Compassionate and Kind

Her story is hers to share but here is where her story changed mine: A few months before meeting her and joining the women’s ministry, God had clearly told me to go help with the 61 Project women’s ministry in Maai Mahiu but I pulled a Jonah and went the opposite direction. I moved far away from home telling myself I had a better plan. A series of vivid events brought me right back to this place.

When I first met her she was around 18 years old. She’s the one who walked me through what they were working on with the women and introduced me to three boys she was caring for. She told me how she ended up serving with the children and women at such a young age. Her story moved me to tears because she was young and yet had been through so much. Political violence had taken so much from her and her family and yet she could confidently say that God had called her to serve women and children who did not have the same hope. She gave me hope.

She was the person God had placed at that ministry building door to usher me in to a community that would later become family. Those three boys she was caring for are now my sons and the man who began that ministry is now my husband. She has walked our journey with us, and has been there each step. Together we have cried, laughed and loved.

Over the years I have watched her lead through compassion and genuinely care for our children here at Oasis. I have seen her share in their joy as they celebrate and hit milestones and I have seen her embrace their pain and tears as her own. She has used her experiences to lovingly guide them and help them break down walls of trauma that have in the past held them back from seeing God’s purpose in their lives.

She heeded the call of Christ, ventured in to the unknown and trusted that God’s plan was good perfect.

Her name is Joyce. Full of compassion, love and kindness. She is my community, my sister, my family.

I am dedicating a mile of my run to honor her and the work she has committed her life to. Will you join me and give in honor of Joyce?

Fadhili – Kindness

verb: favor

adjective: gracious, goodness, favor, loving, kindly