Talking to Mary Chigumira, the leader of the Zimbabwe WAVE, was a deeply personal experience that reminded me of God’s presence and how we, as people, can collaborate with Him through the lifeline of faith. This lifeline has been available to every human who has lived before us, lives now, and will live after us. Mary is one of those individuals who said yes to God. As soon as she made this commitment at a young age, her heart softened. In her words, she shared: “And God then can fill your heart to pour out what He has poured in. It is not of your own making. God says if you love Him, you need to love others.” From that moment on, Mary decided to take Jesus Christ seriously. With this decision, she realized the life-giving fuel of faith.
Even though she made such transformative decisions, life didn’t become all butterflies and rainbows for her or those she loved. She faced numerous challenges, including domestic abuse soon after the birth of her first child. The abuse from her then-husband was so severe that she collapsed physically. Soon after, she made the decision to leave with her four-month-old son. This choice to leave the abuse behind brought a lot of discrimination. However, she chose to ask herself this question: In any situation in life, what does God say in the Bible? You cannot forgive alone; you need Jesus Christ. He has helped me open my heart to everyone, rich or poor. You can be my friend.
The answer she received, and continues to follow to this very moment, is to serve. This desire has equipped her heart with deep sensitivity to those in need. One day, on her way to a different city, she saw a girl crawling on the side of the road. She immediately stopped the car, approached the girl—who was disabled and unsupported—and decided to be there for her and find her the help she needed.
She says, “John 4:19 tells us that Jesus Christ loves us, and we need to love other people. Abundance is having someone which was sent by God to uplift my life. Who am I not to do the same for others? And that is true worship. Jesus Christ gives freely; who am I not to? Faith is always followed by true and lasting abundance. My uncle lost his job for many years and was a father of four. I invited him to church, and then he came back to my house, and we prayed. I started to read the Word of God. Nothing is too hard for God. I helped him get a passport to go to South Africa, and now he works as a manager at a vineyard.”
Faith is thanking God in advance. Let’s keep praying for God’s promises to come true.
Alma Olaveson is a dedicated advocate for women's empowerment and a passionate leader within Big Ocean Women. As a full-time mother, Alma is on a mission to create a paradigm shift in the collective consciousness of women by emphasizing one crucial element: reminding them of their innate worth, true identity, and the natural milestones in female development. Alma focuses her efforts on women who are considering pregnancy for the first time and preparing to welcome their first child. She is a firm believer that the most profound developmental milestone a woman can experience is becoming a mother for the first time. Alma is concerned that misinformation and beliefs that conflict with the natural progression of a woman's biology and feminine nature are adversely affecting the well-being of first-time mothers. Her passion lies in nurturing the spiritual, emotional, psychological, and social well-being of women as they transition from Maiden to Matrescence and ultimately to Motherhood. Alma graduated from BYUI with a degree in psychology and is currently a student at Peterson Academy. When she's not working, Alma enjoys exploring nature, hiking, chasing waterfalls, basking in the sun, and spending quality time with her kids and husband. She also loves reading, writing in her journal, and connecting with friends.
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