Hannah's story is a beautiful one. She follows in the footsteps of Ruth; even chronologically. Her problem was that she had no children and her rival "kept provoking her in order to irritate her". We came across many instances of polygamy in Africa. A very godly man in the Bijagos Islands of Guinea-Bissau had many wives when he got saved. He asked the Lord what he should do. God told him to share the gospel with them and explain how Jesus had become the centre of his life and that he would no longer be following pagan tribal religion. All but one left him immediately! The one who remained was his first wife and she became a Christian! Another dear man of God had two wives and when he got saved they both accepted Jesus as well. What to do? They both had children, and both wanted to stay, so that's what happened, but he often told me how difficult things became for him. He was an honorary elder in his church and one of the best; often preaching. He attended all the elders' meetings because the others wanted him there and so valued his input. Officially he couldn't be made an elder (1Tm 3:2), but he performed his calling wonderfully and had an appropriate name: John the Baptist! He adopted Sue, telling her he was her African dad! We all loved him and his radiant smile.

 Hannah poured out her heart to God with many tears. "Lord Almighty, look at me, your servant! See my trouble and remember me! If you give me a son, I promise that I will dedicate him to you for his whole life". The backslidden priest Eli thought she was drunk, but when he learned the truth he said to her: "'Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for' … Then she went away, ate some food, and was no longer sad". She believed that Eli's blessing would be fulfilled, and that finally her prayer would be answered. It was, and she kept her promise, entrusting the young boy Samuel to Eli's care. He was old enough to "worship the Lord" and "to serve and minister before the Lord" so not as young as might be imagined.

"Each year his mother would make a little robe and take it to him when she accompanied her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless [them] and say to Elkanah, 'May the Lord give you other children by this woman to take the place of the one you dedicated to him.' After that they would go back home. The Lord did bless Hannah, and she had three more sons and two daughters." A beautiful ending for Hannah.