A message of rest, reflection and resilience resonated through Bethel Methodist Church on Friday, 6th March 2026, as Anguillians joined Christians around the world in observing the annual World Day of Prayer.
The ecumenical service brought together women, men and children from several denominations across the island, including members of the Women’s Commission of the Methodist Church of Anguilla and visitors from Nigeria. This year’s programme was prepared by Christian women of Nigeria under the theme “I Will Give You Rest: Come”, drawn from Matthew 11:28–30.
Yet while the service featured music, storytelling, prayer and symbolic elements reflecting Nigerian culture and experiences, the heart of the evening centred on a deeply personal and stirring address by keynote speaker Mrs. Tracelyn Hamilton, who urged those gathered to reflect honestly on the burdens they carry and to accept Christ’s invitation to rest.
From the outset, Mrs. Hamilton reminded the congregation that the biblical promise begins with a condition. “‘Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ There is an invitation extended to those who are weary,” she explained. “The invitation is coming from Jesus himself.”
Her reflection encouraged the audience to look beyond the surface of daily life and consider the unseen weight carried by many, particularly women who are often expected to balance work, family and countless responsibilities. While society praises women for their ability to multitask and endure, Mrs. Hamilton cautioned that beneath that strength many are quietly exhausted.
Recounting childhood memories, Mrs. Hamilton illustrated the idea of life’s burdens through the physical labour she once experienced growing up. Holding up a bundle of sticks — a replica of firewood once collected in the bush — she described how children would gather and carry heavy bundles home along rugged paths. She then lifted a bucket to illustrate another memory — carrying water from a standpipe using a cotta, a traditional cloth ring placed on the head for balancing the bucket of water and to ease discomfort.
“Sometimes along the route we got tired,” she said. “Other times the water spilled and I got soaked.” For Mrs. Hamilton, those experiences mirrored the emotional and spiritual struggles people face today. “Your bundle of wood could be the multiple things you do,” she told the congregation. “You line up your schedule, you begin addressing tasks, and something spins out of control. Before your eyes you see things slipping away.”
Likewise, the bucket of water symbolised the weight many try to carry while maintaining the appearance of control. “You may have been carrying that load trying to impress others,” she continued. “But you stepped into an unseen pothole and suddenly the water spills. Some sisters help you up, but you are still soaked — the hurt is deep.”
Each scenario, she emphasised, points to the same answer. “Jesus says, ‘Come.’ He sees your situation. He is not even asking you to get it together first. He simply says, come.”
The theme resonated strongly with the wider programme prepared by Nigerian women, whose stories highlighted the burdens of oppression, persecution and poverty.
During the service, attendees heard the testimony of Beatrice, a Nigerian widow who lost her husband during a communal clash and faced poverty and social exclusion while raising three children alone. Yet she spoke of finding strength through faith and a community of widows who support one another. Another account, shared through the story of Jato, described the fear faced by Christian families in northern Nigeria where religious persecution remains a reality. Jato spoke of praying daily for her teenage daughter while drawing courage from her faith in Christ’s promise of peace. A third reflection came from Blessing, who described the crushing effects of poverty in Lagos but insisted that hope still shines through acts of resilience and faith within struggling communities.
These stories were echoed in a dramatic presentation titled “Chioma’s Burden,” performed by members of the Girls’ Brigade. The play followed a young schoolgirl struggling academically until she turned to God for strength, reinforcing the central theme that burdens become lighter when placed in God’s hands.
Symbols placed around the church further illustrated the Nigerian context: colourful African fabrics representing cultural heritage; grains of rice symbolising economic hardship; stones signifying heavy burdens; and a calabash bowl reflecting God’s provision. Candles were lit to represent hope amid despair.
For Mrs. Hamilton, the testimonies from Nigeria were not distant narratives but reminders that every community — including Anguilla — carries its own struggles.
“We heard the stories of the Nigerian women and we may say we will pray for them,” she said. “But I want us to reflect on where we are. What is wearing you down?”
She spoke particularly to modern pressures faced by young women navigating careers, expectations and digital life.
“You are operating like a device running multiple apps at once,” she said. “The world sees the polished screen, but underneath the system is overheating. You are experiencing system lag and mental fatigue.”
Her message concluded with a reminder that true rest goes beyond physical relief.
“When you [often] ask someone how they are, they say, ‘I’m tired,’” she observed. “Physical rest is important, but more importantly Jesus is calling to give us rest for our souls.”
The promise of that rest, she emphasised, requires a response.
“We cannot have rest if we do not come,” she said. “When we come, he will give us rest.”
As the congregation joined in the hymn of invitation, Art Thou Weary, the service ended with a call to action reflecting the World Day of Prayer motto: “Informed Prayer, Prayerful Action.”
For those gathered, the evening served as both a global act of solidarity and a deeply personal reminder that the invitation spoken two thousand years ago still stands.
“Come to Jesus,” Mrs. Hamilton urged. “Come and find rest in Him.”
By Janissa Fleming
