Coming into the race I knew things were going to be hard and that I was going to be surrounded by brokenness but I didn’t know how much it was going to hurt. My heart is broken for my dear sister Mal. Something was different at ministry the day we met. Usually after our program we eat at the church and then go home. After we finished our meal, the pastor’s family and Mal lingered around. We ended up playing some hand games, talking, butchering their local language, looking through their precious family photo albums and just having a good time. We were all laughing so hard.
Later on in the evening Mal shared her story with us. Her husband was abusive. Five months ago he left her, taking along with him their three children, ages 3, 5 and 9. Their father told the kids to never speak to their mother again. She is only 28. She lived with her in-laws but then when her husband left she had to move back in with her parents where she doesn’t even have a bed.
We got to pray over her and speak life into who God says she is as his precious child. We cried and mourned with her. Afterwards she wiped our tears off of our cheeks and told us that she didn’t want us to be sad because she loves seeing us smile. She has cried and been sad every day since her husband took her children away from her but she told us that today was the first time she has felt happy. She kept telling us how grateful she was to have us as new sisters. Mal took me off to her room and dressed me up in her finest saree, just for fun.
I have to believe that this isn’t the end of her story; the Lord still has so much in store for her. Even though we just met, I care for Mal so much and I don’t want her to suffer anymore. Please join me in praying for the Lord to mend her broken heart and to restore his joy and peace in her again. Even in her brokenness she has the most beautiful smile and the world needs to see it again.
