From Hopelessness to HOPE and a FUTURE

Before you read on, please re-visit this blog post from last December!

Now look at this picture (and the others further down):

Lydia with Judith, the YWAMer who is heading up the "Women of Hope" ministry - Lydia called her "my best friend"

When I met Lydia on my recent visit,

she was beaming,

happy!

I first met her at Judith's house.

Judith and Fred are the ones who have taken her on,

led her to know Jesus and 

are encouraging her.

They've also been feeding her and her children most days

even though they themselves have hardly anything.

She right away showed me some shorts she'd sewn for Judith's little boy.

When I visited Lydia's humble place

still the same place as last year,

this is what I saw:

showing me a skirt she'd sewn

There's a (single) mattress now that the 3 children share

I know, we should've gotten a bigger size mattress...

but hey, it's better than sleeping on concrete.

Lydia is sleeping next to them in a sleeping bag that somebody donated for her.

There's also a mosquito-net now.

Lydia was so proud to show me the different pieces of clothing she'd been sewing.

It was priceless - and one of the most encouraging encounters of my trip!

2 more pieces of new clothing she'd made

To see the difference it made 

for somebody to step up and take the risk of

committing to pay the tailoring training for Lydia

as well as her children's school fees.

Yes, I felt that I needed to step out. (with Rich's permission).

I DO like to keep my promises

but had NO way of knowing HOW I would come up with the money it would take month after month.

And yet

I felt compelled to DO SOMETHING.

And, boy, am I ever glad I did!

God has been faithfully providing so far

(through other people)!

Lydia will finish her training in December.

Then the plan is to get her a sewing machine and set her up to start her own little business.

She will need to pay back the sewing machine as she will be making money,

little by little.

I expect that in another 2 years, she will be on her own feet financially,

able to provide for the children's school fees, food, etc

Hopefully for the rest of her life.

with the 4-year-old twin boys Kato and Waswa and her 7-year-old daughter Amina

Just to see what a little bit of help can accomplish was SUCH an encouragement!

Judith told me how before Lydia would always cry and be completely hopeless.

NOT - ANY - MORE!!!!

THANK YOU, JESUS!!!

May there be MANY MANY more like her!!!

We're just starting, folks!

Let me know if you want to help others - 

or help with the sewing machine for Lydia (US$130) -

or the children's ongoing school fees for another 2 years.

Folks - this is SOOOO WORTH every penny!

happy children!