International Women's Day at Promise Springs Rescue Center

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"

It may be International Women's Day on March 8 on the calendar, but at Promise Springs Rescue Center, we celebrate it every day.  Above is a picture of one of the girls at the center who finished high school in December.  We sat down with Lucy, who is 21 years old and has a son, Boniface, who is 1 year 9 months old, to discuss her future and how she could successfully support herself and her baby.  You may ask, "why is she graduating high school at 21 years of age?"  Well, sometimes children in Kenya miss school because the family cannot pay school fees and Lucy probably missed school during her pregnancy and after the delivery of Boniface.

Lucy is a very happy, God-loving young woman.  She was the leader of Christian Fellowship in her high school.  But, Lucy struggled to make excellent grades.  We now know that part of the problem could have been that she couldn't see the board because she needed glasses.  We only found that out after she graduated.  She now has glasses.  Lucy worked very hard and was very distressed that she couldn't make the grades of the other girls.  

The staff of Promise Springs Rescue Center sat down with Lucy as we were trying to help her determine the path of her future.  She was asked, "Lucy, what is your passion?"  She quickly answered, "To drive big machines."  Everyone was shocked and really couldn't believe what we were hearing.  She was asked more questions, like, "When did you start desiring to do this?"  She answered, "Ever since I was a little girl.  I always liked to play in the dirt and move the dirt around."  No answer was given to Lucy right away as some of the staff felt that sewing or cooking might be a better choice.  But one of the staff really took Lucy's desires to heart.  

As we drove Lucy back and forth to computer class and different activities, every time she would see a big machine, her face would light up and she would point it out with excitement saying, "Look....there is a big machine!"  Her passion was obvious.

We then invited a guidance counselor to the center to talk with all the girls about planning their futures and working hard.  One of the first requirements was that one must have passion.  He then stated that if someone wanted to be a plant operator, which is the driver of "big machines", they should pursue that if that is their passion.  The staff members who believed in Lucy and her dream looked at her and she was sitting in that room with tears streaming down her cheeks. The staff member also had tears streaming down.  They both know and now the rest of the staff are convinced that God meant for Lucy to pursue her dream.  

Lucy's dream is a step outside the box of conventional careers for a woman.  God calls us to be brave and trust him and that is just what Lucy is doing.  We are happy to announce that in May after obtaining her driver's license, Lucy will attend a school to obtain a diploma in Plant Operations,  A government official in the local area has promised her an attachment (internship) when she graduates.  This is definitely a career that can support her and Boniface and we thank God that he providently led her and the staff to this choice.

Now you see why we say, at Promise Springs Rescue Center, each day is International Women's Day because God is at work showing these girls the plans he has for them.