Kenyan Bible Study Ladies Singing

There are lots of things that I love about Bible Study Fellowship, and the worship time is one of them. There is something about 500 women all singing praises to God. We sing songs that are usually connected to the lesson we are studying each week making the meaning of every word sung ring loud and clear in our hearts. Often , I glance around and see tears being wiped from the ladies knowing that the words they are singing have significant meaning to them after studying this lesson all week prior to coming today. Most of the time the words are in English, but sometimes we sing in the local Kenyan language of Kiswahili. Those times are a treat for me.



Below are two of the ladies, Jackie and Carol, that are in my small group of 15 women. When you look around the room in this church where we meet, there are huddles of women filling every corner of the room. When we finish worship time, you hear the bustle of plastic chairs moving as each woman finds her group and gets settled. It has been really neat to walk this year with these women. My only regret has been not spending more time outside of class with these amazing ladies. I am spurred on by the ones new in their faith and feel the excitement of their new faith rubbing off on others. I laugh with the ones who tell funny stories of their faith in such a way that the who group is giggling with laughter. I have cried with the ones sharing stories of hard times and struggles.  Next week will be another time of fellowship and sharing with just our small group and the last week will be a time of testimonies and sharing for the entire Bible Study.  I am so encouraged that OVER 150 new women showed up to the introduction class yesterday. I pray for lots of new leaders and space for these new women wanting to study and learn God's Word.


For me personally, almost each week I feel like there was a lesson I learned that was just for me. I know God works through things like this and it is never a coincidence. When Jesus was struggling with the cross, was the same time I was struggling about our future decision. I felt encouraged that Jesus continued to walk even when it was hard. I saw that he knew his purpose in life and knew what the Father had called him to do. I was facing a hard decision, but still felt like it was what God was calling me to do. That was just what I learned one week, and it seems that every week there is a something I walk away learning. I know God has been using this study to show me things and teach me more about Him. I am thankful in so many ways.