A pastor’s wife assumes care for child mother

Those who follow me on Facebook will remember I recently asked for prayer for a 13-year-old girl who was raped by a family member and became pregnant. In October, she delivered a healthy baby girl who was adopted by a godly couple. We also were able to find a home for the child mother. The following is an interview with her caretaker.

What is your name, how long have you been married, and how many children do you have?

My name is Betty Calule, and I’m thankful for this opportunity to share my testimony. I was born in 1971 and have been married for 29 years to my husband, David, who is a pastor. We have five biological children, as well as five adopted children.

How old were you when you were born again?

I gave my life to Christ at the age of 18. I was in a bad state, feeling alone and very confused. My single mother, who was a schoolteacher, raised me. Seeing where I am now is proof of God’s goodness and grace to me.

In what capacity do you serve your church?

I am the pastor’s wife and the coordinator for our couples’ ministry. Beautiful Blessing, the baby of our child mother, was dedicated to the Lord in our church a few weeks ago.

How did you prepare your heart to serve others?

I always find myself serving people in one way or another. It’s a habit of mine to sit in the back of the church to help and serve anyone in need. I enjoy praying, giving hope, and encouraging anyone who comes my way. I’ve learned to understand where people are coming from. I’ve learned to listen and weep with people.

What made you want to help a 13-year-old child mother?

At first, I was afraid; but a ministry was developing right before me. I hold the ministry of giving hope and helping others dear to my heart. So I knew I could give hope to this girl in Christ Jesus and, by the grace of God, be an encouragement to her. Susane is also very young, vulnerable, and a baby herself. I couldn’t imagine not stepping up. I knew I was the right person for this precious girl.

Though I’m not related to Susane, I am a very passionate and empathetic mother. She is a daughter who needs to be cared for and who needs compassion. My husband and I have four other young people in our home from different parts of the country who speak different languages. So I knew Susane would be a beautiful addition to our family.

When the biological mother gave you her 13-year-old daughter to take care of, what were your thoughts?

I knew a vulnerable mother had assigned me a very big duty to care for her vulnerable daughter, so I had to take up that responsibility. I had to do my best to do the work of this ministry.

What advice would you give other women in Africa about the value of the life of a baby who has come into this world through incest?

We need to be very, very careful with our children; we shouldn’t take them for granted. If something you’ve never expected happens to your daughter, she’s still your daughter; she’s still your blood. You shouldn’t remove her from your home, neglect her, or abandon her because something good will always come from these broken pieces. These girls are as valuable as they were before.

This is just a bend in their road rather than the end of their route. Pour into her, love her, take care of her, comfort her. Give yourself to her. She is still that precious child you gave birth to. No matter how a life comes into the world, we must accept what has come our way. We should never sin against God by doing what is not right in His eyes. Let’s give those unborn babies a chance to live because God has a plan for every life – both the mother and the baby.

In closing

When Susane went into labor, her little body could not handle the contractions; she didn’t fully understand what was happening. She was sobbing uncontrollably, and I was crying right along with her. I felt her pain deeply … because I had been there.

As you consider your end-of-year giving, please include a gift of $10, $25, $50, or more to our Youth at Risk program. This initiative provides these innocent child mothers with a place to live, meals, an education, and biblical mentoring. You also can become a monthly donor by clicking here.

If we don’t show these children the love of Christ … who will?