Saved to Serve
Losing a loved one, especially a spouse, is devastating. Stella faced unimaginable grief and hardship after the death of her husband. She needed somewhere or someone to turn to, but no one was there. Instead of support and encouragement, Stella found herself surrounded by hushed whispers and hurtful gossip.
Sadly, in the middle of her mourning, people began to spread false rumors about the hardworking mother and how she made an income. But their words were empty. Stella is a profitable farmer and primary school teacher. Still, the stories caused men to approach her in an attempt to take advantage of her new widow status even though she had no desire to remarry.
To make matters worse, her husband’s family reclaimed all of the property and left Stella with nothing. Per the cultural norm, they expected her to return home to her parents.
Holding onto Hope
However, Stella had a mission to accomplish, and she wasn’t about to give up. She accepted Christ at an early age and grew up in a home of believers. Stella’s parents lived out their faith and planted a seed in her that would take root and flourish in her young adult years. Instead of knocking her down, these hardships led her to reclaim that faith. She began to experience God in a new way – a deeply personal way – and she needed to share that hope with others.
She knew she was saved to serve.
Stella’s Vision
In 2018, Stella recommitted her life to Christ during one of 4africa’s Discovery Bible Group (DBG) trainings. Despite the lack of support from her community, Stella moved forward in faith to host and teach Bible studies.
Stella knew that she had to keep going because God gave her a special gift. She has a way of connecting with people along with an incredibly resilient spirit. Because of her teaching profession, her reading and writing proficiency makes her a crucial member of 4africa’s Disciple Making Movement (DMM) program. Each week, she boldly puts her training into action and helps others around her do the same.
Stella explained, “My greatest hope is to see continuous growth in my DBS groups. I look forward to strengthening the churches in my community through DMM. I believe that with the multiplication effect of DMM, the churches in my community can grow beyond what they are now!”
We’re inspired by Stella’s unshakable faith, and we know others are, too!
Finding Hope in 1 Peter 3
Stella’s faith is the source of her strength. No matter what others may think or say, she holds tight to the calling God has placed on her life. When she feels overwhelmed by the weight of the world, she goes to God. And what better place to find hope than in God’s Word. Our prayer is that Stella finds peace and encouragement through the verses of 1 Peter:
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:13-17 (NIV)
Faith in Action
Good news is meant to be shared! Stella saw the need for a strong Bible leader in her community, so she cast aside the rumors and set out to serve those who desperately needed a relationship with God. Stella knew that God extended grace to her, so she extended it to others in return.
Once her faith took root, she couldn’t help but share it! Stella’s servant-hearted attitude speaks volumes to those around her as she glorifies God through her ministry. Sharing the gospel is not always easy. Some people don’t understand why she spends so much time preparing and hosting group studies. But her hope is that once they experience the love of God through her, they’ll know why she does it.
As Stella’s brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s follow her lead and cover her in prayer. In fact, if you have a line of encouragement or prayer for Stella, message connect@4africa.com and we will relay it to the team.
