Why Should I Obey Each Bible Verse About Giving to Others in Need?

GFA World understands that command, and we seek to obey by giving to help those in need. Saadet’s husband was an alcoholic and eventually succumbed to health problems. The whole family entered a time of mourning, but in Saadet’s society, a widow’s mourning and “death impurity” often doesn’t cease. This causes widows to be social outcasts for the rest of their lives. Saadet was no different. Though her youngest son provided a small room for her to live in, that was the extent of the care either of her sons offered. Saadet was largely isolated, ignored by her family and shunned by her community. Psychologist Vasantha Patri poignantly describes the condition of many widows in similar situations; they are “physically alive but socially dead.”[2]Saadet struggled to survive on her weekly rice ration. Like many widows, she faced poor nutrition and other problems―lack of access to health care and economic hardships like denial of inheritance or employment. She seemed doomed to a life of loneliness, devoid of happiness.

But one day, GFA Sisters of the Cross visited Saadet’s village. They met with the widow, heard her sorrows and cared about her suffering. The sisters’ hearts were stirred to action, and they returned to help. They cleaned Saadet’s house, helped her bathe, trimmed her nails and washed her clothes. Later, when temperatures dropped, the local church provided a shawl to protect her from the cold. She was amazed. She felt Jesus loving her through His disciples, and Saadet found joy and peace.[3]