Fervent even under fire: How a Christian woman’s faith has been formed and fortified

Like so many children in Africa, Worke did not grow up sheltered from the bitter realities of life. “I was born in Ethiopia. My childhood was extremely hard. Each morning, before going to school, I had to tend to our animals. Then, at 1pm, I would walk 10 kilometers to reach school. My family was very poor,” she shares. “After some years I stopped going to school because walking that far on an empty stomach was too difficult… sometimes I even fainted.”

A life-changing event

A faithful local church shared the gospel with Worke when she was just a child. “There was a church not too far from my house, it was then that I heard about Jesus Christ.” Both Worke’s parents were Muslim. Though not devout, it was still a risk for her to go to church and worship with other believers. “Late at night, when my parents were asleep, I would sneak out with a friend. We would go to the church and listen to the sermon. Sometimes, there were conferences on Sundays, and people from different places would gather.”

Pressure and persecution

When Worke reached marrying age, she was given to a Muslim man and moved to another country. But Jesus’ calling to follow him remained with her no matter where she went. “The words of God I heard kept drawing me, even after I got married. After my husband passed away, I decided to embrace Christ. I talked to my neighbors about it, and I started going to church with them. But then, my husband’s family found out that I had been attending church and had become a Christian.”

After overhearing about her conversion, Worke’s family in-law was incensed. The brothers seized everything from them – their bed, shop, and her husband’s ID. “We were thrown out of our home. So, I took my children and left. They called me worthless, an infidel. They told me that nobody loved me and that there was nowhere for me to go,” she recalls. To provide for children, Worke started selling items on the streets. And despite the daily challenges they faced, her small family was able to make a living – thanks to the help of Christians in the area.

Saved from nearly fatal flames

Nevertheless, the Muslim community hated Worke, and in 2016 she suffered the attack which claimed her son’s life and almost hers. “They came to my place and sprayed fuel all over the house. I did not realise that… I got home and I started to prepare some dinner for my grandchild. When I lit a match to start the stove, my hands caught fire.” Worke animates lighting a match and for a moment the distorted skin on her hands is visible.

“I tried to remove my scarf, but then my hair started burning. I don’t know what happened after that. My daughter and other people I didn’t know, took me to the hospital.” Worke sustained third degree burns all over her body and remained unconscious in the ICU for three months. The attack had left one hand and her face severely damaged. Then, one day, she woke up after seeing Jesus in a dream, “He said ‘get up Worke’”. It left the doctors perplexed.

Strong in the face of suffering

I trust that God will see me through.

Although Worke has since recovered, she’s left with physically painful scars across her face and body. “The incident has affected me very much. I struggle with memory loss, constantly forgetting things. I am currently taking medication to manage these effects. But when I worry too much, I read my bible. When I read the story of Job, it helps me to cope with my suffering. I trust that God will see me through.” Speaking of her relationship with Christ, Worke says, “It is He who encourages and strengthens me. He keeps me going despite all my challenges. I am grateful to God because He has helped me. I will live by His commands and promises.”