Dearest friends,
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus our Lord. I hope this finds you all in good shape.
I am writing this to request for your prayers for a woman called Florence and her family. Florence has been a member of our church for a year now, and not so many knew her story until this morning. Her brother has just died and the burial was on Thursday last week. Florence came to me asking if we could give some money towards the burial and this is when she shared her story.
Some people have faced harder trials than others; Florence seems to be one such person.
Florence’s story:
The first born of the five, Florence was born to a crippled mother and an older father. Both parents died when she was about 8 years old and the 3 sisters and brother were much younger. The parents did not have any well known relatives, so Florence and her siblings were, (as we call them in Africa) in a child headed family; where a child is the carer for the other siblings.
The Catholic Church came in a tried to assist by putting some of the children into school. Because life was tough, Florence tried to look for work in order to help her young siblings. She was then deceived by a man who pretended that he was giving her work. He ended up raping her many times at the age of 10.
As a means for security for her and her siblings, Florence decided to marry that man later that year (still aged 10). Four years later, at the age of 14 she gave birth to her first born. Things did not go well with this man and she ran away from him.
The man Florence married next was good to her, but soon after that he became mentally unstable. Despite this, they still live together. However, due to his instability, this man regularly rapes her, even in front of her children. He comes in the night, knocks the door down and breaks in just to rape her. She has given birth to 18 children, which include twins twice. 11 of them are dead. She has 6 living children and one other that has just gone missing.
Florence’s Sisters:
Two of Florence’s sisters were also deceived in a similar way, again at a very young age. A local witch doctor took the girls in as workers but then he also abused them sexually, one at 11years and the other only 9 years old. The old man took them as his wives. (Polygamous relationships are common here) and disappeared with the two girls to Kenya. No one knows where the sisters are and what they are doing now; whether they are alive or if they have had children.
A few years ago, the third sister was married nearby. In 2009 she had a quarrel with the husband and he killed her by decapitation. The man was arrested but Florence does not know whether he is still in jail or not. Florence came back with the late sister’s baby who was five month. The baby died a month later for poor nutrition. She still does not know the condition of their remaining children.
I ask Florence why she did not share about her life story with us before, she turned to me and said ‘’pastor, everyone I tried to share this with never listened. People think I share this so I can get money. The last time I shared with someone who seemed to be a friend, instead of her praying she went and told people in a trading centre. It was so embarrassing to hear people telling me that I am being raped by my mental husband. But because you are listening, that is why i have opened up’’
Florence’s brother:
The only sibling remaining was Florence’s brother who caught HIV/AIDS some years back. When his condition deteriorated he moved in to stay with Florence in her dilapidated house. She has been taking care of him for months now, but even the church did not know, we only found out last week when Florence came to ask if I would pray for the brother. That is how resilient Florence has been.
The brother and I talked for some time and he confessed Jesus as Lord and saviour.
Last Wednesday, he died in Florence’s hands. The burial was on Thursday. The Bethel church was the only relative Florence had at the burial.
Women had visited Florence before and had reported that her house is so bad, also she never asked for any help.
About child birth:
Birth Control is something still quite foreign to those living in the rural communities. Grace has been talking to Florence about it as until now she has not accepted to take something to control or prevent child birth. However, she is now open to the idea and has committed that they will go to a clinic to take the necessary measures.
My time with Florence:
It was a very emotional moment listening to this woman. She made me realize how blessed I am. Looking at the house she stays in, and how she feeds her children and mad husband was so very humbling. And yet she had decided not to share her life with anybody because other did not listen, or just embarrassed her in places she did not want people to know about it. Also hearing that her mad husband just comes in at any time of the day and infront of children to rape, yet people of the community near by just ignore. And this does not seem to have a quick solution. So hard friends.
Prayer request:
Pray as the Spirit leads you.
The key things to pray for are:
1. Their family home which is in very bad condition; broken down and unstable.
2. Florence’s husband’s mental state is getting worse every day and they have no medication to ease the symptoms.
3. They have little food, no clothes, no school fees and no medical support.
4. That any children from the extended family are cared for and protected sufficiently.
This is the story of Florence. It’s hard to explain, but it is her story.
Below are the photos of Florence, one in her house and another outside her house.
May God bless you all friends.
Vinnie
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