Sabbath – October 11, 2008

As can usually be expected plans changed at the last minute. Friday evening I received word that if possible I should make a surprise visit to one of our branch Sabbath Schools. I should explain that there is a faction of people in Maasailand trying to destroy the work of MDP, inciting the MDP workers and trying to lure as many away as possible under the guise of joining another NGO that will push out MDP and take over Maasailand. Unfortunately as of late we have lost several previously good and dedicated workers. All Friday night my heart was breaking, needing some definite encouragement from God that we are to continue to go forward or pull out if we are fighting a losing battle. The thought came to me, "All I need is a Gideon's army". I prayed, "Lord please show me Gideon's army. I also prayed for a chance to spend time getting back in touch with the people, a chance to sit under the tree so to speak.

Sabbath morning I awoke and felt that I should go out to speak to one of our guards, the uncle to one of our workers that has decided to go his own way. He has been such a successful young man, that his decision was especially painful to me. As I sat under the tree in the front yard and shared with our guard my concerns, he mentioned that the people at Kisaju (the first church to be established in Maasailand in 1994/95) had felt deserted when we turned that area over to the Central Kenya Conference in January of this year. Suddenly I knew that I must go to Kisaju today and speak to the church there. I invited the Mzee to go with me and off we went. I was a bit fearful , not knowing how I would be received as the faction group had moved in after MDP turned the area back over to the conference. However when we arrived, instead of any of the people fighting MDP, I met Solomon Lenana. Solomon was the first lay pastor in Maasailand who worked along beside me in Kisaju back in the early 90’s and when my husband and I left we continued to support him to continue the work there along with another young Maasai man, Isaac. We had not been working together for about three years and had lost contact. He has started another ministry in Maasailand teaching AIDS awareness amongst other things. Long story short we had a wonderful reunion. God opened the door for me to speak with the congregation after the service which was totally a God thing and reunited us once again. Then the clincher for me, I got to spend most of the afternoon visiting my women friends in different bomas (homesteads) throughout the Kisaju area. It was like old times again. Solomon went visiting with me and rode back with us to Rongai, we had a wonderful time catching up and encouraging one another.

As I drove into my driveway at dusk, I praised God for the wonderful Sabbath day, the encouragement He gave me through reconnecting with my sisters in Maasailand, the opportunity to pray together, sit together in their huts, basking in renewed sisterhood. While it is true, Satan is still roaring like a lion to destroy and stop the work, God reached down in the midst of it and gave me one giant hug from heaven with words of encouragement to keep on going on, evil is soon coming to an end. Now is the time to remain faithful.

Oh, one more note, while in Kisaju I was introduced to a young lady who was just a little girl when we started work in Maasailand, she was one of the first children in the school that Solomon and Isaac started in 1996. She is now in Form Two (Class 10). Due to the fact that she has two brothers also in high school and more coming up behind her, her mother is concerned that her husband will force her to stop school and get married. We need to find a sponsor for her to keep her in school. Please if you are willing to sponsor Lillian, just $40 per month will insure her schooling to continue. Please e-mail me at jameharry@juno.com or send a tax deductable check earmarked for Lillian Supeyo's, sponsorship. Thank you and God bless.