Amy grew up in a home with parents of two different people groups but both Cousins. She was forced into an arranged marriage at a young age. Life for her was difficult. In 2005, she got a job helping the wife of a missionary couple learn the language. One of their religious duties is to pray five times a day. Amy was confused when the young missionary wanted to pray all the time. The young lady wanted to pray before beginning language class and when they ended and any time the Spirit lead her in between. It was the young missionary's love for Jesus and praying that lead Amy to want to follow Jesus too. Amy's husband divorced her and kept the children when Amy's choice was known.
Amy then taught herself English so that she could go out to translate for volunteer teams. She has been out with teams and gone to follow up even when teams were not around. She has supported her family and tried to help mentor young believers to grow in the Word and provide for themselves. Eventually all of her daughters came to live with her as well as her mother, who is still a Cousin.
In April, while out at a village where Amy had shared many times before, she was attacked, beaten, and left for dead. Thankfully others saw her and brought her into town where she could get treated at a hospital. The first hospital was unaware of her diabetes and so complications with her treatment arose. She was transferred to another hospital which worked in conjunction with a larger facility to give her the treatment she needed over the next two months. During this time, the local pastor and others from the Family went often to pray with and over Amy.
Amidst Amy's recovery, a man proposed to her. In July, they were married. Jennifer and the local pastor's wife attended the wedding, helped with food preparation, and prayed for the couple.
As August came to a close, Jennifer called Amy to see about gathering together to study. If that were not praise enough in an area where brothers and sisters have not always gathered without help from an outsider, Amy was back out in the village. Not only was she out, but she was in the village where she had been beaten. What a testimony and challenge to see her perseverance!
About Me
- Lisa
- Hello, I am a mother of three living with my husband in Africa. I have been blogging for seven years but still find myself very technologically challenged. I make lots of mistakes, but life is a journey. Come join me on the journey!
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Jennifer Sows the Seed
As you may remember, "Jennifer" completed her time of mourning for her husband shortly after we left our home five months ago. She was so looking forward to her freedom to go study and gather with the Body. Without us there, the Body was left without an outside force to encourage and teach. So we prayed that they would indeed be the Body.
As August began, I shared with some that Jennifer had requested prayer that the Brothers and Sisters would continue to grow in their faith. A week later, as we made a quick trip to our house to retrieve home school materials, I was able to give her an SD card with stories from the Word, the Way of Righteousness, as well as sing and pray with her.
When she called last week, I asked her if she was listening to the stories and if anyone was listening with her. She told me that she is listening and that a friend was coming the next day to listen. She proceeded to remind me that she had tried to get me to have time to visit this friend, but our schedules had not worked out. Now the friend was going to bring another friend to listen to the Word with Jennifer.
Jennifer also told me that she had called "Amy", a sister for over ten years, to get together to study the Word for mutual encouragement. Amy had agreed to do so once she got back from the village. Just having sisters taking initiative to meet together was worth getting excited about, since rarely has the Body gotten together without the initiation of the outsiders.
This week I called to ask Jennifer how things had gone the week before. She was excited to say that the friends had come over and enjoyed hearing the Word. Her friend actually wanted her younger sibling to also hear, so Jennifer was going to their house yesterday to share, after going to visit with Amy. Then Jennifer asked for something. She knew I had some copies of the Word at our house and asked if she could get some to take to give to her friends. I gladly gave permission. Much better for her to give them away than have them sit collecting dust.
A local proverb here says, "Pray to God, but work your fields." Jennifer asked for prayer that the Body would continue to grow and is working toward that end. Ask that the Father will continue to bless the times that the Body gathers and the times that the Body is out sowing the Seed.
As August began, I shared with some that Jennifer had requested prayer that the Brothers and Sisters would continue to grow in their faith. A week later, as we made a quick trip to our house to retrieve home school materials, I was able to give her an SD card with stories from the Word, the Way of Righteousness, as well as sing and pray with her.
When she called last week, I asked her if she was listening to the stories and if anyone was listening with her. She told me that she is listening and that a friend was coming the next day to listen. She proceeded to remind me that she had tried to get me to have time to visit this friend, but our schedules had not worked out. Now the friend was going to bring another friend to listen to the Word with Jennifer.
Jennifer also told me that she had called "Amy", a sister for over ten years, to get together to study the Word for mutual encouragement. Amy had agreed to do so once she got back from the village. Just having sisters taking initiative to meet together was worth getting excited about, since rarely has the Body gotten together without the initiation of the outsiders.
This week I called to ask Jennifer how things had gone the week before. She was excited to say that the friends had come over and enjoyed hearing the Word. Her friend actually wanted her younger sibling to also hear, so Jennifer was going to their house yesterday to share, after going to visit with Amy. Then Jennifer asked for something. She knew I had some copies of the Word at our house and asked if she could get some to take to give to her friends. I gladly gave permission. Much better for her to give them away than have them sit collecting dust.
A local proverb here says, "Pray to God, but work your fields." Jennifer asked for prayer that the Body would continue to grow and is working toward that end. Ask that the Father will continue to bless the times that the Body gathers and the times that the Body is out sowing the Seed.
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