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| This week's theme... |
Patricia (in the blue) received the 'prize' for arriving first on this day...which is a book mark - she was happy :)
Our youngest member gets his own little chair :)
Time for worship...
We are few, but when two or more are gathered in His name, He is there...and He was!
Meanwhile our littlest member goes exploring...
Time for fervent prayer...
And the fun begins...Denise introducing today's game "Who Am I?"
She gave several clues and the ladies were to guess who she is...the first one was "I have walked on water, my mother was a virgin and I was crucified on a cross"...yes, that is Jesus. She did a few others to give the ladies the idea of how to play the game...
Patricia was translating, but I think she struggled over a few of the words and even took some time to understand the game...hence the contemplative stare!
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| Moving his chair... |
Pastor Sophy arrived and greeted each lady...
Denise explaining to Sophy how to play...from here it became a bit more lively...
She also used some people from Kenya's political scene as well as Kenya's history...
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| He got a bit stuck... |
When we got to Mephibosheth the ladies were intrigued and wanted to check their Bibles to get the name (they found the story in 2Sam 9)...Denise took the opportunity to do a mini-teaching about how God invites us to His table and when there our limitations are invisible...God covers them all!
First the ladies answer the question "Who am I" using just four words (not including their names), then answered three other questions designed to tell a bit about themselves...
Some of the ladies don't read or write so they help each other (which is
very natural since this is an interdependent culture)...here Rose is
helping Rachel - I love that!
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| Rose and Rachel |
Oops...what got Rachel's attention?
Ah! Her little one is trying to escape! I think he sees the other kids out there playing!
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| Patricia and Linet |
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| Denise checking on Rose and Rachel |
Whoo...Denise is getting a bit hot...notice the fan working?
Elida is still filling her paper...
The ladies put much thought in to this exercise...
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| Getting sleepy... |
...then she paired them up to share their answers...
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| Linet and Emily |
.JPG) |
| Catherine and Elida |
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| Rose and Sarah |
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| Rachel and Dorothy |
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| Patricia and Sophy |
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| Dorothy |
Then the ladies shared some of their answers with the big group...
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| Rose |
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| Catherine |
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| Patricia |
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| Emily |
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| Sarah |
As you can see we have quite a variety...of ages, education and life stage...but we are all one in Christ!
Now for the main teaching...based on Eph 1:3-8
She had the ladies read each verse...in English and in Swahili
Here Dorothy is reading in English...
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| Eliphine reading in Swahili |
Denise filling in the blanks on her paper...
I think he is wanting to be the teacher's helper!
Denise continues in God's Word to help the ladies see that we are all; Blessed (v3), Chosen, Holy, Blameless (v4), Adopted (v5), Accepted (v6), Redeemed, Forgiven (v7)
Okay - he is DONE!
Rachel swung him up to her back while she continued filling in the blanks...
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| Nancy |
Denise making the point that in Christ we have all that Paul teaches in Eph 1:3-7
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| Showing more blanks to be filled in |
More scriptures to look up and read! 1Peter 2:9, Romans 12:2, Psalm 139:14
The ladies are rapt...they really love her teaching style
Nancy brought her son, Calvin...he seemed very okay sitting in the midst of all these ladies!
Dorothy trying to soothe the baby as he fights sleep...
...meanwhile the ladies continue working...
...and listening...
...and learning...
Rachel wrapping the baby again...
Now he is settled and sleeping...and Rachel is back at work!
I love watching these ladies learning!
Denise making a point...
Here Denise is demonstrating how she used to iron her hair to make it straight...
As women there is always something about our appearance that we would want to change...
We can be too tall or too short; too fat or too thin; too old or too young...
We are especially concerned about our hair...
It can be too straight, or too curly...too light or too dark...
Here she is pointing out the difference between her hair and Rachel's...
She told a story of how in the US we spend hours in the sun and even in tanning beds to make our skin dark...
...but ladies here buy products to make their skin lighter...
I just thought this was cool-looking...
Denise gave some additional scriptures for them to read at home to remind them that we may want to change some things about ourselves, but in truth God made us exactly the way we are...and in His eyes we are perfect and beautiful...
Time for testimonies and prayer requests...
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| Elida |
Denise remembered that Sarah had shared about a small boy who was hospitalized last week...
Sarah shared that he has been released from the hospital!
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| Dorothy sharing a praise report |
She is getting quite animated!
Rachel shared a struggle she was having last week. Although the situation has improved she asked us to continue praying for her...
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| Catherine sharing a request |
Denise shared an update about her friend Lisa, who has been in the hospital in the US. She prays for these ladies daily...above they wave their greetings to her and below they are clapping for her good report!
Linet shares that her daughter has been missing since yesterday...the very next day we received a message from her that her daughter was found! Praise God!
Our closing prayer...including Calvin...
Repeating the pledge; God is Who He says He is, God can do what He says He can do, I am who God says I am...
I can do all things through Christ, God's Word is alive and active in me...
Group shots!
We will print a copy for each of the ladies...
Last minute chat as we say our good byes for this week...
Rose chatting with Pastor Andrew...
The ladies are already talking about the party we will have on our last meeting of the year. I won't be here :(...but I know they will have a great time celebrating six weeks of teaching and learning as well as new friendships and especially who we are in the body of Christ!
.JPG)
