GIVING HOPE TO MARGINALIZED SINGLE MOTHERS IN KIGALI RWANDA

By Prof. Lois Semenye May 22, 2025

What an amazing sight to see these elderly women jumping up and dancing vigorously to the glory of God! They wore colorful dresses and looked content, but beneath their smiles you get to hear their stories about how they have been abused, rejected, used and oppressed by so called ‘husbands’.

I was privileged to hear from one woman who shared her story. This woman has three children from three different men. Each of these men used and mistreated her. Because she didn’t learn from the encounter with the first man, she later fell prey to mistreatment from two more. The reason she continued in that vicious circle was because of poverty. She needed food, shelter and love, and these needs were not only for herself but for the increasing number of children she had from relationships with these men. Their need for survival kept growing, and a feeling of hopelessness continued to enslave her.

Who can rescue such a person? Only God can. He does it in His way, and most often through His people!

This lady was invited to a church called ‘Come and See’ by Pastor Beatrice Kanziga. Because Beatrice came from a poor background, she was able to identify with the needs and challenges of these women. She started visiting these vulnerable women who were deserted by their husbands. They were poor women and some were now prostitutes. Her compassion did not stop with these mothers, but she cared deeply about their children too. God’s calling for her to reach out was further confirmed by the dream she had of feeding these kids with porridge who were suffering from malnutrition. In the dream she saw a message on the wall about bringing hope to them.

However, because Beatrice lacked ability and means to help these women and their children herself, she began asking church members for bananas and flour to feed the kids on Saturdays. Later she mobilized her friends and church members to bring books and raise money for the kids’ school fees. She praised the Lord as she said, “This year I have seen the hand of God. The kids have had two semesters of school fees fully paid and we are trusting God to provide for their third semester fees. We are also able to give them balanced food each Saturday.”

Beatrice has become a channel through which God’s hope is spreading in many ways. She teaches these women and children the ways of God and visits them in their homes. Some of the mothers who were suicidal cases have changed and now have hope. They have also learned good nutrition, and their children are in the local schools. Beatrice now meets with them on Saturdays to disciple them. Transformation is happening and big changes are taking place in their lives as Beatrice and her helpers reach out, relying upon the grace of God.

However, there are still many challenges confronting her. There are now over 55 families who are involved. Beatrice dreams of having a hall for this ministry and a place where the

women can have enough room to sew. Currently she has five sewing machines, but they do not have a place where these ladies can sew and sell what they are producing.

God has been gracious to Beatrice as she sensed that God was asking her to step out and help these women and children. Her story reminds me that all of us can impact the lives of vulnerable people in whatever place the Lord has put us. Indeed, it is not what we do not have that matters but what is in our hands, for the Lord can use it for His glory (Exodus 4:2). The little in our hands can bring real hope to hopeless people! What do you have in your hands that you can surrender to God’s use?

Reflection Questions:

This story highlights well what is often happening in initial stages of development work with vulnerable and marginalized women.

1. What do you see in Beatrice’s initial response and attitude that you admire?

2. At what points in this story could Beatrice have become discouraged and decided to not get involved?

3. How did God provide when Beatrice did not have the resources to help?

4. What might be important for Beatrice and her friends to understand or be thinking about for the next phase as this work with vulnerable women and children begins to expand and grow?

5. What lessons can you learn from this story that might be important for you to remember?