It has been told to our team many times that we will walk into areas and places no other World Race M squad team can, just because we are all women. In Cambodia, we walked into a safe house of girls ages 13-17 who had been rescued out of sex trafficking and slavery. In Thailand, we walked into the dark bars of Banglar Road, making friends with prostitutes and offering them hope and a future in Jesus Christ. This month we have walked into yet another God-ordained ministry, that was set aside and orchestrated just for us as an all women team.
Our whole squad is in Tanzania this month and we were with them for about a week. But due to certain circumstances, our team was pulled out of Mwanza and sent back to Kenya; Isebania, Kenya.
“A woman and an invalid man
are the same
thing.”
A Kikuyu (Kenyan) Proverb
This is literally what we have walked into. Our second morning in Isebania, we met a very strong woman of God and headmistress of a mixed (boys and girls) primary school (elementary school through 8th grade). As we sat and listened to this bold woman speak, God broke my heart for the young girls of Kenya once again. She told us of the trials facing these young girls: forced marriage to much older men; early pregnancy; school dropout; rape; and the most devastating- Female Genital Mutilation or FGM.
There are three variations of FGM; the most grievous is called Infibulation. This process involves the complete removal or the clitorious, labia minora, and labia majora. As Ms. Bonnie described: FGM primarily happens in December in Isebania and is seen as a tribal ritual or festival where many girls ages 8-12 undergo this practice. It is seen as a “right of passage” or “coming of age” for many tribes in Kenya especially the Kikuyu tribe. These girls are told they must endure FGM to prove how strong and brave they are.
Ms. Bonnie described further: the procedure is done without pain killers or anesthetic with a razor, piece of glass, sharp stone or tin can lid. The same instrument might be used on multiple girls without cleaning it, increasing the risk of infection and spread of HIV/AIDS. After the procedure, the girls will then “show their strength” by walking from the festival location where FGM took place back to their homes, sometimes up to 20 kilometers away, bleeding the whole way. Some girls pass out, some girls die. If the girl dies, their family views it as the gods answering their prayers for honor and good luck. The girl is seen as taken by the gods as a sacrifice of honor.
Later that morning we had the opportunity to visit Ms. Bonnie’s school and talk with the 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls. Ms. Bonnie said that we wouldn’t need to discuss FGM with these girls because it was “too late” for them- they would have already undergone FGM by their age. During our time there, we were able to give testimonies, and allow them to ask questions. Many of these girls asked questions about periods, rape, sex, FGM and forced marriage. God was gracious in providing words, truth and scripture to encourage and empower these young girls.
Constantly, we are asked, “What is your program?”, “What is your mission?”, “What is your vision?” Up until now, our answer has always been, “To be completely spent in whatever way, God desires to use us.” But it seems now that God has given us a very specific program, mission and vision: To be spent on behalf of the young girls of Isebania, Kenya; to walk into their schools and speak with them about sensitive issues of which they do not feel comfortable speaking with parents, teachers etc. I do not know what it is about a group of American women, seemingly so different from themselves, that gives us a platform from which to speak to them, but God has given us favor in this way.
Please continue to pray for me and my team as we are prayerfully asking God if this is the specific mission he desires us to pursue during our time in Isebania, Kenya.
Truth:
“I desire mercy and not sacrifice; the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Hosea 6:6
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in the secret place, intricately woven together in the depths of the earth. You saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet, there were none of them.” Psalms 139: 13-16
Grace and Peace.
In Jesus Name.
Kristen Nicole.
