Alone, pregnant, in disgrace and miles from home, by chance, despairing Chipo heard Feba’s Faith in Action programme on Zimbabwe’s national broadcaster, SFM. She trusted the Lord - and began to turn her life around.

Difficulties surrounded Chipo, but by confiding in Feba staff she was led to faith and enabled to face her family and circumstances. Happily engaged to be married at home in Mutare, a company transfer moved 22-year-old Chipo to Harare, where an affair began with one of the directors. “I fell for his money and the attention he paid to me,” said Chipo. She tried to end the relationship despite the director’s persistence, and his wife knowing. Faith in Action Learning of her pregnancy caused a further dilemma, and Chipo asked the director for cash to pay for an abortion. Unscrupulous doctors perform abortions for a fee, although this is illegal in Zimbabwe. While asking for the money, Faith in Action came on the car radio and featured an interview with the Pregnancy Crisis organisation, discussing the high rate of deaths through abortion. Reluctant to visit Pregnancy Crisis, Chipo went to Feba Zimbabwe’s office. Audience Relations Officer Nyasha Manyau says that Chipo believed that she had failed to trust God to provide for her needs in Harare and fell into the adulterous relationship. “She felt that her pregnancy was God’s punishment and didn’t want to keep the baby,” said Nyasha. “How would her family and friends react, and especially the man she was engaged to?” Trusting the Lord After a further visit by Nyasha, Chipo decided to trust the Lord to look after her and the baby. She explained and ended her engagement, although afraid of her family’s subsequent reaction following the payment of lobola, the dowry a man gives to a bride’s family. Chipo has since given birth to a son, and his father has acknowledged responsibility by making the culturally-expected payment. Nyasha says that where once Chipo felt she had wronged God and he would never forgive her, she has come to know his love and is now an avid listener of Feba Zimbabwe’s Sunday Morning Service programmes. “Chipo attends our regular listener days. She’s found a church and is actively involved in it,” says Nyasha. Now the young mother looks forward with hope. [Name and home town have been changed. Photo does not relate to text]