We call her Mama Grace.
Her given name is Jane. I don't even really know her surname.
In the early years, we met her only once or twice after her children became sponsored by us and some of our friends. As we started to spend more time here , we saw her a little more often. When there was a visiting day at school for parents, we would go and meet her there. We would make lots of food and she made nothing. She just came with all her children ( and there were many- about 5 total) and ate and got what she could. None of her children had the same father. She was a prostitute.
Fast forward 8 years. Esther and I started a bible study in our home for women. We started it with Mama Grace in mind. Since moving to the Githioro community we had been able to see her more often. When we would travel for visiting days, we would pick her up and she would help with making food for the children. She came to visit the house. She asked for a job in the shamba ( farm.) She was making a very good living as a prostitute and even admitted that it would be hard for her to give up sex because she was honest enough to say she just liked it.
She was at the first bible study in our house a little more than a year ago. She has been coming faithfully. When we started our outreach program of visiting those who are sick or in need, she helped lead it. Today, she will help facilitate if Esther or I are not available.
Today, she came and told us that she has been living off the money she makes from the shamba only and has given up prostitution COMPLETELY. She went on to talk about how good she feels about herself. She talked about how good it feels now not to do that.
And I cried and we thanked God.
When you live so far away from your family and all that is familiar to you, I think it natural to sometimes wonder why you came and if it really matters ( even though you surely actually know that it does)... and in those times, God has always sent proof of obedience to His call.
8 years - one woman. ONE LIFE Changed by our God. He is AMAZING.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
In Africa, there is so much truth to "truth is stranger than fiction"
One of the reasons I don't blog often is because the stories I need to share are complicated and full of details that need to be related. And I need to get it just right because the story - and it's a true story- needs to be told in exactly the way I experience it here.
So, let's go back to the year 2009. It was this year that while working in a medical clinic here, we noticed two little girls who were always around. We started to wonder why they were not in school. Long story short, we ( and other friends) started sponsoring these two young ladies for boarding school. Here's a picture of Lois and Grace in 2010
Over the years, we have had contact with the mother of these two. For many years, we had to beg and plead with her to do even a small part to help. Peter and Mama Shiko were frustrated because on visiting day she would come with nothing for her children and expect them to provide for her. In fact, they described her as a little bit crazy.
Fast forward 5 years. Grace and Lois are thriving in school. Grace is in 8th grade and Lois is in 5th grade. They are lovely girls. The top picture on the left side is of them in 2010 and on the right and bottom -this year 2015.
These girls are thriving and becoming wonderful young girls.
Then there is the mother. The good news is that she is attending our Wednesday bible study faithfully. She also works on the farm here. She leads some of the outreach our group does.
The bad news is - she's addicted sex. We knew that she was a prostitute. But slowly but surely, her life is changing. God is good.
So, let's go back to the year 2009. It was this year that while working in a medical clinic here, we noticed two little girls who were always around. We started to wonder why they were not in school. Long story short, we ( and other friends) started sponsoring these two young ladies for boarding school. Here's a picture of Lois and Grace in 2010
Fast forward 5 years. Grace and Lois are thriving in school. Grace is in 8th grade and Lois is in 5th grade. They are lovely girls. The top picture on the left side is of them in 2010 and on the right and bottom -this year 2015.
Then there is the mother. The good news is that she is attending our Wednesday bible study faithfully. She also works on the farm here. She leads some of the outreach our group does.
The bad news is - she's addicted sex. We knew that she was a prostitute. But slowly but surely, her life is changing. God is good.
Children's Court
There are many times when I say to myself, I should post a blog about that. Then life happens and I am pulled away from the computer. But this time, I MUST write.
My friend Esther was summoned to court because her "husband" wanted to have custody of his children. They have three together.
I met Esther in 2013, when a mutual acquaintance asked me if we could add Esther's oldest child to our sponsorship program. The reasons given were that the husband was abusive to Esther and the children and that he had actually threatened to have sex with his oldest child if Esther was not willing to grant him his "rights."
The Esther I met was a quiet, shy young woman with three lovely children. Two of those children suffered problems at birth. Maxwell, the youngest, has cerebral palsy. Claire had some trouble beginning to walk but is now quite healthy.
Esther's story and the story of the children is a very very long one. The things that the "husband" did to her are too horrible even to write.
