A fervent persecuted Christian and mother of two young children, Hebem kindly opened up her home to three different families in need of shelter during the terrifying event—quite possibly saving their lives in the process. As the mob closed in, she turned off all of her lights; the family members quietly hid inside behind locked doors and shuttered windows.

In an atmosphere of complete terror, as the mobs torched cars, houses and churches, Hebem knew exactly where to turn: she went to the upper room of her home, knelt down on the floor, and prayed.

“At this point, nothing in the world can help us. It is only God whom I can call upon. It is only God who can help us, save us and lead us out of these troubles.”

The Lord graciously answered Hebem’s prayers of faith and protected her. She recounts, “The mob skipped over us, passed by our home, and went straight ahead. I was holding on to God and I was counting on Him.”

As the violence in Manipur continued to escalate, Hebem and her children were later evacuated to a refugee camp with thousands of others.

Today, she has found safe shelter at one of GCR’s emergency relief centers.

With tears in her eyes, Hebem says, “We don’t want to go back [home] … We know we will not be able to live peacefully. The way they [the mobs] have treated us is inhuman and we are deeply saddened.”

After a month of living in the relief facility, Hebem continues to search for work. Along with many others, she finds that jobs are difficult to come by. Still, she keeps an attitude of gratitude.

She says of the workers at the relief center, “They have not only provided us with all the amenities, but also tried to tackle the most important aspect for us, which is helping us look for jobs. The staff are arranging training and helping us search for suitable jobs.”