The Woman’s God

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” — from Matthew 5

Early in her time at Ekenge, a message came from a village eight hours’ walk away. Their chief was very ill, and if he died, some of his household would be killed. They begged the white Ma to come.

Chief Edem and Ma Eme said it was too far, but Mary set off with a group of women. The rain poured down. First she lost her boots, then her stockings, then her broken umbrella! Soaking wet, she took off most of her clothes as well, and the women carried them on their heads in big bowls. Mary felt very silly. But later she learned that nothing she ever did won the hearts of the Okoyong people like that walk in the rain. And the chief got better, so nobody was killed.

Some time later, Mary heard that a war was about to begin at dawn. She was ill, but she set off. She asked a chief for a drummer to go before her. He sent back word that a woman who went into a war only showed how little she knew. Mary sent this answer: “In measuring the woman’s power, you have evidently forgotten to take into account the woman’s God.”

At the enemy village, a silent wall of armed men stood waiting. Then an old man stepped out and knelt at Mary’s feet, asking her to help them make peace. It was the chief she had walked through the rain to help! It took all day, but in the end they agreed on a fine instead of a war.

After that, people often asked Ma to settle their quarrels. She would sit in the middle of all the shouting and quietly knit. She said it stopped her from showing she was scared, and the clicking needles calmed everyone down.

Making peace is God’s work. When you help people stop fighting and be friends again, you are being one of God’s children, just as Jesus said.

Dear God, please make me a peacemaker. When people around me are angry, help me to be calm and kind, and to help them be friends again. Amen.