.
The minute we found out the good news she was ecstatic. She became affectionate, talkative, and excited. She said she was going home to pack her things so she could leave to go back to Rwanda. Within an hour she was back at our house. Brave and ready for her journey ahead. I sat with her and held her hand as Stacy packed her food for the expedition. Phone calls were made and logistics were worked out.
By three o’clock this afternoon she was in a safe taxi with people we trust on her way to Kampala. On her way to freedom. On her way to living again.
It’s been eight hours since we sent Sarah off in that taxi; Swahili Bible and group picture in hand. I will probably never see her again, but under my mosquito net I can sleep comfortably tonight knowing that she is safe.
