Some people never seem to catch a break. Take Ann for instance.
Life was already hard for Ann, a resident of Nairobi, Kenya. First, her father was killed during an uprising
in 1992.
in 1992.
But time went by. Eventually she got married and started a family.
But then it happened again – her husband was killed in the 2008 uprising following the
contested presidential elections.
contested presidential elections.
Her world felt like it was crumbling and then it got worse: The government bulldozed her neighborhood. She and her three children were homeless. They became refugees.
Ann knew she had to do something to provide for her children. She had 200 schillings and invested it all in a business. For a while it seemed as though her luck had changed. Her business grew.
But then the bottom fell out for her again. Some thieves stole everything she
had.
had.
Her heart was broken and Ann was done with life. She couldn’t go on anymore. This past month she decided to end it all. She took the last money she had left and bought
poison to kill herself and her three children.
poison to kill herself and her three children.
She felt like God had given up on her, but the truth is, he hadn’t. The day she was ready to take the poison was the day that Cody O’Donnell’s World Race team happened to come by for a visit. They asked if she could tell them about her life.
So Ann shared with them all that had happened to her.
The team listened to her. What can you say about the kind of tragedy Ann had endured? Nothing can bring back her father, her husband, or the stolen money.
But in spite of the horror she had experienced, the team knew that this wasn’t the end of the story. Cody and the team shared how Jesus loves her and wants to care for her.
As bad as her life had been, Ann felt as though God had sent this team to keep her from committing suicide. What they said made sense. She could feel the love of Jesus through them.
They prayed together and she asked God to help her.
The following Sunday Ann attended church and seemed like a
different lady. She shared how God had saved her at the last second. A smile was on her face again.
different lady. She shared how God had saved her at the last second. A smile was on her face again.
Comments (6)
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Seth Barnes
I'm motivated to join God in his global reclamation project. He's on the move, setting his sons and daughters free from their places of captivity. And he's partnering with those of us who have been freed to go and free others.
Another dear story of God. Is there a follow-up story soon? How she got a home and a new business? How the church is helping her?
Dear Daddy Seth,
Greetings.
I am blessed to read this.We will be praying for her.May God bless her and her three childrens.
Thanks, Emmanuel.
Kathy – hope to have a followup story. It’s all happening in real time. She may be smiling today, but who knows what tomorrow holds? It’s in the balance…
Thanks Seth. A compelling reminder of how well life is for Americans. In the midst of the consumerism during Christmas, thank you for the reminder to focus on the redeeming power of Jesus and His birth.
Merry Christmas bro.
Shane
The suffering of a bruised and broken world reminds us this is not our home and we have only a one way ticket.
If there was a word to be scrubbed out of my own vocabulary it would be the word “why”. A recent trip to see a dying sister brought that to the forefront again.
So while we ponder the imponderable… God through His son Jesus gave us the hope to give what we do not have to a world dying for hope.
I love how God continues to use you Seth and the team @ AIM to accomplish that.
Much love this advent and always.
Your thirty year friend…..Butch
As always, GOD is right on time!!!!