Praise the Lord! He did
great things the week of July 2 when Mary Whelchel came to speak at five seminar
locations to Tabitha Ministry Bible study members. I wish you could have attended the meetings with us to catch the joy
and energy of God’s people worshiping, and drinking up teaching from the
Word.
Mary Whelchel (right) of The Christian
Working Woman ministry in Chicago, came for her fourth year to visit Tabitha
Ministry. Peris Rotich (left) my assistant in Tabitha, translated for her and
did very well.
Monday – Kitoben – We had
around 500 women come from the area, eager to worship together and hear the
Word of God. Even those standing in the back were actively listening,
taking notes, learning how to take a short passage of Scripture and find
application in it for themselves. It was wonderful to see that most of
the women had Bibles, and most made a commitment to feed themselves on the Word
every day. Pastors came with the leaders from the newest area where Bible
studies are multiplying, in the Nyongores area, and they were thrilled with the practical teaching on how to feed
yourself from the Word.
Tuesday – Goitabsilibwet –
Around two hundred women came from an area where studies began in
2011. Some eighty-year-old women were the most eager to testify as
to the importance of the Word in their lives. We had to talk with the
pastor counselor in this area to tell him to slow down on his rate of opening
new studies, so we could assure that the leaders would be mentored and
supervised. He is very enthused!
Wednesday – Kaparuso – We
drove an hour to get to this village, seeing gorgeous views as we drove, of
ridges of green hills. From the second and third ridges, women walked,
some of them 3-4 hours, to get to the meeting. The drama of the Gibeonites from
Joshua 9 was hilarious, with good explanation of the application to
life. Around five hundred women came, but out of the 500 there, maybe only ¼ of them had
Bibles. (In this picture, the women standing have not yet received Bibles.) We came away with a real sense of the need of God’s Word for
every family, and a desire to have God provide funding for Bibles so we could
distribute more.
Thursday – Silibwet – Here at
least 550 women gathered from 40-50 studies. Some have been in the
studies for years, and others are just beginning in this area. Women
crowded at the doors and windows to listen (pictured above). Again, the response was
moving, to see them stand in commitment to read the Bible every day so that
they can grow in Christ.
Friday – Njorwet – The 350
women plus men who attended here packed out the small church in the morning so
we moved the meeting outside. These studies have started because of the
work of God in one poor woman, named Betty (pictured above). She was desperate in 2008
when, estranged from her husband, she moved to find a job picking tea.
While there, she prayed earnestly to know God and His Word, and she came upon a
Tabitha women’s Bible study. She drank up the teaching and quickly earned
her own Bible. When she returned to her husband and his area in 2009, she began
studies, backed by the local pastors. Now there are ten active studies
going, and many, many women learning God’s Word because of Betty’s faithfulness
to share with others what she has found in Christ and in His Word.
Overall, it was a fantastic
week. I thank God for all the leaders who worked so hard to put it
together, organizing their members to feed the crowds each day, and
enthusiastically welcoming us wherever we went. They love the Lord and
His Word, and their joy is in Him. I am thankful for Mary’s ministry to
the Kenyans, and to me, as a personal friend and encourager in this
ministry. And most of all, I thank the Lord for His work during the
week. Many, many women whom I have talked with since are using Mary’s
practical pointers and reading the Bible each day. They will be growing
in knowing Jesus, and growing to be like Him. This is our goal.
Colossians 1:28,29. Your prayers are making a difference. Praise the Lord!!