Today, she had her day in court. I am writing this blog because I want to honor God and how He works in the lives of people. The Esther I met 3 years ago was afraid of her own shadow. She never asked us for anything. It was this mutual acquaintance who begged us to take Venus as a sponsored child. Even though Esther was often unable to pay her rent or to feed her children she NEVER asked. Except for one time. At that time the "husband" had come to her place and taken all of her things - beds, seats, even the thing she cooked with. He left his family with one very small mattress.
Fast forward three years. The "husband" took her to court to get "unlimited access" to his children. In all the years I have known her I had not even met him until January of last year. He had never given his children anything. He had indeed visited the family every 6 months to a year when he came home just to "get what was his" from Esther.
I so wish I had the words to clearly explain how pathological this man is. That will be for another day.
Today Esther for the first time faced him with her head held high. Just a year ago, he brought another case to court and when Len and I went with her to the court, she was afraid to even speak to him. I looked at her and told her to put her shoulders back, take a breath and go straight to him and greet him. SHE was in charge. He was not.
Over a year ago, Esther helped me to start two women's bible study groups. Iwanted to provide a place for women to come and learn about Jesus and to have a safe place to share problems. I asked her to be my translator. She did that, but wasn't happy about it.
Long story short - she's the leader now. She has a heart bigger than anyone I know. She does not want women to suffer like she has. We are learning to be strong together - knowing that our strength comes from God.
Once again, I digress. What I want to say is that today a strong, confident, loving mother of three faced her "demon." She answered his questions with confidence and never shed a tear. We listened to lie after lie from him and yet she smiled with confidence because she knew the truth.
I took the stand at the very end of the process. I was a little afraid. I have never testified in court , let alone a Kenyan court. But I knew the truth, and when I swore on that bible to tell the truth that is exactly what I did. Her attorney asked questions which I was able to answer. When the "husband" asked me questions, I was able to answer. It was a bit funny. This manipulator extraordinaire saw another woman he wished to control. He clearly did not know me at all. He went after me just as he would a Kenyan woman. He asked me if I had children of my own and I said yes. Then he said to me, you are lieing - you are barren. Now, in Kenya, that should have been a slap in the face. A Kenyan woman would have shriveled up and caved. I simply said that statement was true. Then he said that because of my being barren I wanted his children.
With a twinkle in my eye I proudly said, " I am 52 years old. I don't want anybody's children."
Point being, he thought that he could intimidate me like he has done to so many women including Esther.
When I stepped down from the stand, I realized that several of the women from the Monday bible study had come to support Esther. How amazing is that??? As I walked by Mary, she said to me - you are such a strong woman. They were all astounded that I stood with my head held high and answered his questions.
If one person has been changed by my strength - I give all the glory to God. He has done GREAT things in the life of Esther and she is passing it on. God is good.
My friend Esther was summoned to court because her "husband" wanted to have custody of his children. They have three together.
I met Esther in 2013, when a mutual acquaintance asked me if we could add Esther's oldest child to our sponsorship program. The reasons given were that the husband was abusive to Esther and the children and that he had actually threatened to have sex with his oldest child if Esther was not willing to grant him his "rights."
The Esther I met was a quiet, shy young woman with three lovely children. Two of those children suffered problems at birth. Maxwell, the youngest, has cerebral palsy. Claire had some trouble beginning to walk but is now quite healthy.
Esther's story and the story of the children is a very very long one. The things that the "husband" did to her are too horrible even to write.
Today, she had her day in court. I am writing this blog because I want to honor God and how He works in the lives of people. The Esther I met 3 years ago was afraid of her own shadow. She never asked us for anything. It was this mutual acquaintance who begged us to take Venus as a sponsored child. Even though Esther was often unable to pay her rent or to feed her children she NEVER asked. Except for one time. At that time the "husband" had come to her place and taken all of her things - beds, seats, even the thing she cooked with. He left his family with one very small mattress.
Fast forward three years. The "husband" took her to court to get "unlimited access" to his children. In all the years I have known her I had not even met him until January of last year. He had never given his children anything. He had indeed visited the family every 6 months to a year when he came home just to "get what was his" from Esther.
I so wish I had the words to clearly explain how pathological this man is. That will be for another day.
Today Esther for the first time faced him with her head held high. Just a year ago, he brought another case to court and when Len and I went with her to the court, she was afraid to even speak to him. I looked at her and told her to put her shoulders back, take a breath and go straight to him and greet him. SHE was in charge. He was not.
Over a year ago, Esther helped me to start two women's bible study groups. Iwanted to provide a place for women to come and learn about Jesus and to have a safe place to share problems. I asked her to be my translator. She did that, but wasn't happy about it.
