Bornest Goes Home

[Caption: Bornest is laid to rest. The orphans lay flowers at her grave.]

He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.
All these things are gone forever.

(Revelation 21:4 NLT)

Bornest, a young orphan woman in the community of Kericho, Kenya was my friend. She died over the weekend and was laid to rest yesterday.

In her short life on earth, Bornest touched many and I've learned that her life was mirrored in the words the people shared at her funeral. Though the rain fell heavily on that day, many people showed up to say goodbye and to pay their last respects. Bornest loved life and people and it was evident in her touching send off.

Pastor Jonah shared these photos of her going home celebration. The photos capture the order of their funerals which is:

- removing the body from the funeral home
- taking the body home
- talks & speeches
- preaching
- final farewell.

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4 NLT

A Challenging Week

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

I feel as if I've been through the wringer this week. So much has been happening in my life. Or more specifically, to the people that I know and love. It has been challenging trying to keep up with their needs and to keep them all in prayer. At the same time, I have much to be thankful for this week.

My mom had blood in her urine late last week and an unexplainable pain in her abdomen. We prayed about it and her blood stopped passing. She also had expanding wounds on her leg from a bout with cellulitus over a year ago now. Yesterday, my brother took her to the hospital for tests.

It seems she has a bladder infection but the doctor thinks the blood in the urine and the pain in her abdomen is caused by a small internal puncture that occurred when her catheter was inserted. As for the leg, nurses will attend at her home today to cleanse and swab it for further evaluation. They were supposed to do this over a month ago and didn't. That is one of the reasons mom ended up going to the hospital instead. Today when they visit, the nurses were to give her a prescribed course of antibiotics for both the leg and the bladder problem.

In Kenya, I have a friend Bornest, a young orphaned woman who has been very sick for some months now. She had to be admitted to hospital on Tuesday due to so much pain that she was literally crying. Yesterday, other friends reported that Bornest had a headache and stomach pain and she was vomiting. Today she seems a bit better but I think she will have to stay in hospital for awhile.

Here is a photo of Bornest (left) . I sent funds for about a week of hospital care. She needs more help for the hospital bills so I would appreciate any prayers or help you could offer.


In another crisis, a young orphan girl named Chelangat was sent home from school due to lack of funds to pay second term which is well underway. After I sent out a request to friends, one kind soul stepped forward to pay for second terms fees. A christian brother in Chelangat's village spoke to the principal today and got her re-enrolled. Chelangat is so grateful as she has hope that her future may be brighter and that she might just get an education after all. I post a picture of Chelangat below. I would ask you to pray for her and if you can help her financially, please get in touch with me.


So it has been a challenging week and this is only the half of it! I am so grateful for having the strength to get through it, for having the peace of God and caring friends who are helping me bare these burdens.