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Help for widows
Living a life of
Purpose T
by Bola Olawale
he story of Helen Keller remains one of the outstanding cases of people banished to the abyss of hopelessness as a result of childhood disability, but who never-the-less, took a leap above life’s constraint to make her mark.
Though blind and deaf to a world of sight and sound, her words drum into the soul, good melody and colourful picture of a woman who has learnt to conquer fears by taking a grip on her life. She says, ‘Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.’ My meeting with Mrs. Sandra Edowaye Ishola, who heads the Samuel Iyere Foundation - a Ministry for Widows, brought these words more vividly to my mind. In spite of a health condition that has left her bedridden for many years, the 48-year old mother of six and grandmother, has chosen to look beyond her predicament to give hope gemwoman | July/August 2007
to women in distress, though not a widow. From her bed in a modest apartment located on the outskirts of Lagos Mrs. Ishola, says she heard the call of God to take up the challenge. ‘I really didn’t know what to do when I got the vision in 2001 because prior to that, I had a burden to care for orphans. After I heard God speak
to me about a Ministry for Widows, I got confirmation that it was his will for me, but could not immediately, take it up until a year ago due to financial limitations. Somehow, I knew I needed to actualise the vision and had to hold on to the word of God.’ It required a step of faith, ‘the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the feeding of the multitude by Jesus, with two fish 43
