Comfort to the Afflicted

Comfort to the Afflicted

“I live in sorrows, but I keep serving the Lord.”⁠

“I live in sorrows, but I keep serving the Lord.”⁠

“My name is Ferdinand, I am 20 years old. My father died when I was very young.⁠ We struggled until my mother began to be a prostitute. In the area, everyone knew that my mother did prostitution. It made a big wound in my heart, and it caused me to be ill all the time, stunting my growth. Moreover, she forced us to go to the market to steal food. When we didn’t steal, we didn’t eat. Sometimes she would seriously beat us.⁠

I failed at school because I did not study properly. When I moved to another school, I joined a Bible Study Group (run by Igniting Communities for Jesus). I was interested to hear the way Christians prayed and I never missed a study.⁠

One week, during the study, my eyes were opened, and I decided to receive Jesus as my King and Savior. I told my mother I would no longer steal food. Since then, she has treated me very badly.⁠
Sometimes she gets so angry that she won’t let me sleep in the house, so I have to sleep outside. Some of my Christian friends let me stay over and continue my studies. I also joined my local church.⁠

I continue to live in my mother’s home because I have no other option. I live in sorrow but I keep serving the Lord, I have been given a wonderful gift of a Bible, and I have been baptized. Even though my mother was against me, I have decided to follow Jesus.⁠

Join me in prayers for my mother, may God help her to give her life to Jesus.”

⁠Ferdinand’s story is tough to read, but it reveals that the gift of a Bible can be such an encouragement and comfort to those suffering, especially when it is accompanied with loving friendship and encouragement.

Igniting Communities for Jesus support many people like Ferdinand, and has been able to give out over 16,000 Bibles in the last year! All our Partners combined distributed nearly 20,000 Bibles.

Many in Burundi live in material poverty, but Bible poverty is another huge issue, with many believers unable to access the word of God for themselves – many church Pastors don’t even have a Bible of their own! Many of our Partners address this issue, some through distributing audio Bibles to the illiterate, some work through television and radio broadcasting, others through distributing Bible reading notes and Scripture itself.

With your support, we will continue to enable our partners to alleviate both material and Bible poverty throughout Burundi. There are many more Ferdinands out there, longing for comfort and support in their trials.

More Stories...

For inspiring stories and news straight to your mailbox sign up to our newsletter.

Subscribe
Notify of

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments