Esther

10/6/11
We trudged through the mud and trash of Kibera, home to 170,000 people to visit Esther.  Esther was dying.  Weakened, she invited us into her clean, sparse one- room home. She could barely sit on her couch, let alone lift her head to greet us.  All 64 pounds that was left of her did it’s best to hold her body together.  Yes, she has AIDS and was dehydrated, starving and confused.  Esther also has an 8 year old son trying to keep his mommy alive.

Today she was joined by a team from the WEEP (Women’s Equality Empowerment Project) center offering her a chance at life.  They called MFS (Doctors without Borders) who sent help to take her vitals and hopefully transport her to the hospital.  A neighbor will take her son while she is there.  Once they hydrate her she will be released to the WEEP program where they will put Esther on ARV treatment, put her son in school, feed them and teach them the love of Christ.  When she is healthy again, Esther will be taught a skill and in 18 months graduate to begin her own business.  She was given oral rehydration salts, a bit of milk and rice and most importantly we prayed for her, with her and on behalf of her.  Esther will now know the compassion of a sisterhood that has taken this journey before her.  She will learn to rejoice over a redeemed life, dance to the song of salvation, and raise her voice to the heavens in praise. Her son will laugh and play with others his own age, but best of all he will know his mommy past her 32 years of life.

Yes, today Esther was dying, but tomorrow (thanks to God and His servants from HEART - Health, Education, Africa Resource Team and their WEEP center) Esther will live.  Live for Christ.  Live to offer another the same saving grace she has known.  Esther-God’s Queen.  Esther – the conqueror.

Yes, today was a good day.  Thank you for praying as we continue our travels.  We know you all have stories like this.  We are grateful that today was our day to beat back the enemy and see a life saved.