TO SEE OUR NEWEST VIDEO: www.gallery.me.com/kukuwoman/100161
THE FIRST 1 1/4 ACRES IS PLANTED BY THE STRONG WIDOWS!!
What GREAT news. Hesbone brought us photos of the first planting on the Widows Farm!!! You may remember that our emphasis has been on the people of the church assisting the destitute widows by helping on the farm. Well, it is planting time and about 20 strong and younger widows, along with a couple of frail ones, came out and planted 1 1/4 acres of maize. It took about a week, because they came in shifts - you see they also have to plant their own crops on their shambas. It was also a learning experience for them in that they were using fertilizer as they planted each kernel and they also were being taught to use a line to keep the rows straight, and also to measure the distance between each kernel. These are innovative measures for the people and it was a bit tricky to get them to do it. Now we will pray for continued rain (this is the time of the former rains) and watch the results!!! The whole area will be watching to see as well!!!! Behind the women in the photo below is a small grove of some type of trees. They are growing in a circle. The inside is an open space - that is to be Marty's prayer chapel. We are truly looking forward to getting back to see the land and to be part of the harvesting.
We will be out there picking maize!!!
OMELETTE AUCTION FOR DESTITUTE WIDOWS' WATER!
While in Pennsylvania two weeks ago we had our annual get-together of our supporters. Marty made scones (some with currants) and a reasonable facsimile of clotted cream (oh yum, yum) and we showed the video we made of our Kenyan and Rwandan adventures last year. It was our first experience with editing and making our own video thanks to the help of our good friend and guru Nate Mudge and the support of Sharon his wife. We also talked a bit of our experiences and the various projects with which we are involved out there. One of the things we can do is provide a widow clean drinking/cooking water for a year for $15.
The following Sunday, as part of a sermon illustration, the pastor of the church we were attending called his 14-year-old son up to the stage. His mom set up a griddle and got the eggs, cheese and ham out of a cooler. The boy put on an apron and chef's hat and began to whip up an omelette. At that, the pastor told the church of the cost to give a widow water for a year and asked if anyone would buy that omelette for $15 - got a bid - then asked for $30. The bids went up to $250 and he said "do I hear $300"? There was a long pause and then a little boy raised his hand and shouted $300! Well, our first thought was - boy is that kid going to be in trouble. But the pastor took the bid! Then we realized it was the pastor's younger son (about 9 or 10 years old)! We saw his grandmother sitting next to him - she's a widow - so we thought she must have told the boy to bid and would give him the money! NOT SO! The little boy gave out of his own savings account. We had dinner with the family afterwards and he was so delighted and excited about giving his money for the widows' water, and his parents were even more excited. Then afterwards a fellow who had been bidding came up to give us his money - he said that even though he didn't get the omelette he had made the bid and gave us $105. 27 widows were provided with water that day. We now have funds for just about all of those really destitute widows to have water.
ORPHAN GIRL REMAINS IN SCHOOL
Later that day we received new that a secular women's group at which Marty spoke this time last year, had decided to provide funds to sponsor an orphan girl in boarding school for a year. Due to unavoidable circumstances funding was unavailable for one of the girls that was previously being sponsored. Without funding she would have to leave school. We had confidence in the Lord that her education and care would continue to be provided and here it is!! Now Brenda can continue for another year! Hallelujah!!! This is the first time, in the very long history of this women's group, that they have ever provided grants for an international project. Isn't it wonderful how they are being used to provide for this girl? God is so good and so faithful!!
This is all for now! We have other news to share and also photos of Pastor Paul's funeral - which was attended by about 2000 people!
WE BLESS YOU ALL AND THANK GOD FOR EACH OF YOU IN OUR LIVES!
LOVE,
JOHN AND MARTY
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