Two years ago, tragedy struck 12-year-old Brighton’s family of five in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, when his father passed away. Understandably, the family struggled with the grief of losing their father and husband. They quit going to church. Brighton recalls, “After my father passed away, there were so many changes in my family. My mother would always cry even though she tried hiding it. Everyone in my family was sad.”
The young man was sad, but also angry that his dad left them. He dealt with this heartbreak by acting out—fighting with his family and lying about doing his homework.
But when Brighton began attending a Bible League Project Philip Bible study at his school, he found the healing his heart needed. Recently, Brighton’s mom, who is a teacher at his school, attended training so the teachers could lead Project Philip Bible studies at Madangombe Primary School. Soon, the teachers launched Bible studies in their classes.
Now, it’s easy for Brighton to see how studying God’s Word has made a difference in his life. Though he still misses his dad, he knows the Lord is with him always and was with him in the darkest of days. It’s of no surprise that his favorite verse comes from Psalm 23. He explains, “My favorite verse is Psalm 23:4, ‘Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave, I will not be afraid of any danger, because you are with me.’ This verse assures me that in whatever situation the Lord is with me. He will never leave nor forsake me.”
Today, Brighton’s family loves going to church together. The 12-year-old credits Project Philip for making this possible. He says with a smile, “The Project Philip Bible study has helped bring a change in my life. We now gather and study the Word of God as a family. My family and I have healed from our loss. We are in a better place now because of Jesus Christ.”
