-Nelson Mandela
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Freedom. Bonds are broken in Jesus’ Name.
Healing is released. We begin to pray. One by one we go to each girl.
My teammates and I look to one another. Almost every hand in the classroom raises.
I hear my voice saying,
“Is there anyone who also needs freedom and healing tonight?
I am sensing there is so much pain in this room due to emotional hurt and rape.”
“Amen.” Victory. Freedom. Healing. I pray over her.
Her head is in her hands. She won’t look up at me. She is weeping. She sits.
The Holy Spirit is moving.
It is much different coming from the mouth of a peer
than that of a white American foreigner.
Something has just broken loose. Her classmates weep more bitterly.
The weight of her testimony falls.
“It was my uncle. But I too am a victim of rape.
I have never told anyone this before.
I wear this smile so that no one knows this has happened to me.
You know my smile very well. You know me very well. I am your peer.”
A timid, yet beautiful young girl stands up.
The matron asks, “Would anyone else be so inclined to speak a testimony?
You have just heard a very powerful testimony.”
Unknowing and unprepared for what the Holy Spirit wants to do.
I sit down. I breathe a sigh. I feel heavy;
They are weeping. Some girls have their heads down.
“And I am here to tell you, in Christ there is hope, healing, and victory.
So, I thank the God of all comfort that I was raped in 2008,
if it means I can come to Kenya and comfort girls who have also experienced it.
You see, what Satan intends for evil, God uses for good.”
I am standing before a group of about 35 young Kenyan girls.
. . .
God has called me this night to give my testimony.
. . .
I am standing before a group of about 35 young Kenyan girls.
“You see, what Satan intends for evil, God uses for good.
So, I thank the God of all comfort that I was raped in 2008,
if it means I can come to Kenya and comfort girls who have also experienced it.
And I am here to tell you, in Christ, there is hope, healing, and victory.”
Some girls have their heads down. They are weeping.
I feel heavy. I breathe a sigh. I sit down;
Unknowing and unprepared for what the Holy Spirit wants to do.
“You have just heard a very powerful testimony.
Would anyone else be so inclined to speak a testimony?” the matron asks.
A timid, yet beautiful young girl stands up.
“I am your peer. You know me very well. You know my smile very well.
I wear this smile so that no one knows this has happened to me.
I have never told anyone this before.
But I too am a victim of rape. It was my uncle.”
The weight of her testimony falls.
Her classmates weep more bitterly. Something has just broken loose.
It is much different coming from the mouth of a peer
than that of a white American foreigner.
The Holy Spirit is moving.
She sits. She is weeping. She won’t look up at me. Her head is in her hands.
I pray over her. Healing. Freedom. Victory. “Amen.”
“I am sensing there is so much pain in this room due to emotional hurt and rape.
Is there anyone who also needs freedom and healing tonight?” I hear my voice saying.
Almost every hand in the classroom raises. My teammates and I look to one another.
One by one we go to each girl. We begin to pray. Healing is released.
Bonds are broken in Jesus’ Name. Freedom. The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.
And now I am back at the door to the classroom waiving goodbye to my new friends. The spirit in the room has changed. A relief; a lifting of a burden; a bringing into the light all that was hidden in darkness; tonight . . . Jesus wins 
You gain strength, courage,
and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop
to look fear in the face.
You must do the thing
which you think you cannot do.
– Eleanor Roosevelt.
