3000 Strong - Women's Congress

With firewood & pots, mattresses, basins and soap, bags of flour, cooking oil, vegetables, and luggage filled with pretty dresses and uniforms – and their Bibles – 3000 women arrived for the Congress.  We reached the school grounds to find the ladies carrying heavy loads on their heads and with no hesitation, setting up make shift kitchens around the compound. The excitement was building for this long awaited spiritual retreat. They had traveled from the deep interior, from villages and mountains, in buses and matatus, on motor bikes and on foot.  The Turkana group voyaged for 18 hours and they wouldn’t miss it!

The early birds landed a dormitory bunk while others found sleeping space on the concrete classroom floors of the Mudavadi Girls Secondary School.  A hint of panic set in when there was an obvious overflow of delegates. Extra tents were quickly ordered and before long the green grass became the additional sleeping space, a nocturnal crib under the stars. Despite some minor complaining, none of these ‘inconveniences’ tarnished the ladies’ eagerness and expectancy.  For many, it was their ‘vacation of the year’ filled with sunrise to sunset dancing, singing, worship, and prayer – plus lots of fun and laughter.  Like many such events around the globe, women love being together. It’s in our DNA. This scene was no exception. The ear to ear smiles and their never ending energy for ‘moving to the music’ spoke volumes of their vigour to be together for hours of praise and thanksgiving to God.  Our two guests from The Salvation Army US Southern Territory, Commissioner Barbara Howell and Major Brenda Raymer, were immediately thrilled to meet and mingle with the ladies. Soon they too were dancing the African way. Warm welcomes and ‘join us’ are never in short supply for visitors!  

The messages and teaching supported the theme “Women Serving Christ Positively”. It was quite appropriate that Major Brenda reminded us to ‘pause’ this weekend and hear God speak. The days sped quickly, moving from times of worship and Bible study to limitless presentations of gospel dance, choir, drama, timbrels and poems along with life lessons about women’s health, parenting skills and child development, and a tutorial on uniform wearing.  The highlight for many, including myself, was our final session on Sunday morning.  Commissioner Barbara shared stories of several women in the Bible whose godly influence was effective despite their imperfect circumstances. It germinated our thinking about the influence we can have on our families and communities. She declared the truth that the measure of our worth is not found in the opinion of others but in whose we are and “if we belong to God, our influence is about what matters in His kingdom”, she said.  Covering her head with a crimson scarf, and mobilizing herself around the field, she relayed the story of the woman who was full of shame and despised by her village because of a bleeding condition that was out of her control. “After a very long time of enduring feelings of disgrace, this woman’s dignity was finally restored when she reached out, desperate yet determined, to touch Christ” Barbara reminded us.  She beat the odds in her life to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) and found herself empowered by God’s healing spirit. The application - this can be our story too. Many of us may battle with shame and personal worth. Sometimes our circumstances defeat us.  The woman in Matthew 9 is a great example of how faith in Christ can restore our value and release the inner beauty, strength, and compassion within us which can overflow to the lives of others.  As Barbara knelt on the grass, allowing the head scarf to slowly drop to her shoulders, she invited the women to come before God, without any fear of hiding.  "With full confidence of His grace and courage to believe that His Spirit can help us, we are invited to Jesus."  Hundreds of women walked onto the field, kneeling humbly in prayer. We came together - in one accord - to confess our need of God’s help to serve from the inside out with godly impact and influence.  Loud murmurs of heart felt prayer filled the field as Commissioner Grace prayed fervently over the seeking crowd. These days were so worth it. 

Events like this are not always easy to measure in terms of impact. It is never only about what happens during the time together but perhaps more importantly, it is about how it propels us forward. What difference will this gathering make for these women personally? What impact will it have in their family life, in the church and the community? While sharing in corporate worship, praying together, and learning new truths are great blessings in the moment and well worth the planning, we long to know that deep and meaningful effects have truly taken root and will bloom with a fragrance that touches many lives in the days ahead. Some of these we will never know but others will be quite evident in the local setting. For this we now pray. 

