Hope Renewed

Written by Neema's Chaplain

Making my way through the morning traffic from town for about 15km to Neema Project to beat the 7:50am devotion time is always a joy.

In my mind are the faces of the precious girls for whom hope is once more renewed through this great ministry of Neema—the work is true to its name.

The words of this Scripture come to mind:

“At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.” (Job 14:7-9)

Neema is the fresh scent of water to these girls, and I am just privileged to be part of the watering system to enhance the nurturing, and hence, renewal of hope.

The uniqueness of this project never ceases to awe me. How in the world does a young woman, after going through tough life situations, receive a second chance by getting life skills training while her child is a few meters away receiving much needed care by dedicated staff? I find myself repeating these words to the teachers so often that I fear they might soon find me ridiculous: “You people are doing something so special, do you realize it?”

I enjoy the simple yet warm fellowship we share on such mornings. This Friday is one such morning. There’s the singing and simple heartfelt testimonies. Something real is happening to these young souls, I think to myself. They sing with joy, breaking the cold grey morning as we stand under the blue open tent. Their worship rings true and generates a special sense of heavenly presence here below; the saints must surely be part of this worship.

I am enthralled that they remember the last message I shared several months ago! Having been a teacher and knowing what it takes for a student to remember a lesson given months earlier is really something—it warms my heart towards this small community. These are the signs of fresh shoots in the Job 14 Scripture above.

Today I am sharing on how to live in hope, a message to encourage us as we go through this period of uncertainty due to the covid pandemic and its far-reaching consequences.

They are each busy taking notes as they participate in the reading of scriptures. I can tell that the word is reaching home from their attentive faces. On finishing, the head teacher takes the podium and reviews. The girls, together with the staff, share about what areas they feel this word has touched. It’s amazing how the double-edged sword is at work right here. Clearly, the seed of the Word of God has found a good soil.

The staff are special. The humility with which they serve is touching, and it’s led by the director, Winnie. Her ever jovial personality seems to have infected all of them here! They always give me such a reception, making me feel so special—I shy away as they even want to help carry my handbag! They are almost sad that I insist on carrying it as I see myself as just one of their sisters.

The one hour is always too short since the girls must go back to their classes. I leave the grounds with a deep sense of fulfilment as I know that the mission for this day has been accomplished—sowing the seeds of hope in God’s people!

I am sincerely privileged to be a part of the workers in this, our Lord’s, vineyard.

- Written by Neema’s chaplain