I met Janet last year at the medical clinic. She was crying, ashamed and trapped in a dangerous and sad situation. She came to the clinic to seek medical help, but God showed up in, yet another amazing way. As I recounted the interaction with her, after I arrived home, I said I could have been sitting in the clinic here in the U.S. with one of our young ladies. We had an amazing, open time to share. She was able to talk to Lillian at the school for an extended period of time that day. Lillian, has in the months that have ensued, along with Rosalyn, another "angel" from Mbita,been able to help Janet get things worked out with the high school she is attending and helped her to find safe housing. Janet was able to come to Christ's Gift Academy while we were there. She shared with me more details of her life and more importantly what God has done for her since we last spoke in September of last year. She is shining with a new Hope in God and her countenance was Radiant. Please continue to pray for Janet as she continues her studies and presses on toward the goal. It is not easy, the housing situation is not without challenges and she has a lot of lost years of schooling to catch up with (she was sold as a household maid by her mother at age 8). She is a special young lady with the Joy of God and her faith sustaining her.

Nancy

There are so many stories to share with all of you. My time now is spent thinking about the beautiful people that we were so blessed to share time and God with. God was so with us! From the 12 hour layover in London when we were able to see the changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace to the mud hut that we sat in and prayed with a widow whose mother had sold her children into prostitution for food to feed the family. I was amazed at God's work in Keenan and Lindsey as they shared themselves so freely with the children of Christ Gift. Watching Keenan walk across campus to get to her next class was truly almost more that my heart could take. I watched her as she sat with a girl her age who had seen more and done more in her young life than we could watch on a X rated movie. All in the name of survival.
The children in this photo live in a small area called the "Fishing Village". This is an area where the fisherman come off the water after fishing all night and women come down from the community and trade favors for food for their families. The victory is that years ago the men would physically take the women at whim. Now, however, as times and laws have changed, the women can choose to buy the food or trade for the food. In a culture that sexual promiscuity is seen as a fact of life and a design for survival it is hard for the people here to understand any other way of life. The laws have changed, but the ways of the people are slow to change. They know a way of doing things and though new ways are better they are comfortable with the old familiar ways.
Please pray that they open their hearts to Jesus and they allow Him to give them strength and courage to walk in freedom and choice.

Our trip is over, but the vivid memories continue to fill my mind and my heart. I would like to share the story of faith I was told by one of the widows in Mbita. This young, brave women was sitting by me one day at the conference. I noticed she had enlarged lymph nodes at each edge of her jaw. As we have known each other during my other two visits to Mbita, I guess I had a sense I could ask her about them. She shared with me that she has AIDS. She said she is taking a drug, but is not on ARV's. She then shared her story with me about how she was infected. She said her husband, being distressed over the burden of 6 children, lack of income and not being a Christian, had turned to the affections of a prostitute. He contracted HIV and brought it home to her. He soon became sick, confessed all to her and asked for forgiveness. He was saved and she was able to forgive him before he died in late 2007. She too, was saved as they both faced the disease together. She now works very hard to take care of her 6 children, relating to me at one time she lived in a field. She now rents a house with her children, the youngest under the age of 5. She said she is helping her children to forgive their father and is trying to teach them about the Grace of God. I asked her how she does it. She said, "By faith. That is really all I have." Over the past two and one half year, and three visits to Mbita, I have watched as she has grown and is truly walking out her faith. She ministers to the other widows, even though she herself is sick.The widows never complained to me. All shone with the Joy and Grace of God. All came to the conference with big smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts.I know I took away more joy than I could ever have imparted. We cried together over the Father's Love letter and laughed together and danced as the precious widows gave each of us a traditional outfit the last day of the conference. Even though we live a world apart, we connected heart to heart, women to women, mother to mother and as a child of God to another child of God.
Nancy

picture: Fathers Love Letter being interpreted in Luo as Nancy teaches at Widows Conference

