Knowing the Risk

This past Saturday Anesta and I sat in the kitchen out in Maasailand and prayed for the young girls that were not yet there.  Three weeks ago something had happened that had discouraged the men to ever let their girls come back to our regular Saturday meetings.   It was a miracle on our part but made the men angry.  The government had randomly showed up and had taken the names of all the girls in attendance of the Saturday meeting that did not go to school.  This is against the law in Tanzania but they have been turning their heads to what is happening in Engikaret.   That Saturday their eyes were opened to how many girls were held back from school.  This was a huge miracle to us but it made the men feel betrayed by YWAM.  Two week later we sat in the kitchen and prayed for these girls to make it to the meeting.  We weren’t sure if any were coming due to the fathers being so upset and angry with our staff.  As we prayed I looked through the crack of the door and saw 5 little girls come into our meeting area.  My heart leapt with joy but also fear took over my mind.  How could these girls come here knowing that they could get beaten?  How could they knowingly risk their lives?  Should we send them home?  I talked with Anesta and she had the same concern.  She was extremely excited that they had shown up but after talking to some of them , fear struck her as to what would happen if their fathers found out they showed up. The first group of girls explained that their father that morning before leaving for market threatened that if he heard they left, if he saw them at the meeting he would cut off their legs so they could never come again.   He said they would be beaten until you couldn’t recognize them.  Even with their father threatening this, they came.  After hearing this we started the meeting.  We started singing the Maasai worship songs and praising Him for being the one who watches over us.  Praising Him for how good He is and that He is the only God.  With these 5 little girls we sang thank you songs to Jesus.  My heart melted as I looked out the door and saw more coming.  The long er we sang the more girls came, each group with a different story of how they were threatened.  Burning, cutting, and beating was threatened.  One group even had their dad stay back from the market that he goes to every Saturday to make sure they didn’t come.  They told him they were going to a seminar and he didn’t understand what that meant so he let them go.  They were terrified but made it.  After the last group came in Anesta and I talked and said we needed to finish up to send the girls that had first arrived home before their father came back from market.  We finished up our worship time and Anesta, Nick, and I talked to encourage them that they are strong.  That Jesus in them is what is making them strong.  We closed by praying protection over them.  When we closed we thought they would run home out of fear but they stayed.  They wanted more.  Anesta told them to go home!  They were soo desperate for more they didn’t care the consequence.  They wanted to hear that Jesus loves them.  They wanted to know that they were important.  They wanted to be uplifted because at home they were stomped down.  As we drove away I watched as they walked back to their bomas, head held high.  I don’t know if any incurred the consequences their fathers threatened but I know they were not scared because they knew who they were in Christ.  They knew their Jesus loved them and that was more than any physical pain they might endure.  I am so blessed to be able to spend time with these young girls.  Through the trials that our family has been facing lately it has been so encouraging to see the faith and joy these girls display in the midst of their trials.  They have taught me so much.  Please join with us in prayer that they will have the chance to learn more about Jesus and be able to go to school.  There is a battle going on in that area that only Jesus can win.  We are trying and are constantly hitting walls that seem impossible to break down but we know we need to hold firm and those walls will crumble in Jesus name.  God loves those girls more than I do and is fighting for them.  Thank you Jesus!!