The faces of persecuted Christian women around the world tell a personal story, one of fear and pain. But most of all, they tell us about their hope, their joy, and their peace in Christ. Leonie’s story exemplifies the cost that it took for her to neglect tradition and choose Jesus. Leonie is a widow from the eastern part of the Central African Republic. Her husband was a pastor in a church in Bangassouw. Despite both their families holding fast to traditional beliefs, Leonie’s husband preached against Christians maintaining traditional rituals… not knowing the heartache it would cause his wife later on.
Shunned for not conforming
The area where Leonie and her husband lived was highly affected by the Seleka attacks. Her husband’s body was hypersensitive and unfortunately, due to the stress and uncertainty, he died. He left Leonie behind, who was pregnant with her sixth child. After his death, Leonie decided to return to her husband’s village, seeking help to take care of the children. Due to her faith, she did not shave her head and did not dress in the usual mourning attire as required.
Traditional African rituals
“My arrival was disastrous! As soon as I set foot in the compound, my sister-in-law shouted loud condemnation about the way I looked,” Leonie recalls. She was supposed to go through extensive widowhood rites, which included her not changing her clothes for an entire year, having a ritual bath, not greeting any male person, not eating without her in-laws present, and having her in-laws paying for all her needs while waiting to be married off to another family member. She refused to partake in all that and chose her walk with Jesus instead.
Left all alone
“When I [later] told my sister-in-law that I could not marry her son, she promised to make it like hell for me. She would often tell me, ‘My brother paid your bride price. You ate with him in the days of plenty, but you refuse to mourn him?’” There was no one to support her and because her in-laws feared the curse of their ancestors, it made her life even more difficult. The situation became unbearable and eventually Leonie returned to Bangassouw with her children. Through the local church, Open Doors was able to help rent a house for her, and later she started selling locally made soap and firewood to maintain the rent and make a living for her and her children.
Open Doors stepped in to help
“There is no giving up for me, even though things are not easy for us.
I thank God for using the church to support me. I will never leave Jesus.” Open Doors supports Christian widows and children, like Leonie, who are severely isolated for their faith, reminding them that even though they are persecuted, they are never alone…
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Date published: 21/08/2019
Written by: Open Doors SA
Feature image: © 2019 Open Doors International
Article source: JOY! Magazine
We as Parents are totally againsed this!!!