The widow of murdered missionary Colin Lee has spoken of her passion to continue his work.

Hedwig Lee addressed Bermudians at a service at Evening Light Pentecostal Church, Pembroke, yesterday.

Mrs. Lee said Christian missionary work was spreading throughout the African continent and that the “seed” of Jesus was taking root with dozens of new churches.

She led members of the public in prayer and talked at length on the calling of becoming a missionary.

Mrs. Lee, who returns to her home country Paraguay later this week, looked happy and spoke with energy and determination. Those present said her talk had left them “inspired”.

Mrs. Lee said her husband’s violent death had only spurred her on to teach war-torn African nations God’s love and forgiveness.

Among those present were Mr. Lee’s stepmother Sarah, 85, his younger sister Gaylhia LeMay, and the 14-month-old daughter he never lived to see, Shekinah. Ms LeMay said it was a comfort to see her niece.

“I wish they could both stay longer, but it’s nice to see how healthy she is after all they’ve been through, and how she is so resilient.

“She’s precious and has a lot of her daddy’s ways.”

Mr. Lee, 57, was killed in Sudan on November 5, 2005. The couple were travelling to Uganda to help war victims for the charity International Aid Services when they were ambushed by guerrillas from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Mr. Lee was shot in the heart and throat, and his wife — three months pregnant — had to carry him to a hospital, where he died six hours later.

Mr. Lee was a former Francis Patton and St. George’s Secondary School pupil who worked as a mason and carpenter before becoming a missionary. The couple met in England, married in Bermuda, and carried out aid work in 15 nations during their honeymoon, working for reconciliation.

His widow has remained a part of the African aid organisation and says it is her “destiny” to carry on missionary work on the continent.

At yesterday’s meeting, Susan Simmons said friends of Mrs. Lee are setting up a support network for her and her child.

“We just want to form a group of supporters here in Bermuda for her, Shekinah and her ministry,” she said.

“Hedwig’s purpose of ministry is to encourage you into your destiny and so believe there is something you can do for your God.”

Mrs. Lee presented a slide show of photographs of her and her husband, taken in Sussex, Israel and Africa.

She said Mr. Lee was part of a “new generation” of missionaries.

“They will not be held back or afraid of anything, they will not be boxed in, and come from different backgrounds, all types of backgrounds.

“When I saw Colin I knew he was to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth, no matter what the cost, and I am very proud of having known him, having been part of his life.

“He said he did what he was called to and prepared for all of his life, and he fulfilled his mission.

“This year has been very painful, going through the mourning process but every time I came back to the gratefulness for the privilege of having known Colin Lee and being part of his life,” she said.

“You don’t become a martyr’s wife just one day, you are prepared all your life. The newspapers see me as a ‘hero’ person, but those who know me know I am only God. The world is full of pain and needs lots of big embracing arms to love and restore.

“I am so grateful to be a part of Jesus’s story. When you are his friends you will pay his price and will share in the sufferings of his death. For some reason he kept me alive to give birth to Shekinah. The reason is to complete to live out your destiny and spread God’s glory.”

Mrs.Lee aims to establish a School of Healing and Destiny in East Africa. She is also calling for freedom for captured LRA child soldiers. She believes her husband’s killers were abducted from their homes in Uganda to become soldiers for the paramilitary group.