I posted a picture of Gertrude on the website earlier this week so you will have a name with the face.
During one of the evenings in Zambia we visited Gertrude. Gertrude is a widow that watches after dependent children also known as orphans. Amber and Jako thought that it would be a good opportunity to meet someone that our Mission team was targeted to help.
One year ago Gertrude had nothing, but her family. She was without a home, food or very much in the form of belongings. She was asking for assistance to feed her children. Through many blessings, God has provided for Gertrude. Although she could have claimed it was through her own hard work that good fortune came; she ultimately knows that it must be God's will and that blessing came from Christ.
Today she has property of her own. She has taught herself how to build in her native Lozi Tribe fashion using timbers, mud and thatching (different than the Tonga style of building). She has taught her young sons (approximately 9 and 7) to build their own house to sleep in. Her daughter (approximately 12) has also built a home for herself. Today they have ample sleeping quarters and a kitchen to call home. All of this is a blessing from God. God has also blessed Gertrude with crops and the ability to grow her own food. She noticed an area that remained damp during the dry season. This area actually kept the water from the rainy season and was a wonderful area to grow crops. This blessing meant that she and her children would not have to continuously water the crops in order to provide food for themselves.
During a tour she showed the various fenced areas she has made through the blessing of God. She showed us a Garden that looked like it could have been the Garden of Eden in the middle of a dry and sandy savannah. Lush and green with tomatoes and fruits that rival those found in Virginia. She said again how God was good to her. Next year she hopes to grow Maize to further feed her family and possibly to sell to buy necessary items for her family.
The team had a chance to listen to Gertrude speak. We could hear the conviction in her voice. With closed eyes - her story flowed and needed no interpretation. Although she spoke English, it seemed to be coming out with a Washington accent that the team could easily understand. When she was done telling her story, Gertrude asked two things from us to pray for blessing from our team when we go back to America and to be able to hear clearly the words and need of Holy Spirit.
If only our own prayers were as grand. Please lift up Gertrude, the orphans and the families that support the orphans.
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