Pastor Allen's Mission Blog-Day 4

Yesterday we worshipped at the Maua Methodist Church on the St. Joseph Circuit. The presiding minister was attending the conference’s ordination services in another city, so we were not able to have holy communion. The praise choir for the Swahili service was fabulous and we were warmly welcomed by the congregation. The lay speaker was an eighty year-old retired teacher and he offered an impassioned sermon that lasted 30 minutes longer than was scheduled (another service was to follow). So we did not linger long in fellowship after the service because we had an appointment later that afternoon.

Our team welcomed graduates of the Peace (sponsored by Haymount UMC) and Ebenezer groups to meet us at our hotel. Reegan, the ZOE Empowers Global South director arranged for a special visitor. Her name was Panina, a young woman that my daughter Ann and I met twelve years ago. Panina had been traumatized in her early teen-age years and a ZOE group surrounded her with care and concern. They helped her secure the family farm when relatives tried to take away her inheritance and helped her plant the first crops because of her pregnancy. I first met here five years after her journey with ZOE had begun. At that time she was a successful farmer, had a herd of goats, a cow and a bull, and owned a tailoring shop that employed two other persons.

I reminded her of our meeting yesterday and we continued our conversation. Today she is married with three additional children, all but the youngest enrolled in school. The generosity first shown her has been returned with a generous spirit toward her community. Her tailoring business prospers and she has been able to train six or seven others and helped them start their businesses. She provided school uniforms for dozens of children who could not afford them and assisted in paying the school fees of others. She continues to buy and sell goats and cattle and provide for her family.

It was a joy to connect with Panina. I have told her story many times and she it the epitome of the hope we offers others through the ZOE Empowers program.

Tomorrow, we travel to visit another working group sponsored by Haymount UMC. We will tell you how the stories unfolds.