The first day we went to the displacement camps I immediately hit it off with the older half of the girls. They range from 12-16 years old and I am completely in love with all of them already. Even only after spending two days with them I am convinced that out of all the ministries we are in, the ways God is using us as a team here, this is exactly where God is calling me personally to pour myself into.
Cecilia, 13 years old, caught my attention right away; she spoke English very well and had such a big smile on her face. The first day out there she wanted to show me her tent which is now her “crib” which she pronounces cribe. I walked over there with a ton of kids and saw this tiny 8×15 tent that they call their permanent home. 13 people sleep inside this tent every night, the rain gets in the holes, the wind blows it over, and they’ve been living like this for 3 years and going.
I missed the second Saturday down there because I was in the hospital but got to come again this time. This Saturday when I got there I was greeted by Cecilia jumping on my back saying, “I’m so glad God answered my prayers and healed you. I’ve been praying for you constantly everyday.” She is only 13, yet is so in love with the Lord. She thanks God for her life and for protecting her and her brothers and sisters through the elections and could care less that she has nothing.
Our teams vision for down there is discipleship of believers, so once we leave, there will be people long term continuing to invest in the community. As we went through the service I kept staring at Cecilia and God just told me to really invest in this girl. So I asked her if she would be willing to go on our house to house visits with my group. She was so excited for the opportunity and got her first glimpse of ministry. She went to two houses with us and didn’t say a word but the whole time had my Bible out completely consumed in it. As the two of us walked back I asked her what she needed prayer for, she said she needs prayer for dedication and determination in her school work. She is in class 7 and wants to be a pilot just so she can fly her family out of the camps to a place of freedom, which is going to be my house in San Diego, we decided. You’ll love her mom and dad.
I began asking about her family, turns out her dad cheated on her mom when she was 4 and she hasn’t seen him since. During the elections she lost contact with her very own mother and hasn’t seen her in 3 years. So she lives with her 4 brothers and sisters, 8 cousins and grandma in one tiny tent. After she explained all this to me, she broke down. I told her it was okay to cry and she said that she can’t ever cry because she has to be strong for her family. So I stood with her for 30 minutes holding her in my arms as we both sobbed together. Once she pulled herself together, I still was crying, we continued to walk. I discovered she is the only believer in her entire family, not even her grandma is. I grabbed them a bag of Ugali and walked with her to her tent. We started talking more and more about what a day in the life looks like for her. She explained that she hasn’t been able to go to school for the last two months because her grandma can’t afford to pay for all of them. 2 months of school for this bright girl, who has such a big heart, who has a vision to save this community, who sees the hope of Christ is only 700 Kenya shillings. Which is only 10 U.S. dollars. She sobbed again telling me about this and I encouraged her with all the Jesus I see in her at such a young age. I handed her 1000 Kenya shillings with direct orders that it only go straight to her future. We broke down together again and although I know I’m coming back next Saturday it was so hard to leave her. I want to take her with me wherever I go.
Overall I’m excited to work with her and all of her friends and build into them. In this group of girls I see the most hope in their eyes. They will change this place, for their moms, dads, brothers and sisters. Empowering them is what God is calling me to do for the remainder of the time here. I can’t wait to do life with them. I’m also so glad that I finally found that fire that is burning inside of me, that passion that I will turn God’s kingdom upside down for while I’m out here.
Romans 8:21 “that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
I want to scream at the top of my lungs to these girls, “Freedom is possible because nothing is impossible with God!”
