Can you imagine being rejected by your family and thrown out of your village because of something horrible that happened to you? Eddie and Rachel Andersen, missionaries in Dukana, Kenya, work with the Gabra people and have been witnesses of this. Among this people group, there is a group of outcasts — young ladies who have been coerced and raped by men and then found themselves pregnant. Becoming pregnant out of wedlock in this culture is considered the worst sin that can be committed. These young women are labeled and thrown out of their village. They desperately beg anyone for help, hoping to find enough food for themselves and their babies. Many of them go into prostitution because they have no hope, no future, and nowhere else to turn.
Rachel, who is a midwife, had seen many of these outcasts come into their station beaten and bruised and felt their desperate situation. So, she and Eddie started the Village of Hope. This is a haven for these ladies. They hear the gospel, receive counseling and job training, learning different skills to make a living and to be able to survive on their own. Village of Hope also helps put their children through school.
Our SonSet® radios have been distributed to the women in this village. They use them to listen to Bible studies at night, as well as hear music. It has been a comfort and a blessing to many of these ladies and keeps them from feelings of loneliness. Jesus is in the business of healing and restoring lives. We have the privilege of partnering with this ministry as these people are loved, valued, and once again made whole.
By Ruth Weber, June 2023