Mary and her children—Reuben (at right), Nancy and baby Macy—are getting started on their new life with help from the Widows & Abandoned Women Ministry
Orphan Love…and Loss
A young widow starts her new life with help from sponsors
Dear Friends,
Growing up together in an orphanage in Myanmar, Mary and Win eventually fell in love and married as adults. Win became a missionary to people in his own country, and God blessed them with three children—Reuben, Nancy and Macy. Life was difficult without an extended family to lean upon, but they managed to get along.
That was until Win, age 33, became ill and died last November from kidney and liver failure. That left Mary a widow at 29, and left her and their three children—ages 6, 4, and 3 months—with no financial support.
Women in Myanmar (Burma) are generally housewives and mothers, and if their spouses leave by way of death or abandonment, they struggle deeply to care for their families. If they remarry, their new husbands may not accept her children, which can then cause their children to endure abuse, abandonment, or a new life in an orphanage—compounding their grief.
Mary’s story is different, thanks to caring donors to the Widows & Abandoned Women Ministry. While Mary is working through her grief, a Heaven’s Family partner is helping support her family emotionally, teaching her how to budget her limited funds wisely, and working with her to find a job or start a small business to help her family become self-sufficient.
Our partner, Ni Ni, with Mary and Macy
In addition, Mary is being mentored by a group of Christian women who meet weekly to pray, fast and study God’s Word. They also go out into the community to minister to others.
We have wonderful Heaven’s Family supporters who have generously committed to helping Mary until she’s able to start supporting herself, and for them, we are very grateful. Thank you for keeping Mary and the Widows & Abandoned Women Ministry in your prayers!
Blessings,
Bruce and Patty Harris
Directors, Widows & Abandoned Women Ministry
