The day before yesterday, I got back from a five-day trip to Yiffin. I went in order to attend the annual Women's Institute...which is like a Women's retreat. Each year, the women from the churches of the entire area come together to worship and to attend special services. The woman in the photo started the Women's Institute in 1968 and has attended every year since. She has such a neat spirit and her joy in serving God just shines through her face. She is also a traditional birth attendant for the area and has helped deliver many babies in her lifetime.
Wednesday, I traveled the 6 hour trip in a four-wheel drive with one of the Bible School students who is from the area. God blessed us with a safe journey and a good driver, which is a real blessing since there were 13 adults, two children, an infant and a lamb in our Land Rover. (The apprentice and the two adult sheep rode on the roof rack with the luggage.) I spent Thursday visiting with several friends from last year until about mid-afternoon. Then, Namissa and I, with our luggage, (with the driver, a total of three adults) got on a motorcycle and drove to the village of Komontambaya, where the meeting was to take place. Our driver tried very hard, but it is not easy to balance two women and their baggage while driving off-road conditions. At one point, we did have a mild wipe-out, but God helped us and none of us were injured other than some small scrapes.
I wish you could have been with me. As each group of women walked in to Komontambaya, they would begin to sing and dance to the steady beat of the african drums. All of the women who had already arrived would go out singing and dancing to meet them and welcome them. What an atmosphere of jubilation! Many of these women walked anywhere from 3 to 18 miles, carrying their belongings on their heads and their babies on their backs, just to come attend the meeting. In fact, one of the women shared with me that even while Sierra Leone was in civil war and everyone was in hiding in the forest, the women still continued to meet to study God's Word! WOW! (And to think of all the times I skipped prayer meeting just because I was tired, or too busy!) We had such a good time of testimonies, prayer, and studying God's word. Many of these women deal with some really difficult issues, especially since most of them are in polygamous marriages, have had children die, struggle with untreated health issues, and are first generation Christians in a Islamic/Animist culture. In spite of all this, they sing praise to God with total abandon, and hungrily seek biblical truths to answer their questions. What testimonies they shared of God's hand in their lives and of the answers to their prayers. I was truly inspired.
Sunday morning, when the services were over, we all left for our respective homes. Us "Yiffin women" walked the 9 miles back together, talking and laughing the whole way. However, when I got to Yiffin, we found out that no vehicles had come in all the days that we had been gone. The only way to get a ride from Yiffin to Kabala, is to hitch a ride with a truck that has come the day before...No truck... No ride. It was looking like I could be stuck for a while. But once again, God provided. An area pastor offered to take me to Kabala on his Honda for no other price than just the cost of gas! What a praise. He was such a blessing! I appreciated the ride so much, but I am here to tell you, I discovered that I was lacking muscles in places that I didn't even know muscles were needed! If any of you have ever ridden an off-road bike as a passenger, you will understand what I am talking about. Four hours later, we arrived in Kabala, safe and sound... and very dusty! All of you who are paying good money to get a "Core Workout", should just ride a motorcycle for an hour or so per day on these roads! WOW!
Anyway, here I am...back in my life of ease... indoor toilet...bucket shower...cellphone coverage...bed...
And...most importantly...equipped with a renewed vision for what God has called us here to do. To each of you who pray for us... to each of you who invest what little you have in our ministry... THANK YOU!
These women thank you! They specifically prayed for you and thanked God for you, because you encouraged their hearts by sending me and they asked me to tell you not to forget them. They asked me to tell you to keep on praying for them as they keep trying to walk faithfully with God and to tell other women about God.