If you have been around HCO for awhile, you will remember our single mothers sewing project, Furaha. About five or so years ago, we started a project of training single moms with an income generating skill that they could use to provide for their families. After learning to sew, they would participate in making some beautiful crafts that we were able to sell to support the program. After that, they would then be assisted to set up their own sewing business and be able to care for their families independently.
Recently, we had a few sewing projects that we needed done at the baby house so we called one of the Furaha ladies to help us. We had so much fun with her and learned that she did not have a job at the time, due to some problems she had had with her child who is special needs. Now, she was a in a position to work again, needed to find work, and we had work for her to do! We didn’t want to let her go at the end of our projects, so we just decided to give Furaha a spin again!
Furaha ~ Joy
“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
One thing I have learned over the years from my beautiful Kenyan friends is how to find and live in joy in the midst of trying or difficult circumstances. If you think you have a rough life – and many of you truly may have – but most have nothing on some of the lives people live here! These women are strong! They endure and they keep going, and they find joy in it all! They know where their hope comes from and they look forward to that hope. They find joy in the days to come.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the days to come.” (Proverbs 31:24)