More to the Story

So, a few days ago, I introduced you to Mary. This morning I learned more about her, enough to bring me to tears even now as I think and pray about her. The Rev and I came back into Kisumu on Friday, and so were not out in the village to spend time with her and the family. David brought us back into town, and then returned to Kisumu late
Saturday afternoon. Upon his return to the village, he was told that Mary had been causing trouble, fighting, physically fighting with the other orphan boys who are there, being troublesome and fighting with the women there, and that she was now demanding to leave.
So Sunday morning, David drove her back to the place that she wanted to go, which was another village about 100 miles away. When they arrived to the house, they were greeted by an old mama, who said that she did indeed know and love Mary, and that Mary had been living with them for the past eight years. She then began to tell David the story of Mary.
Mary is the child of a prostitute, who was married to a man who did not claim Mary as his own. She was beaten and abused as a throw-away child, and when the mother died of sickness, Mary was left to the streets. At the tender age of 8yrs old, Mary was taken off of the streets of Nakuru (a small city between Kisumu and Nairobi) by an older lady, who then gave Mary to the family where they are now. Who knows how long she had lived on the streets, or the untold atrocities that she faced while on the streets. Those are locked inside of her broken heart. They know that she had been raped several times, and was found being tortured by some men at the time. An 8yr old. This is not just a story to read! This is the life of a precious child, a daughter of the Most High King, who was being used as a valueless object! As the tears flow down, I am torn between outrageous anger and immense grief. Is there no sense of humanity?
So Mary was taken off the streets and given to a barren woman who had no children of her own, where she has been, mostly, for the past eight years. This woman, though, is part of a super-religious sect here in Kenya that goes far beyond what is written in Scripture, to the point of resembling a cult in many of their dealings. They have some rather freakish practices (for lack of a better word) and beliefs that can do great harm to a woman. It too, has not been a healthy environment for Mary. Evidently, this woman had attempted to take Mary back to her family some years back, but they were immediately told to leave by the grandmother and father, saying that the girl did not belong to them, she was the daughter of a prostitute.
Mary evidently has fits of violent rage (who could imagine?), and she is quick to flee an area if she is the least bit uncomfortable. For some time now, Mary has been moving from place to place, staying for a few months at a time, and then moving on the next place. She lets no one in and is quick to defend herself through whatever means possible.
This precious child knows nothing of peace, and desperately needs a Savior. Please pray with us for her. David is to return to that home within some time to check up on Mary and the situation there. Please pray for wisdom as to what needs to happen. Mary has fled from that place many times in the past, and I know that she will do it again. There is a reason that she flees, and I believe that it was no accident that she ended up on the Obong'o Land with this amazing family, and by no coincidence that we were there to meet her. Please pray that we here would have wisdom in how to proceed. Please, please, please, pray for Mary, that she would come to know Jesus, and that through that relationship, she might touch the hem of His robe, and know His healing power.
Father, I ask that Your Name would be known through the testimony of this child, of Your child, that You would heal her in such dramatic and powerful ways, none could deny Your presence in her life. Redeem her days, Father, as only You can, and as You have done so many times throughout history. Restore this precious girl and heal her heart. Jesus, be big...no, be HUGE in her life. Do what only You can do.
Pray with me, brothers and sisters, that it would be so. My heart's desire is to rescue her, to scoop her up into my arms and take her away from all this. My mind says that she has been through enough, let's just take her with us. But we wait on you Jesus, and the revelation of the perfect plan that You have for her life. I know above all else that this child has not been forgotten by her Creator, and that there is a plan for her. I can say that with great confidence. We wait on you Jesus.