Helping the Hurting - Autumn 2002
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"Rejoice Greatly, O daughter of Zion" - Zechariah 9:9
My name is Miriam Rodriguez. I am the leader of a ministry called the Women of Zion. The women who participate in this group are wives of men who are involved in the ministry of Youth Challenge Men’s Home as students or alumni. As my husband participated in the residential program of YC, I began to identify with many women in a similar situation, the daily struggles and difficulties of having to carry the load of the family by themselves. Although many helped as they were able , and I was blessed to receive counsel from women in the body of Christ who reached out to me, I felt a need for the component of identification. I realized the importance of interaction between people who have been in the same shoes. I felt that some people could not really understand what we as wives had endured while our husbands were on drugs, or what we went through as they made the difficult choices to persevere in the program and make the changes they needed to make in their lives. As their husbands go through the program, the wives go through many changes as well! We face our doubts and fears.

We hope that Jesus Christ can deliver our husbands to become the husbands and fathers needed in our homes for the children we are responsible to raise in this generation. This identification, as well as an emphasis on caring for the family as a unit is what makes the Women of Zion a support group within the vision of Youth Challenge.

We are part of the vision-mission of Luke 4:18-19 and Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV):
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We not only provide group and personal support, but we can identify with the many difficulties the women face while their loved ones are in the ministry trying to change. I praise the Lord for Bishop Raúl and Lady Willie González. They too understood the need for such a ministry based on their life experience. They knew that the husband was not the only one going through a program. The wives were too! We exist because of the vision in their hearts to have care groups such as the Women of Zion. This group was birthed later throughout the years, as we continued to see the need and the people stepped forward to let God use them to meet that need.

May the Lord bless you as you continue to pray for our mission in the vision.
Your servant, Miriam Rodriguez
Facilitator, Women of Zion