Living out God’s heart for justice
"Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow."
Isaiah 1:17
To act justly requires us to reach out to the oppressed, the vulnerable and the lonely. This is something Nora discovered through a child protection course run at the local Compassion project.
“I have loved children all my life,” explains Nora. Trained as a primary school teacher, Nora volunteers at the Compassion project in Prampram, Ghana. Through a child protection course, Nora discovered she not only loved teaching children, but God was calling to her be a child advocate, to seek justice for children and uphold their rights; “[On the course] we were made to see God’s heart for children, how vulnerable the child is, and how it is every adult’s duty to protect and lead these children to God.”
Shortly after, Nora moved to an apartment in a Muslim-dominated area of town. Next door to her lived Fati, a widow who had been left to care for her disabled adult daughter and three young grandchildren. Due to her disabilities, Fati’s daughter had been extremely vulnerable to men who had taken advantage of her because she was unable to speak or express herself. Nora knew God was calling her to help this family and take up their cause. She began visiting them regularly, bringing food and household items. She grew particularly concerned for the two younger children, Safiatu and Hawa, who were in a highly vulnerable situation. She approached the local church and after visiting the family, Safiatu and Hawa were enrolled in the Compassion project where Nora volunteered. Despite being Muslim, Fati expresses her surprise at how the family were welcomed into the church; “The workers just accepted the children just as they are. This tells me that every worker at the church has a good heart for children. That has made me happy.”
Nora was obedient to God’s call in Isaiah 1:17. Her love for Safiatu and Hawa reflects God’s heart for those who are powerless. As she explains “I am doing my best to nurture them and bring them to God in Jesus’ name.”
Prayer:
Father God, we thank you for Nora and for her heart for those who are vulnerable. We pray that you will open our eyes to those in our communities who need someone to come alongside them. May we act justly in these situations. Amen.
