Embracing SufferingSample

Story 5 – Suffering and Justice

Much of the human suffering we have experienced on the mission field has been due to nature, disease and poverty. But there seems to a deeper sense of torment when we encounter the depravity of man. 

Jill was one of the first kids in our ministry. She and her twin sister Robin were 13 when we met. They were collecting trash from the restaurants on the highway, and we were indulging in McDonald’s fries because they tasted like home to us. 

We shared our food and started meeting every Thursday evening in front of the bank, sitting in the parking lot, eating fast food and practicing our language skills with these kids. After a few months of struggling to hear each other over the roaring traffic, we convinced the McDonald’s manager to let us come inside — even with street kids who left black footprints all over the dining area. 

Jill was a natural leader and seemed to be full of joy, until one night when she didn’t. Her sister told us she felt bad and was maybe cursed by a spirit. We prayed with them, not yet realizing her true situation. 

My wife Heidi was the first to notice Jill’s face filling out, and soon we could all tell Jill from Robin pretty easily when before it was quite a challenge. Nahiya (shame) kept Jill quiet for months until she could conceal her condition no longer. Her father told me that she had been abducted by a cab driver, and the baby would be born in March. We walked beside Jill and her family, trying to help her bear shame and navigate the legal system. After a dozen court appearances, a retiring prosecutor, a vacationing judge and a worldwide pandemic, her attacker remains free. 

Jill came to live with us when Sally was born. I remember the nurses’ reproach when we took the baby in for vaccinations: “You’re only a child, and you have a baby. You should be in school.” 

A trip to the mall meant my wife Heidi often carried the baby just to avoid condescending questions. Often, my more direct approach consisting of a simple “They are with me” would turn away the disdaining stares. Sally is now three years old and Jill, married with two other little ones, is now a baptized church member. 

Jill doesn’t cry anymore when she sees the man in court. She didn’t talk much for a long time, but she has been able to tell her story to the Judge and others. She has learned to pray and find grace in God’s Word. We are still pursuing this matter in our earthly courts, but we know God will punish the wicked and reward the righteous in His heavenly Court. 

She has not yet found justice, but in Christ, she has found peace. 

Reflection Questions

Why do you think we sometimes feel shame when we have been sinned against?

What are some ways that emotional or spiritual suffering can be just as bad or worse than physical suffering?

We all want justice for those who sin against us. How can we be content when our suffering is seeming left unsatisfied by justice in this world and the wicked seem to get away with it?