I was going through my drafts recently, and I came across something I wrote for International…

I was going through my drafts recently, and I came across something I wrote for International Widows Day in 2022, for the NGO I volunteer for. I’m dropping it here again because it is just as important in 2024.

INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAY 2022: INVISIBLE WOMEN, INVISIBLE PROBLEMS.

They say that life is meant to be enjoyed, and not endured. We pick our partners and get married, hoping to enjoy many years of bliss and excitement, and long-lasting bonds with our spouses and children but sometimes, life has other plans.

Here, in Africa, many women who lose their husbands don't just lose their significant other, they lose their homes, properties, voices and representation. Some women go through the worst forms of degradation and ridicule. In fact, in Nigeria, there are over 8 million disadvantaged widows.

It is difficult to identify with something you've never experienced, but these widows are our mothers, sisters, daughters, neighbours and friends.

Losing a partner is a painful experience all on its own, but to bear the loss of a loved one whilst struggling with scorn, hatred and rejection is a terrible place to be.

The 23rd of June is International Widows Day. A day set apart by the UN to let people all over the world know and understand the struggles of widows. This year, 2022, the theme is Invisible women, Invisible problems. It highlights all the struggles that indigent and even some well-to-do widows suffer.

Today, we celebrate women all over the world who despite the pain, trials and suffering, keep pushing and trying, striving to be seen, heard, survive, and thrive.

This is a gentle reminder to care for and stand up for the widows around you going through tough times. Don’t be a part of their problems. Every body deserves a chance and widows are no exception. We should raise their hands and help them experience the true meaning of this igbo proverb, echi di ime (which literally means tomorrow is pregnant). Yes! We should help them understand that the past must not affect what the future brings.

We care about the struggles and problems you go through, and God cares too. He has promised in His Word to never leave nor forsake us, and especially now, when things are terrible and scary, we want to remind you of His unconditional and never-ending love.

Your fears and worries, your concerns on how to navigate parenting alone, what your children will turn out to be, what your fate will be, and how you are going to survive, are all valid. God is going to take care of you, now and always. You don't have to be alone anymore, John 16:13, Psalm 32:8.

You are not invisible or forgotten, Isa. 62:4. You are special and important. You occupy a place in this world that is yours alone. You are seen, and your lights will shine like a city on a hill, a beacon of hope to others who are going through similar pains and struggles, and like Job, your end will be far greater than your beginning.

Courtesy: Bridge of Mercy Foundation.