A message from Rebecca McDonald, founder & president of Women At Risk, Internaional:
SADLY, WAR, INT’L EXPERIENCED A “FIRST” WHEN LEARNING OF A SURVIVOR’S MURDER. The day I left the States I got an email from a mama with a broken heart, and now mine is broken along with her as I struggle to write. I’m a born fixer, but some things can never be fixed—I get that more than anyone after 40+ years of trying to fight evil. I can’t go into detail, but a woman rescued after years of captivity and in a seemingly safe place was brutally murdered on the very eve of the New Year. How do you comfort this mama? She wrote me “Thank you.” Seriously? Yes—she had her baby back for a short time, months even, to hug again. But then to lose her again? This hurts on a deep, primal level. If it doesn’t bother you, something’s wrong with you. I live with things that go wrong, but my mantra is never, “WHY, GOD?” To me, that’s a selfish question stating, “I deserve an answer!” No, not really on this side of heaven. My mantra is always, “WHAT, GOD, do you want me to learn so we can help keep it from ever happening again?” There is ALWAYS an answer to that!
I don’t know about you, but when I’m angry and my heart is broken, my solution is to ACT! My kids will tell you I get quiet and start sweeping the clean floor. I’m thinking HARD, asking myself, “What can I learn, change, say, do? How can I grow, help, etc.?” This mom and I are now on a mission! She wondered what she could have done differently, remembering times her gut told her something was off but then second guessed herself—all the things we all do. I told her she may have the most important story of all… a story EVERY mother wants to hear! We might hear from survivors, but OH MY, how we need to hear from the families who fight to raise, to love, to find, to heal—only then to lose. For such pain there is no balm. BUT I assured her if she can help even ONE mom or dad or girl from her own unique experience, she WILL buy back some of her pain and rise up from the ashes of a mother’s grief to help others. I am on a mission to help her do just that! I am so thankful, so honored, so privileged to be even a small part of her journey. Us girls, dads, and mommies are gonna stick together to circle our cradles!
This 20th anniversary year, WAR, Int’l is walking by faith to grow and fund a WAR Chest that grants us the ability to respond to calls no matter how they end. More have happy endings than not! But this particular ending above robs my heart of all words even though I know it’s not our fault. But by God’s grace, we’ll learn, grow, and continue fighting the darkness, defying it to take another precious life! Thank you for your gifts that help us respond immediately. If any of you are gifted at coloring (something this sweet girl loved) or just writing a note to a grieving mommy… I will personally deliver it!
If you want to support the 20th Anniversary Dream to build a WAR Chest for the 911 Rescue Fund, click here