Long story short - she's the leader now. She has a heart bigger than anyone I know. She does not want women to suffer like she has. We are learning to be strong together - knowing that our strength comes from God.
Once again, I digress. What I want to say is that today a strong, confident, loving mother of three faced her "demon." She answered his questions with confidence and never shed a tear. We listened to lie after lie from him and yet she smiled with confidence because she knew the truth.
I took the stand at the very end of the process. I was a little afraid. I have never testified in court , let alone a Kenyan court. But I knew the truth, and when I swore on that bible to tell the truth that is exactly what I did. Her attorney asked questions which I was able to answer. When the "husband" asked me questions, I was able to answer. It was a bit funny. This manipulator extraordinaire saw another woman he wished to control. He clearly did not know me at all. He went after me just as he would a Kenyan woman. He asked me if I had children of my own and I said yes. Then he said to me, you are lieing - you are barren. Now, in Kenya, that should have been a slap in the face. A Kenyan woman would have shriveled up and caved. I simply said that statement was true. Then he said that because of my being barren I wanted his children.
With a twinkle in my eye I proudly said, " I am 52 years old. I don't want anybody's children."
Point being, he thought that he could intimidate me like he has done to so many women including Esther.
When I stepped down from the stand, I realized that several of the women from the Monday bible study had come to support Esther. How amazing is that??? As I walked by Mary, she said to me - you are such a strong woman. They were all astounded that I stood with my head held high and answered his questions.
If one person has been changed by my strength - I give all the glory to God. He has done GREAT things in the life of Esther and she is passing it on. God is good.
Friday, January 1, 2016
What a new year it has already been...
In March last year, we started a group for women - ( see blog post from March 15, 2015)
We started with a little over ten women. That group has grown to between 50 and 60 each week. We have been asked by people in the community what we are giving them each week - surely they do not come and not receive a hand out of some sort.
Our answer remains that first and foremost we give them Jesus - His love... His big big huge love that is surpassed by no one and nothing. We teach about him and what he taught his discipled.
We provide a safe play to come and share burdens. We offer a place to pray and praise God . We offer a place to laugh together . We offer a place to learn things about the biology of the female body. We learn about how to deal with crazy teenagers.
While I was away in the US, 4 people asked Christ into their hearts.
Today, Miriam the mlevi as we call her came to our house. She was brought by one of the leaders of the group. We call her Miriam the mlevi because I have never seen her when she was not drunk. And every time she comes drunk, I tell her to keep coming even if she's drunk.
So for months she has come off and on. She has 4 children. Her family has given up on her. She is thin - very very thin.
Today, Miriam came to say that today was the day she wanted to be saved - the day she wanted to give up drinking and give her life to Christ.
We prayed with her. Reuben, our dear friend, helped me with her and interpretation. Today she starts a new life. We told her it would not be easy, but we are here to help her on her journey. We sent her home with food for her and her children. I told her to eat then go to sleep and begin again.
Tomorrow she will come to "check in".... please pray for Miriam.
We praise God for the way he has moved in this dear child's life.
We started with a little over ten women. That group has grown to between 50 and 60 each week. We have been asked by people in the community what we are giving them each week - surely they do not come and not receive a hand out of some sort.
Our answer remains that first and foremost we give them Jesus - His love... His big big huge love that is surpassed by no one and nothing. We teach about him and what he taught his discipled.
We provide a safe play to come and share burdens. We offer a place to pray and praise God . We offer a place to laugh together . We offer a place to learn things about the biology of the female body. We learn about how to deal with crazy teenagers.
While I was away in the US, 4 people asked Christ into their hearts.
Today, Miriam the mlevi as we call her came to our house. She was brought by one of the leaders of the group. We call her Miriam the mlevi because I have never seen her when she was not drunk. And every time she comes drunk, I tell her to keep coming even if she's drunk.
So for months she has come off and on. She has 4 children. Her family has given up on her. She is thin - very very thin.
Today, Miriam came to say that today was the day she wanted to be saved - the day she wanted to give up drinking and give her life to Christ.
We prayed with her. Reuben, our dear friend, helped me with her and interpretation. Today she starts a new life. We told her it would not be easy, but we are here to help her on her journey. We sent her home with food for her and her children. I told her to eat then go to sleep and begin again.
Tomorrow she will come to "check in".... please pray for Miriam.
We praise God for the way he has moved in this dear child's life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)