Eighteen months ago, I was in the middle of an adoption to Ghana, God had just given my daughter a vision for this ministry, my husband and I knew God was calling us to be missionaries in Africa and still I felt a little lost. Not truly lost, but confused. Where did I fit into the missionary portion? What did I have to offer anyone I kept asking myself, and I kept asking God. Righ can teach others about Jesus, he can share His story. Me, not so much. I can love kids, though, and love them well.
I went on a women’s retreat in the middle of all this and just sought His heart, sought His plan for my life. And He spoke to me that weekend. As I asked Him to show me, He did. He laid out a vision before me….I was walking the streets in Africa (at this point, I had NEVER been to Africa, but somehow knew that’s where I was). As I walked, the children came. They would smile and laugh and dance. They would ask for food, water and other things they needed. I saw the joy on their faces, but the pain in their eyes. I saw the longing for love pouring from them and I wanted to scoop each of them up, tell them they were beautifully and wonderfully made, and speak “Jesus loves you” into their ears. I shed tears of joy thinking about being with the least of these. As I continued on in my walk, mothers starting coming, widows seeking help. And just like that, God told me His plan. In my eyes, I had nothing to offer. In His eyes, I had love. He was calling me to love the children, the orphans, the fatherless and their mothers. He is calling me to help mothers just like me who adore their children. He broke my heart for them even more as I walked the journey to Samuel and Helen and met their birth mother. The words she spoke to Samuel the last time she saw him were heartbreaking. She loved him, but felt she had no other choice. I am thankful to a God who loves me, who chose me to be his mother, but also to his birth mother who loved both of them so much that she made the ultimate sacrifice. And this leads me back to Jesus, as most everything does. It leads me back to wanting to follow Him wherever He leads.
Part of that path is to help widows fight, to empower them, to help them be mothers. Over the last year, we have been able to partner with City of Refuge Ministries as they began 7 Continents Fair Trade. God provided ways for us to help them help 8 mothers living in Tema New Town. And just recently, He opened up another door.
This beautiful woman now has a dream.
Through the vision of John and Irene Nyavor of Great Mission International, the vision of the Lord, a partnership birthed in Him, and the generous donations made by YOU she will now have a job. A place of employment. A chance.
So thank you for giving of yourselves, for following Jesus, and for sacrificing for a new group of women. Be on the lookout for some beautiful dresses and other things coming very soon. They will make great gifts and you will be reminded of Jesus’ unfailing love continuously.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; – Psalm 139:14