Beautiful Changes

We have witnessed some beautiful changes with the women in our ESL classes at the Eastleigh Community Centre. Not only are many of the women removing their face coverings during the classes, but they have become incredibly warm and close to both Erica and Zahra. This last week the ladies began to share many of their dreams and aspirations within the classroom. We were delighted to hear so many young girls looking ahead to some very non-traditional vocations and paths. One very tall woman stood before her class and shared that she wants to become a mechanic and to return to Somalia to start her own garage -- Erica and I looked at each other in shock and joy. One of our big hopes with these groups is that the ESL training will become a starting place to help them learn practical vocational skills and entrepreneurship training that will enable them to support their families.

Some of the ladies who stayed after class to have their photograph taken with Erica and Zahra.

Another purpose behind our work in the ESL program is to build friendships and bonds with vulnerable refugee women and their families. It has been incredible to see the change among the ladies, who only a little over a month ago were coming in off the streets of Eastleigh and meeting us for the first time. We are truly blessed with such bold and courageous woman. Although many are quite young, we also have many other students who are mothers and even grandmothers. We have discovered that many of the mature students are in fact neglected wives who were brought to Kenya by a husband who then abandoned them for other families living abroad or home, in Somalia. Each of these women, young and old alike, have lived through very hard circumstances. It is a privillege be able to serve them, even in a small way. We pray that these bonds of affection, respect, and trust will grow stronger over the years to come.

Erica with one of her ESL students, Oromia