A cold, brutal Missouri winter greeted Beatrice Phangaphanga, foreshadowing the future she faced as her new life began in a foreign country. Moving continents was not something she had planned, especially not with a three-month-old baby in tow.
Beatrice grew up in Malawi with a Presbyterian-based life. She had a humble start growing up, and one lesson her family taught her from an early age was the importance of family and community. She got married in Malawi and was working an administrative job when her husband, Enoch Ng’oma, got an amazing opportunity. He received a scholarship at a university in Missouri, and the next thing she knew, she was moving with him and their newborn baby, named David Ng’oma.
As she faced this incredibly hard time in her life, Beatrice felt lonely and pressured trying to raise a baby while struggling to adapt to the vast cultural differences. Yet God worked in mysterious ways, and she learned that God will send help in His timing.
One day during this tumultuous time of trying to adapt while raising a baby, a neighbor knocked on her door and asked if she needed any help. She had never spoken to this woman before, but somehow she was right there when Beatrice needed her.
Through this woman, Beatrice was introduced to the nearby church, and it was a blessing to not only learn the Word of God, but also join a community again. The church was a huge help during those days, as they had Bible studies, childcare and transportation available. This chosen family, based on faith, was exactly what Beatrice was looking for.
Journey forward
The couple added another child, Zachary Ng’oma, to their family, and as time went on, Beatrice was still not feeling fulfilled in her relationship with God. She loved the community and people, but she felt as though she was not learning everything she needed to. Then she remembered an Adventist church she drove past every day as she took her children to school. The church was giving toys out to the children, and Beatrice, who always tries to make her children happy, decided to take them there. When she sat through the Bible study for the , she finally felt like she had found what she was looking for all this time.
Throughout her hardships, however, Beatrice had questions and uncertainties. She questioned if she was raising her kids the right way and if they were learning everything they were supposed to. “The Christian journey is not a simple journey—it’s not an easy journey,”she says. Her daily practice of reading the Bible helped her navigate through fears and grow stronger in her faith.
She wants to continue another generation of people who value community and family and who also have a strong faith in God. “African families are about unity and oneness,” she explained, describing how all the children are raised together. “You don’t have to separate like cousins. You can just grow up together and not try to differentiate each other. We grow up knowing that we are one. Everyone is family.” The culture Beatrice came from is rooted in Leviticus 19:18: “Love thy neighbor.” Now she has found a faith she thinks can help implement those values in her children’s lives.
God has led Beatrice halfway around the world to bring her closer to Him and to strengthen her faith. No matter the hardships, she has stayed faithful to God and will continue to build that relationship. She says, “You have to fight for your faith to keep going.”
Bio: Aleina Melo is a senior at Union Adventist University studying international relations. She grew up in California, but her parents are from Mexico, and she is a first-generation student. She dreams of one day having a family and supporting them through her career in law.
Life Tip: The view looks better with someone you love. Life is too short not to book the trip!
