Why I Visit Neema: Reflections from Our Summer Trip
Sue Kelley:
I first went to Neema in 2014. The spirit of the people and God’s work in and through them captured my heart. I was drawn to go back in 2016 and felt compelled to pray for my sisters in this challenging ministry. Since then I have led a monthly prayer gathering to intercede for the people I met on my visit. I returned in 2018 in order to continue the relationship that I had begun, and to meet my current Grace Partner, Iddah.
Summer trip team in the airport on the way to Kenya!
Now I am going back and am excited to see all of my friends and to meet friends that I have been praying for. This time I am co-leading a team of women, most of whom have never been to Neema. I am excited to see this place and these people through their eyes. I pray that they will be touched and changed by this experience as I continue to be.
I’m so blessed to be traveling with this group of women. We have arrived in Frankfort after the first leg of our journey to Kenya, and in spite of lack of sleep and the time change, our spirits are high in anticipation of seeing our friends at Neema. All of the preparation meetings did not prepare us for the cramped seats on the plane that didn’t allow for actual sleep. Coffee is keeping us going, along with the hope of our final destination. At least we will get a few hours of sleep once we arrive in Nairobi.
We spent a full day in Kenya today, and I am full – of food, of love, of gratitude. After a message from the Neema chaplain, Caroline, we went to the new property and took a tour of the shamba (farm). These new facilities are amazing and will bless so many young women once they are completed. During their construction, they are blessing so many families by providing work for local men who are involved in the construction and in the farming of the land.
When we returned to Neema, it was time for the weekly catering and cooking class. This week, Enoch was teaching us how to make chapati. He added pumpkin grown on the shamba and other spices to add flavor and nutrition. It was delicious!
Janet McLaughlin:
I was humbled by the warm welcome I received from the girls and the staff at Neema. I immediately felt like family. Before leaving for Kenya, I prayed for God to show me how I can serve. Instead, he showed me what he was already doing. There is love and joy and hope at Neema. God is building his kingdom, and it is beautiful!
The girls and their families are truly being restored. They are so grateful for their Grace Partners who support them and for the opportunity to be at Neema. They understand it is a life changing opportunity and do not take it for granted. I went there thinking I would tell them that there are people on the other side of the world who believe in them. Instead I was humbled by them. They have so little, and yet they have so much! My heart is full of joy every time I think of Neema.
