I've been re-reading some of my team's posts from the field these past two weeks and today I stumbled upon one by Brittany Askew. This was posted in October but was from our second week on the field. It is amazing to read what God was doing in their lives, especially because though you cannot always see it, you can sense it.
Britt, this was an amazing post and brought me to tears, at work. Thank you for your obedience to voice of the Holy Spirit. I am so very proud of you.
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Week #2: 9-27-2010
Our team and family
Surprisingly, it's about the women here. Though the majority of the population would disagree. Men are superior and are the ultimate authority. When the rest of Africa tells their women "You're useless. You're filthy. You're only good for reproduction", it's hard to see them as anything significantly valuable. This week has been an emotional roller-coaster to say the least.
Our team and family
Putting the Pieces Together
Surprisingly, it's about the women here. Though the majority of the population would disagree. Men are superior and are the ultimate authority. When the rest of Africa tells their women "You're useless. You're filthy. You're only good for reproduction", it's hard to see them as anything significantly valuable. This week has been an emotional roller-coaster to say the least.
I've said it over and over again since we've been here, but I truly believe God has intricately placed the people on this team together for a reason. It's been a puzzle and every day I'm continuing to watch as the beautiful creation of our team is revealed. Each person a valuable part of the puzzle. If one person is missing, the puzzle is forever incomplete.
There's no doubt in my mind why God has placed each woman on this team. The powerful testimonies of abuse, addiction, physical pain, feelings of worthlessness, abandonment, impurity, and temptation are overwhelming. Together the 6 women on this team are agreeing to kick every single one of those lies out of our lives. We are agreeing to forever acknowledge the truth that there will be no more shame or guilt in the circumstances that have previously haunted our lives for so long. We are beautiful sisters to one another and daughters of the Most High King. Condemnation is no longer an option!
Just as quickly as this new identity in Christ is developing, we are discovering a sickening, morbid, and absolutely degrading cultural tradition among some of the more primitive tribal people here in Kenya. And there's no doubt that it's being brought to our attention because God is not ok with it for His precious daughters. The women here are some of the most beautiful people on this planet, yet even from the time of their early childhood, they are treated as mere objects and are used simply as fulfillment for the sexual desires of the men. Disclaimer: Please understand that not ALL places we've been to are like this. In fact, very few places are. But the fact that even one or two places around the world like this exist is not ok. The women on this team are ready to fight for justice on behalf of the women of Kenya.
The absolutely dreadful practice of female circumcision was brought to our attention this week and after fully comprehending this process that takes place in young girls (sometimes as early as age 5), I don't think there was one of us that wasn't ready to go to bat for the women and girls here. All that I could think of was how this must have affected sweet beautiful little Jen. And the even scarier thing is, I had no idea. In addition to the degrading ideology behind female circumcision, we also discovered it was a rapidly growing method of HIV/AIDS transportation. If you are not familiar with the practice of female circumcision, I encourage you to educate yourself, but please do so cautiously, as it is very descriptive and graphic.
Many young girls die during the process, as anesthesia is rarely used and often times multiple girls will be circumcised using the same utensils, obviously risking the spread of infection and disease. The belief behind the tradition is to keep girls from becoming sexually active with anyone before they are married. When the women marry, the circumcision is reversed so she can then become pregnant and carry children for her husband, who will most likely have more than one wife.
Dating is unheard of in these villages. It's a foreign concept. Literally. How blessed are we back in the states that we have freedom to discover the man or woman God has intended for us through dating!? Again, we are ready to fight injustice in whatever way physically possible so that the young girls and women here have the opportunity to discover their identity in Daddy God just like Hannah, Sarah, Anna, Colleen, Lizzie, and I have been able to do.
Finally, incorporating our beloved brothers into this, I think it's fair to say that we are beginning to see each other in ways some of us never have before. We are learning every day what it means to really have brothers and sisters in Christ, and for some of us, this idea of healthy male-female relationships in a brother-sister way is something totally new and exciting. The idea that we don't have to be flirty yet insecure at the same time is beautiful. The harsh reality is, there are men on this team that have taken women for granted and have truly mistreated God's daughters in their pasts. There are women on this team who have desperately been hurt by men like them in their pasts. This new concept of forgiveness, love, brotherhood and sisterhood in Christ, and friendship above all else is really what I believe is unifying this team. While many of the girls share shockingly similar stories of hurt and pain intertwining their pieces of this team puzzle, the boys placed on this team are also proving daily to be an intricate part of the healing and forgiving process that many of the women here are going through. The male pieces of our puzzle are just as important. As a team…we're slowly putting the pieces together and discovering the beauty in why God has placed each of us here for this season.
Love and miss you guys more than you could ever imagine!
Around the world and back,
Britt
WOW, powerful! Also brought me to tears!
Thanks for sharing this!
absolutely powerful story! Thanks for re-posting it. The reality of this is so painful, but we can’t look away. God did incredible things through you and your team in Kenya. And this is only the beginning for all the lives that were changed!