Proverbs 31:13

Who knew a few meters of fabric could mean so much?

On our day off on Friday, we went back to the Maasai market with the intent of buying fabric to take to the girls in the T.E.C. program.  We found some beautiful fabrics for very good prices and as a team bought 24 4-meter bundles of fabric.  On Monday, we took the fabric to the instructor at the T.E.C. center. When we started pulling fabric out of our bags, she looked shocked. A few of the girls had immediately asked if they could make us skirts, so we each picked out the fabric we would like and they measured us.  We visited with them a while, then went on to our respective assignments for the day.  Melody and Kenda would go back to the T.E.C. center on Tuesday, then Delaney and I on Wednesday.

Tuesday afternoon, Kenda and Melody came into the kitchen where I was working with tears in their eyes.  Kenda told me how the instructor had told her over and over how grateful they were for our gift. She told Kenda that we brought enough fabric for each girl to make a dress, and that she was going to use the scraps left over from making our skirts to make herself a skirt. It didn't matter to her that all of our fabrics were wildly different and did not match. She said that every time we wore it, she would remember us and praise God for us. I teared up just hearing Kenda's account of their conversation.

Then today...Oh, today.

On Wednesdays, the girls in the program spend the afternoon in Bible study. Last week, the instructor asked Delaney and I to lead it, and we led it again today. We were able to spend all morning with the girls just talking and watching them sew. Then, after lunch, we led them in the Bible study. 

We talked about counting the cost of following Christ, and discussed how we can give to Him our talents and skills, time, resources.  When we were finished worshipping, discussing, and praying, every single girl stood up and addressed Delaney and me.  They told us how they had prayed for someone to come and spend time with them and they had prayed for fabric. They thanked us for coming, for being their friends, giving them such a gift, and sharing the Word with them. They prayed blessings over us, our families, and our country. They told us they desired that God would enlarge our territory for Him and continue to bless everything we place our hands on. They spoke of their deep love for our families, even though they have never met them, because they allowed us to come to them. They promised to pray for us often, and asked that we would pray for them.

The instructor told us that even the morning we brought her the fabric, she had prayed for fabric. That she hated that the girls had to sew paper bags - she wanted more for them and couldn't afford to supply it herself. She said that when she went home that evening and spread out all the fabric, she wept and thanked God for us - that He had sent us as a blessing. She told us we had changed their lives, not just by purchasing fabric, but showing them friendship and making them feel worthy of being loved. She encouraged us to ask God why He sent us to their classroom. She said she knew it was just a small step - that our Lord has big things for each of us. That she loved us and would never forget our faces.

I didn't just tear up. I didn't just cry. I bawled. These women have been such a blessing to me.

Their encouraging words, simple faith, and complete adoration of our Lord is staggering. Oh, God - that I would be content with little. That I would rejoice in You always and acknowledge every good thing in my life as a direct gift from You - because it is!
   
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17


I am so honored to call these women my sisters in Christ. I love my Kenyan family and know I will leave a large chunk of my heart here with them.


Please pray for:

• More donations to the T.E.C. center for fabric and scholarships for the girls that cannot afford to come, or continue to come
• The Buckner staff
• The kitchen crew =) We love them so much. They have been so good to us and I think are already dreading us leaving - they have made us a "special treat" every day this week!
• the kids living at the BCC
• the other children going to the school that live in the slums. The only time they hear the Word of God may very likely be at the BCC school.
• More financial support to the BCC - they need books, and materials for the classrooms
• Our team's continued health and strength. I felt pretty crummy for the first time this morning, but praise God, it hasn't lasted.
• That the words coming from our mouths would be God-breathed and truth. That they would land on receptive hearts.
• Rest - we've been especially tired this week.