Weekly devotion: A New Song for Survivors
Anafora at night
Women who have escaped the immediate danger of male violence need ongoing support to rebuild their lives. This week we pray for the Soteria project at Anafora Monastery in Egypt, which helps abuse survivors heal and thrive.
Just off the desert road between Cairo and Alexandria, Anafora Coptic Orthodox Retreat Centre offers a place of safety and healing for women who have experienced long-term physical or psychological abuse. Egypt has high rates of domestic violence and gender inequality, and there is still much work to be done to change traditional harmful attitudes. Women themselves can be part of this change.
Anafora’s women’s empowerment project is called ‘Soteria’ – from an ancient Greek word meaning ‘safety’ – and invites female survivors of abuse to join residential group workshops where they can share experiences and regain self-worth. Over the next year, the participants attend Soteria meetings in their home villages too, developing skills to create community projects and help other women. Alongside this, the programme also engages men, offering them training about women’s rights, the impact of trauma, and the importance of respect and dignity.
As the women renew their confidence and find peace, Soteria supports them to explore small income-generating projects and to grow as leaders who can influence and strengthen their communities.
Bible reading
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3
Thought
Psalm 40 speaks of a God who hears us in our despair and lifts us out of the desolate pit of trauma. This process is not instant, however – it begins with waiting patiently and trusting that he hasn’t turned away from our cries for help. For the women at Soteria, healing from abuse is just such a journey: slow and difficult, but at last reaching solid ground.
In the safety of Anafora, women rediscover their worth and find the voice that has been denied them throughout their lives. Their ‘new song’ is one of renewed confidence that, in time, will bring strength to others too. In the same way, each of us can trust that God hears us and lifts us into a secure future – even (or especially) when it takes time and courage.
Ask yourself: How might God be inviting you to trust him more deeply in a difficult situation, or to support someone else on their journey towards healing?
Prayer
Lord God,
We thank you for hearing the cries of those in distress. We pray for the women who arrive at Anafora traumatised by deep psychological wounds; we ask you to heal them and make their future steps secure. May your love bring lasting change to their communities. Help us, too, to trust that you will lift us to solid ground when our journey feels long and difficult.
Amen
Anafora means ‘lifting up’
You can join us in lifting up our partners and communities across the Middle East in prayer.
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