Monday August 29th
Through unexpected events (rain and illnesses), some members of our team were asked to go on a home visit to visit with a dear friend. I wish I had better words to capture the feelings, emotions, tears, and blessings of that day. I pray God would speak through me, that I would be a vessel, a bridge to others of her words, her cries.
Ps. 31:8- "Speak up for all those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all those who are desolate."
The day we met Grace. Hiking from the clinic up a hill, down the railroad tracks, then down a slippery, muddy, steep terrain, around the cow grazing, we arrived at Grace's hut. The aftermath of the recent day's rain still left a deep impact of flooding to this home made of mud. Some of the youngest of the eight children were sitting in the mud, no clothes, eating dirty maize (corn) for lunch with dirty hands. Her home, with the walls half beaten away by the recent rainfall, had to be no bigger than my own bedroom back in America. However, hers housed a family of 11 (eight children, parents, and a mother-in-law). Homes like this are very common in Kenya, I'm not sure where the outdoor "toilet" was, but there was only a small little grill for all the cooking. Dishes were done outside and the clean ones piled there on a piece of wood next to dirty ones and the grill. The sightings of a typical Kenyan property is not what struck me that day, nor what brought the individuals of the team to tears, it was the stories and those broken faces.
As we stood on her property (railroad property that could be taken by the government whenever they wanted), we listened to her story and that of her children. Grace, a recovered alcoholic, gave up brewing when she gave her life to the Lord. Unfortunately, her husband did not make the same decision and continues in their previous lifestyle. Gone for periods of time without explanation, she is left to feed her children from the maize they pick and milk from the cow she takes care of for her friend, that is not hers. Her oldest son, who tried to make extra money for his family (which was stolen from the father when he learned of the events), tried to commit suicide and was brought to the clinic for urgent medical attention, further breaking his mother's heart.
"True and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." -James 1:27
It is often overwhelming when you look around you and all you see is true pain, suffering, and poverty. I looked into those children's eyes and into Grace's and my heart was struck and ached when I saw the face of Jesus on hers, and in the eyes of her children. I felt at peace knowing that the God who takes care of me, will take care of her as well if we take it to Him in prayer. I stood there praying, searching what words of encouragement could I give to such brokenness? As I listened to the other women on the team tell her their stories of alcoholic husbands, my heart beat with peace and hope, remembering how we are each His children, and He loves us all the same. He has not forgotten Grace or her family; He is right there in their midst and suffering.
"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed toward those of your people who are poor and needy in your land" -Deut. 15:11
Seeing the pain in her eyes, in her children's eyes, could almost suffocate the words from your throat, until we remember how big God is and that He is the only source of hope in such a situation. So I prayed for her and her family... knowing that it was the best thing for her and the only thing I could do to help. Watching the tears flow from her eyes, listening as she humbly tried to offer us something to eat or drink with her hospitality, I was heartbroken for what more we could do.
Psalm 140:12- "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy".
Grace has filled my prayers so often as we've met with others and talked with pastors in what would be a blessing to her, something we could do to empower her out of her situation- to break her from the vicious cycle of poverty that takes so many captive prisoners. I urge anyone who reads her story, though I can not do her story justice with my words, to lift her up in your prayers as well. My heart breaks for Grace as I pray about how to bless her in her committed walk with the Lord. The LORD will watch over Grace, just as He protects all of us as His children. I do not know why God had our paths cross with Grace that day, but I feel extremely blessed and privileged to be able to share in her life... to look into her eyes, to hear her voice, and experience her tears.
Mbarikiwe Grace, Mungu Akubariki
Is. 61:1- "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners."
"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." -C.T. Studd
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