Hope in Desperate Circumstances – Dancille’s story
At CBM, we believe that God is at work through local churches, bringing hope into some of the most difficult circumstances. Around the world, we see lives being transformed as churches come alongside people who might otherwise be forgotten.
This is one of those stories.
In Eastern Rwanda, where the land is arid and rainfall is scarce, food security is very difficult to achieve. The Rilima sector of Bugesera District is one example of this challenge.
Surveys conducted by CBM’s local partner, the Association of Baptist Churches in Rwanda (AEBR), revealed a very high number of children born with physical and mental disabilities in this region. For families already struggling, this creates even greater hardship. Mothers and children are often ostracized by their relatives – sometimes even forced from their homes. Caring for a child with disabilities means mothers cannot work outside the home, leaving them isolated and vulnerable.
A Church Responds
Into this discouraging situation, the local AEBR church has brought hope. With CBM’s support, they have launched a program that gathers mothers and children together with mentors. These mentors provide encouragement, training, and teaching about the rights of people with disabilities. The gatherings have created a safe space for mothers to share, learn, and receive strength from one another.
Dancille’s Journey
One young mother who has benefited greatly from this project is Dancille.
Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her stepmother but did not experience much care or love. Hoping for a better future, she accepted the first marriage proposal she received. But while still engaged, she became pregnant, and her fiancé left her.
When her baby was born with a disability, Dancille’s stepmother rejected both her and the child, and the local community ridiculed them. She lived alone, struggling to survive. Her situation became even more difficult when she became pregnant a second time, deceived by a man who promised to provide for her but soon disappeared. With two young children and little support, Dancille faced overwhelming challenges.
Thankfully, a disability representative from the local government told her about the AEBR project, and she was able to join as a participant. “I was very happy to hear that AEBR considered us,” she shares, explaining that children with multiple disabilities – and their parents – are often overlooked by other organizations.
Healing and Hope
Through the project, Dancille has found healing both mentally and emotionally. She has stopped blaming herself for her situation and has embraced a new mindset: to love her children and give them what they deserve.
She explains, “Through groups of hope training, which I appreciated very much, I feel I regain hope, and my wounds and broken heart are progressively healed.”
The program has also helped provide for her family’s physical needs. As beneficiaries, they have received pigs and chickens. Her children now eat vegetables and eggs from their hens. She has also learned about balanced nutrition and how to prepare food using the “one pot” cooking method.
Community and Faith
The project has met Dancille’s social and spiritual needs as well. Gathering with other women in similar circumstances has become a lifeline. Visiting and supporting one another is now a routine she says they will continue even after the project ends.
Her faith has also deepened. Hearing God’s Word at the meetings has drawn her closer to him, and she has begun to pray regularly. “I feel peaceful and hopeful,” she shares. Although she was not raised Baptist, she has started attending the local AEBR church, where she feels loved and welcomed into the church family.
Transformation Together
What a blessing it is to see lives being transformed through this ministry. Stigma is being lifted, and mothers in desperate situations are finding encouragement, dignity, and hope through the love of Christ.
Please join us in prayer for mothers like Dancille, that they would continue to find strength, healing, and hope through the church.