I am very grateful to have been part of this event.  It was energizing to glimpse the traditional expressions of exalting God with voices and motion. Sometimes I had to catch my breath after joining them for a gospel dance!  It was enriching to hear God’s Word spoken with clarity and truth.  It was defining to remember the commonality of our spiritual needs as we internalized the message spoken.   When we waved good bye on Sunday afternoon, I was jolted within as I acknowledged that normal every-day life for some of these women is far from easy and some of them returned to challenges that may burst their bubbles very quickly. I prayed for God’s protection against any situations which could potentially harm any of them in body, mind, or soul. I continue to pray and hope for support and on the ground partnering to help these women find courage to overcome any circumstances that may rob them of their joy in places where they may be quite vulnerable. I pray for justice and mercy. I pray for a daring obedience for each one of them, and for myself, to follow God in ways that will translate into better lives and generational good.

God bless the women of Kenya.

Here are a few of the hundreds of pictures taken over this weekend!

Arrival & Settling in

Our Guests

Two TPWM's

Translators are such gems!

Commissioner Grace welcomes the crowd!

And the dancing begins ...

DDWM from Turkana in her native dress

I love meeting little girls :) 

Timbrels 

She can't keep still :)

An amazing crowd!

The District officers who hosted us.

They do not hesitate to pray 

I'm tryin'!! 

And it's Sunday morning ... 

Taking the salute to 3000 women takes time. 

Brenda's last Bible Study 

Sunday morning sermon

A stirring moment

Love this image of Barbara clasping hands with one of the ladies as we all pray together. 

And when it's all over, he's always there ... 

Inspired

Blog #42   Inspired

Over the past week, Morris and I have found ourselves deeply inspired by several people and experiences. On Wednesday, our staff said farewell to two officers who are being transferred. Captain Nancy Zazi is assuming the role of Finance Secretary and her husband, Captain Fredrick Zazi, will be the Assistant Projects Officer in the Malawi Territory.  These competent and passionate officers will contribute much in their first ‘away from home’ appointment, beyond just their skills.  Captain Nancy shared with me how besides fulfilling her Finance appointment in Malawi, she wants to “find at least ten children and start a Sunday School!”   I have witnessed Nancy’s passion for God’s Word, her gift of teaching, and her heart for mission. She is a humble, genuine, and intelligent leader.   In her farewell words, she left three thoughts with her colleagues, perhaps unexpected for the occasion but truly thought provoking.

1.       Just because you think you’re right doesn’t mean you are right

2.       Don’t trust your mouth when your heart is bitter

3.       I am so, so grateful to The Salvation Army for all they have given me - especially a house that has floor tiles, water, and electricity.

We won't soon forget these honest and straight forward words. As I listened to her third comment, I was personally challenged to deepen my thankfulness.

On Thursday morning, we left our compound very early for a field excursion. We love visiting remote areas of the Territory to see the Army engaged in the isolated or far-off places.  One of the District leaders arranged to take us on a tour of part of his area, including one corps located high on the slopes of Mount Elgon, bordering Uganda. We were eager for the adventure.  On route that morning, however, we received a message that saddened us. One of our dear friends, Max Porter, had died. At the age of 88, this energetic, kind, ‘young at heart’ man, still engaged in his accounting business, had taken a stroke in early July. His recovery did not go well and to the regret of his loving family, he passed away. But Max did not leave this earth or us unaffected. His positive influence was wide spread across Newfoundland - in church, community, and with his business associates. Our friendship with Max began as corps officers at Grand Falls Citadel. He was a faithful encourager in our ministry and an unofficial mentor to Morris. Max had a keen mind, particularly in the fields of business and music. His active music days were mostly behind him when we met, but his contribution to effective business strategies remained.  He offered his finance skills as a helpful support to the corps. He was wise and jovial and cared about others. Max had a gift of focusing attention away from himself and onto you whenever you were chatting. (I hope I always nurture Max-type conversations).   There was no ‘fluff’ with Max but he sure knew how to make you laugh.  Max helped the corps face a challenging fiscal reality and prepare for a better desired future.  “Let’s face the situation we have and move forward in the best way possible” Max would say. We won’t ever forget that or him. The tears that fell on Thursday and the reflections Morris and I have shared about this kind man in the past few days are evidence of a life which inspired us.

