Our God truly does way more than we can ever ask or imagine! This is a truth that God often calls to my memory and He often uses the "least of these" to show it to me. Two days ago was no different. Who would have thought that 8 women living below the poverty level, would avail themselves to the Lord, step out in faith to support 16 orphans to go to school? But that is what they did! We're talking about women who struggle to meet the needs of their own family, emboldened by the love of their Savior to be His hands and feet to the "fatherless."
A group of 8 women led by Elinipa and Esther (see picture), formed a CHE group with the big dream of transforming their community. CHE stands for Community Health Evangelism. They gather each week to learn lessons in Word of God as well as preventative disease, micro-enterprise, appropriate technology and much more. It's at these lessons that God began to stir their hearts to mobilize their passions and training to make a difference in the lives of the orphans in their village.
Education is viewed very differently here in Tanzania. In the United States education is free and every child is ensured the right to attend. For Tanzanian children education is not a right but a privilege eluded by the majority of children here. A major obstacle for attending school is the cost. Students are required to pay tuition, uniforms, food and even any materials that may be used. In some areas schools are sparce requiring students to live far away from their parents and pay boarding fees as well. The average cost of a primary student is about $40 a year but even that is an insurmountable hurdle for many of the villagers to afford. You can understand why the $400-$800 a year for secondary remains nothing but an unfulfilled dream for most.
Undaunted by the numbers the CHE group of Ekenywa set out to find a solution for the 16 orphans God laid on their hearts. They decided to start a micro-enterprise selling nutritionally boosted porridge. Most porridge is simply made out of maize and lacks any body-boosting support. Coupled with the desire to support orphans as well as offer a nutritionally enhanced product, they came up with a recipe that power-packs the common porridge offered in the local stores.
Together these 8 ladies purchase all the ingredients from the local market: corn, soy beans, peanuts, rice, flour and have have them transported by bulk to the local mill. Their they pay extra fees to have it all ground to a fine powder. After that they pay more transport to have it brought to a small room they rent to be used as their "assembly factory" as well as their shop. (see pic of Esther and her son, Freddy packaging the porridge and putting on labels). On any given day you may find few or all of the 8 ladies gathered around making the bags to hold the porridge, filling the bags, sealing and labeling the bags. Yes, to cut costs even the bags hosting the porridge are folded and made by hand. The glue holding them together is made from the porridge they are selling. :-) Talk about resourceful! "Micro-enterprise" seems a misnomer at times, doesn't it? For although it may be a small business for eight seemingly simple women, it provides big dreams for 16 children who were left with almost no hope. Our God truly does immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine when we avail ourselves to Him!
This particular day that I was visiting their shop I noticed it was full of nearly 9 bags full of porridge. That was almost 1800 lbs of porridge. I learned the Lord had convicted the ladies hearts to respond to hungry people in the bush left devastated by the most recent drought; the worst drought this country has seen in decades. Over the past week these ladies have given countless hours, resources and energy to making and packaging almost a ton of porridge to bless those in most desperate need. I was in awe. Esther doesn't always have enough to even support her own family but that doesn't waver her faith nor her compassion to reach out to the "least of these." I was in humbled awe and silence.
Would you please remember to pray for these dear ladies? We're trusting God to open every door for the success of their enterprise of love. May He increase His favor and creative abundance over them. Please pray for Elinipa (the one wearing the hat), as she oversees several different CHE groups that she has formed in the area. May God increase to her all wisdom and spiritual discernment, as well as energy and compassion. She's truly a remarkable woman of God. I'm blessed to come alongside and partner with her in this marvelous ministry to the women of our surrounding neighborhoods.
Another wonderful blessing that came from that visit was Nempiris. (Her name means Grace in the masai language. She's in the photo with Elinipa and Esther). She was passing by as we were taking pictures of Esther and all the bags. Upon greeting her we discovered she's been suffering from eye problems. I asked her if we could pray for her. After sharing with her that I brought prayer oil with me and explaining it's purpose she said, "Well in that case pour it all over me because my back hurts,my head hurts, my legs and feet hurt.." What faith!! We prayed believing God for her healing and sure enough, He heard the cries of this dear, sweet child of His, overlooked by most of the world. He healed her right there on the spot! She jumped up and down praising God saying, "And to think I woke up this morning thinking I was just going to go to the field to get corn for my cows. But I got healed instead!"
"Eye has not seen, ear has not heard and mind can not even imagine what God has for those who love Him.."
Nempiris asked that we not forget her but continue to pray for her. I've kept that promise. She left healed that day and I know I will never be the same again either!