Church at Pastor Charles

Sunday June 14 we went to a church on a hill surrounded by corn/maze. Pastor Charles preached and then we worshipped. We all went up to introduce ourselves and I knew that Mari was going to teach a short message about serving their community so I told them that my name is Roz and that I have been sharing with their children and granddaughters and widows about sexual purity and that I share this same message as a volunteer in the US. When we were done, Pastor Charles said that he believed that we were to go speak to the youth in his church about sexual purity and asked us to go outside to speak to them. There were so many we had to split up. Nancy, Laura Fox and Lindsey, Keenan and I took the girls. We shared our story with an interpreter of course! We only had a few minutes but wow what a powerful 20 minutes! As we had shared with the widows and students at CGA we shortened the info to add as much info as we could in such a short time, giving them personal testimony and practical information about sexual purity. Keenan being their same age - told them that she made a personal commitment for sexual purity to God when she was 12 years old. She shared that even if they have already had sex they could from this day forward make this commitment. I never counted but everyone of those girls stood up for prayer. We walked among them laying on hands with prayers as Nancy lead the girls in a prayer of commitment. It was awesome. Pastor Charles and his wife were very pleased to hear of their response. I know he will continue to hold them accountable and help them grow in their faith to trust God with their future. So many give themselves to prostitution just so they can have money for school fees or money for food or rent. Laura took pictures of this event...so I will get her to post a few of this time of prayer and sharing with the girls.

Home from Kenya...

Thank you to all who prayed for us and hope you will continue to read our blog as we tell our stories.....This trip to Christ Gift Academy in Kenya has been the most enjoyable trip I have participated in on so far. I have loved all my mission trips but for me I think this one has been the most rewarding trip because of all the ministry to the widows, meeting William who is the child Perry and I sponsor at CGA and we were able to visit into the homes of a few widows and one very wise Pastor Charles and his family. Being able to give them shoes and food and a message of hope for their future and for their children and grandchildren was very well received. Judy and Steve made us all feel so welcome and offered the team many opportunities to minister to the children in the schools and on the last day we were able to minister to the teachers as well. Everyone on the team was able to participate and use their spiritual and professional gifts to minister. I have a lot of favorite stories to tell and pictures to share and I am sure the other team members are looking for an opportunity to share their stories. Look for my first favorite story in the next post! Roz

Our Mission

I woke this morning looking around my room thanking the Lord for all of my blessings. My thoughts quickly went to the trip we are about to take. I did not think we are going to a place that has nothing ... I went to the place in my mind reminding me that we are going to a place that He is. We are going there to meet with His people there. If God is everywhere, (and He is) then why would I feel sorry for these people. He is with them! The mission we have is to share that good news with the widows and children there. To show them God is their provider.

We will have a three day seminar for the widows.
The Salvation Story (they will make salvation bracelets)- Laura Leonard
Let the word of your mouth... (we are handing out tooth brushes)- Vanessa Ward
We are as precious as a pearl 9we are making pearl necklaces)- Roz Page
Sexual Integrity and health risks- Nancy Kelly
The hands and feet of Jesus- (we will be giving them hand massages) Mari Fisher
The Holy Spirit and walking in the spirit-(we will be giving the shoes) Laura Fox
Keenan Fisher and Lindsey Hildebrand will be tutoring in the lower school in the morning, teaching P.E. and teaching sexual purity to the the upper school in the afternoon.

Pray that God will break down the language barrier and that our interpreters can relay His message to be understood completely! Mari Fisher

Many of you have heard that on Tuesday at about 3:00pm we heard that our direct flight had been canceled by homeland security. There were still flights going into the country just not the one we purchased tickets for. As God would have, after a long Wednesday of phone calls to Delta, the eight of us will be leaving Saturday morning and we will have a 12-hour lay-over in London! (oh, so sad. I know you feel sorry for us). We will be in Kenya about eight hours earlier than originally thought, so we will begin our journey in Nairobi early.
Please pray for us and pray for the hearts that God will open in our path.
Mari