Her vision was to help widows and support people that were financially distressed. So, she started the organization, Widows Help Rendezvous Ministry. But years after she began the organization, she lost her husband and found herself in the shoes of those the Lord called her to support.
That notwithstanding, Pastor Mrs. Esther Igbinehi has not looked back concerning her calling. Rather, she has continued to press on, supporting widows and extending the frontiers of her support to single mothers and children that lack parental care.
The beauty of her intervention is that she does not operate in big cities. Though the ministry is incorporated in both Nigeria and London. Her field of operation is in the rural areas of Edo State. For years now, she has laid her life on the line doing God’s bidding in that direction.
When she lost her husband in 2008, it was as if her world had come to an end. But she did not wallow in self-pity. She picked herself up and worked towards taking care of her children.
“It was unthinkable that I would lose my husband. I had started the organisation because I had always loved to help widows and people that were financially challenged. That was just my passion. And God gave me the grace for that.
“I was a housewife but got involved in business alongside. My husband did not want me to work because of the need to take care of the children. But the unexpected happened. He died and I had to just brace up and face the challenges ahead with the help of the Holy Spirit.”
Today, Igbinehi has successfully trained all her children and they are doing great. Her passion, however, is more for distressed women and she has been carrying on the task with guided zeal. She holds a monthly meeting where widows gather and are given some palliatives after fellowship. Apart from that, she holds a yearly meeting where about 600 widows are empowered financially to start their own businesses.
The rendezvous team
Widows: They get too many wounds
Igbinehi who spoke with Church Times on phone about the widow’s project said she began to give full attention to the work when she came back from London a few years ago.
A cross section of widows during one of the yearly meetings
“We are registered in the UK and we are able to raise some support with my friends in the UK. When I came back I found that many widows are going through a lot in Nigeria. Some women are made to go through some horrendous practices shortly after they lost their husbands. Some are accused of killing their husbands. People say all kinds of things concerning widows. So what we do as a body is to provide support for them and encourage them financially so they would not become a laughing stock in the society.”
She noted that the attitude of the average Nigerian to widows is pathetic “As soon as a woman loses her husband people begin to be suspicious of her. Some women perhaps would even want to shield their husbands from the widow. In another instance, some men take advantage of the condition of the woman to molest her and make her do things she would not have done ordinarily.”
Some widows according to her are going through unbelievable economic stress. She noted however that some women take advantage of the meeting. “During the monthly meeting, there are some women who are not widows who claim widowhood because of what they will get after the fellowship. When we discover this, we still give them the palliative and encourage them not to lie again.” She said.
A graduate of French from the University of Benin, she counselled that remarriage should not be a do or die for the widow. “I think what should be paramount in the mind of the widow is how to take care of her children. If a widow does not have children, it’s a different thing. But if she has children for her late husband, her priority should be how to take care of those children.
Why I did not remarry
In my case, I did not re-marry and I have not allowed any man to take advantage of me. I just braced up for the task ahead and the Lord granted me the grace. But not all women can be like that. If a woman does not have the grace, she should prayerfully trust God for another partner who will accept her and her children.”
She said some of the widows who remarry sometimes come to tell ugly tales of their experiences. “We have had cases of some widows who their new husbands sleep with their daughters along with them. So that is why I tell widows that they should be careful about a second marriage. Again, they should not say because they are widows they should now become prostitutes. The widow may need to sacrifice her happiness and personal pleasure for the sake of her children. If she does not live for her children, she may mess up her life. I tell widows to make sure they stand for their children. There is no legitimate work I could not do after I lost my husband. All my children are now well placed in corporate organisations and they are doing well.”
She said further, “that one is a widow does not make the person a mad person. A widow should value herself. Have faith in God and trust him for supplies. God is so faithful. He does not abandon the widow”
Our operational base
Widows Help Rendezvous currently has its head office in Benin City, Edo State while its international office is located in London, UK. The body is registered with the Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs. The organization generates funds from •Levies •Donations •Grants from government and corporate bodies.
Igbinehi declares, “God has made her to get favour from people We are indeed grateful for the kind of support we are getting from both Nigeria and abroad. Churches like the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the UK has been of tremendous help. There are friends who believe in what I am doing and they render support as they are led.
The main goal of the organisation is to support widows, orphans, single mothers and encourage them to live meaningful lives. To build a widow’s home and provide shelter for homeless widows until they are financially stable and fit to start a new life. It also has the vision to build training centres and create skill and training opportunities for young widows and single.
Future project
A prototype of the proposed bungalow
Presently, the organization is planning to build an outlet called, Solomon’s Haven in Ovia North East LGA of Edo State. This project involves the building of a Haven complex fenced in to comprise of a number of facilities that would enhance the social, economic well-being of widows and single mothers. The building is a ten-bedroom bungalow for poor widows and single mothers.
It is also currently working on a school for children of single parents in rural areas. Already Igbinehi stays more in the village to prosecute the vision of the organization which has outreaches in: -Iguomo, Ovia North East, Okhuodia, Esan Central, and Uselu, Egor all in Edo State.
If the Lord is leading you to be part of the activities of this widow’s organization, kindly send your support to
Ecobank Nigeria Plc
3, New Lagos Road, Benin City
Account No: 0282096965, Sort code No. 05024118
Lloyd TSB United Kingdom
Market square Stafford
Account No: 48528968, Sort code No.30-84-26
Website:http//widowsrendezvous.com
Contact Information: 47, Eweka Street, off Upper Lawani street, New Benin, Benin City, Edo State.
Regional office:
2, Murtala Muhammed way, Benin City, Edo State.
