Colorful straw mats covered the dusty earth where the bare
footed women gathered with their babies. Our chore was not so much to find
women with babies, but more to keep the word from spreading like wildfire. Any
time a gift is given, people will come…en mass. Today, though, the women’s
ministry leader hand selected women whose children were close to the size of
the dresses available and she did so in just the right number.
Early Friday morning the women spread themselves on their
mats and patiently waited to see why they were invited to come. The gathering
gave me a ministry opportunity to remind these hard-working maamas that God
created women just as he created men, in his image (Genesis 1:27). And that God
has qualities typically thought of as feminine – compassionate, loving, gentle
– just like they do. The message: women are just as valuable as men. We also
talked about the responsibility women have in raising their children, and
because it’s primarily the women’s role to do so in this culture, they had the
added responsibility to raise their children to know and love their Creator. We
prayed together, and we laughed together.
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| These girlies were horrified of me. Look at their Domino hug. |
Guessing the right size dress wasn’t always easy but the
maamas were willing to trade until they found the dress of the best fit. But
here’s the crazy thing. I had two sets of matching dresses…and there were two
sets of twins who were exactly the right size. I had two baby sized dresses
left over and wondered what happened. No, the women’s ministry leader said, two
women are very pregnant and couldn’t come…those dresses are for their babies. I
love the confirmation that you’re doing the right thing when weird little
things like twins and unborn babies fit the gift exactly…18 dresses.
This group of mothers sent their greetings and appreciation
to the children of Lamont CRC. And I send a thank you to the girls of Lamont
CRC. Your efforts allowed me to minister in Nebbi, without you I would not have
been able to go there. And thank you most of all for giving me the gift of
snuggling babies and ministering to maamas, and for giving these maamas the gift
of love and dresses for their girlies.
May God bless you!