Natalie Feeding Widows

Here is Natalie with Elizabeth Gibbs, another one of the missionary kids, helping to distribute corn to some local widows at First Baptist Church, Nalerigu.  It was part of their "Naomi Ministry."   In the Ghanaian culture here, when a woman's husband dies, she can become destitute if her husband's relatives do not agree to take her and care for her.

As you recall in the book of Ruth, Naomi's husband, Elimelech, and their two sons all died.  This left Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, widows.  It was then that Naomi returned to her home, Bethlehem.  She was accompanied by Ruth (Orpah returned to her own home).  When they arrived in Bethlehem, it was harvest time.  They eventually met Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi's husband, who became their "kinsman redeemer" by buying their land and agreeing to care for them.  Boaz married Ruth and they bore a son, Obed.  Obed became the father of Jesse, the father of King David.  We know that Jesus was born through the bloodline of David -- just as prophesied in the Old Testament.

This story is significant because it gives us a beautiful picture of the concept of the "kinsman redeemer".  Jesus became OUR kinsman redeemer.  Our nearest of kin had the power, and the desire, to pay the price of our salvation in full and redeem us.  OUR kinsman redeemer, Jesus, was a direct descendent of Boaz and Ruth through the bloodline of King David and was born in Bethlehem.  By being born fully man, he was like us and would qualify to be our kinsman.  By being fully God, he was NOT like us and had the ABILITY to be our kinsman redeemer.  That is, he could pay the price to redeem us.  Isn't the Bible wonderful?  It's not just a collection of random, unrelated stories.  It's an epic tale of how a despised, sinful race called "man" can be reconciled to the Most High and Holy God.  Every piece of the story fits together, just as God inspired, to show how the scarlet thread of redemption weaves its way through story after story.

Here in Nalerigu, with this being harvest time for the corn, many are experiencing the blessings of God.  We are told in scripture to help care for widows and we are so excited that Natalie has gotten to experience this first-hand.

"Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need."

1 Timothy 5:3

Natalie is doing well.  She always loves being a part of the ministries here in Nalerigu.  Other things she is excited about:

• Her bicycle has been returned.  It was found several villages away.  We are not quite sure how it happened, but a concerned father returned it because he knew he had not bought it for his son.
• She just finished reading the book "Lightning Thief" that she's been reading for a book report in school.
• We had rice balls with ground nut stew this week!  This is one of her local favorites.
• Her friend, Natalie, in Athens has a birthday next week and OUR Natalie's birthday is coming up December 8!

(For  those of you reading from the Balkans, 

you might recognize  her shirt from Crosspoint.)

LORD, we pray now for the needy widows in our lives.  Help us not to neglect their care.  Make us mindful of their needs by the power of your Holy Spirit.  Thank you for giving Natalie the opportunity to serve some of the local widows by giving them corn. 


We thank you, LORD, for choosing to become our kinsman redeemer.  May You alone be glorified in our lives.


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