We continued our journey that day to our first destination - a steep drive up the mountain. The view was spectacular, miles and miles of rich fertile land strewn along the slopes with endless acres of maize, vegetables, and coffee crops growing.  We climbed higher and higher over a rough, twisty, narrow terrain, driving sometimes within what seemed like inches from the edge of the road. Our four wheel drive vehicle was a blessing and a bit of a contrast to the local modes of transportation maneuvering alongside us - motorbikes, tractors towing trailers, and donkeys.

The breath taking scenery captured our gaze til we reached the summit to find Kebee Corps, and two Salvation Army sponsored schools in the adjoining compound. The corps building was a semi-permanent structure with an unfinished floor and walls made of stone and wire mesh, held together with mud on the inside and the exterior covered with plaster.  A small group of Salvationists and the corps officer gathered to greet us. These faithful few were keeping the flag flying and the mission moving in this faraway place, in spite of many deficiencies.  We shared some time listening to their reality, praying for their encouragement, and thanked them for their commitment and faithfulness. Insisting on a group photo before we left, we knew they were happy to see visitors. The schools next door welcomed us to greet the students, parents, and teachers. It was the day before their school break.  The high school was celebrating their first year to have a graduating class, a worthwhile achievement for the area.  Devoted soldiers of the Army and several hundred beautiful energetic pupils with potential and hope for a brighter future warmed our hearts on that mountain. 

After a couple hours in Kebee, we descended the mountain to visit more joyful and loyal Salvationists who met us with contagious enthusiasm. Singing, drums, tambourines, and dancing are never in short supply! We were thrilled to hear stories of how the church is growing and impacting their communities in some of these out-of-the-way areas whose life and ministry is often in less than ideal circumstances.  In my heart I pray that the joy of serving God and my faith in Him will never be hinged on personal comfort or perfect circumstances.  We were reminded that day that The Salvation Army is so wide spread in many obscure places, sharing the truth of the gospel and influencing both the current and next generation with a message of the love of God. We are so grateful that we have the privilege of seeing this up close.

Our inspiring week continues. On Friday, The Salvation Army welcomed a new international leader – General Brian Peddle. We have known this man for many years and have a deep respect for him and Commissioner Rosalie.  We have seen how congruent their private and public lives are since our days of being Cadets in the same city where they were Corps Officers.  They have remained committed and competent leaders with a passion for the mission of the Army.  They are not faultless. They are ordinary, though gift, people with a deep personal faith in God who will lead with purpose and sincerity. They inspire us.

Morris and I ended our week at the Rondo Retreat Centre, a haven in the Kakamega rain forest. Rondo was initially established to provide solace and refreshing especially for Christian missionaries and continues as a faith based business.  For us, it is a place to nurture a rhythm of rest and reflection.  Besides losing ourselves in some great reading over the weekend, we took a walk through a small section of the forest. The dense and tangled tall trees delighted our eyes, nose, and ears. The wide spread tree roots criss-crossing the narrow trails under our feet illustrate how deep roots of faith can propel lasting growth and enable you to withstand many changes and challenges. The fragrant smell of dark green foliage, both the decaying and new, remind us of the cycles of life that are intrinsic to all creation. The sweet hum and chirping of several species of birds gently denting the stillness of the forest was music to our ears.  We are inspired.

Thank you God for these days. 

Captain Nancy Zazi 

A few pics of the drive up the mountain 

The Corps at the top of the slopes 

Primary School kids love getting their picture taken

Couldn't resist posting this close up! :) 

High School students 

Kimobeli corps at the base of the mountain