After I spoke to a church in December, the leader asked me if I would be willing to come and speak at the women’s group. The place is about an hour’s drive from my house. They usually meet in the evenings. I talked it over with Samuel, my translator, and he suggested I come once a month. So, I went in December and then I went this past week and will go in February also.
The women gather at 8pm. These hardworking women! Their lives in the village start before dawn and close after dark. I don’t blame any of them for sleeping during the Bible study, but I saw another woman jostling one awake when she saw someone dozing off.
I used the same lesson that I used with my young girl’s Bible study, just tweaked it a bit. As I was about to close Samuel said, “Aren’t you going to let them ask questions?” Oh, yes. Silly me. Here were a few comments and questions.
The lesson was Jacob and Esau and Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing. One woman commented that Esau should get nothing for eating that stew and just **** it out the next day. He did not think about the trade at all. And she was shaking her head with disgust. My eyes may have opened a bit wide at the translation I got but, I guess, she got the gist of the story 🙂
One woman asked if it was ok to do just a short prayer in the morning and then go and start her fire and then come back to continue it.
Another woman asked if she needs to pray again if someone left food in their bowl and she wants to finish it. (Families usually eat from the same bowl. Depending on the size it could be 4 people to a bowl.) I looked at Samuel for that one. To me, the food has already been prayed for. But for Samuel, he said there is nothing wrong with praying over it again.
Samuel thinks maybe 2 or 3 women can read. One greeted me in English. The others are all Dagomba speakers and do not speak English. There were about 12 women there the first month but only about 7 this week. They were all appreciative of me coming.
As I was leaving last month I said to myself that this place is too far away. And I do not like driving in the night. And I still can’t speak Dagbani, so Samuel will have to come with me all the time. When I dropped Samuel off he said that it was really good we were there. I asked him if I am taking up too much of his time because every time I go, he has to go. He looked at me like, whatever, girl. He does not mind at all. He said he enjoys it and knows the women are learning and that is good. I guess I do not have any excuse! 🙂
I am really thankful how God speaks through me to these women, and the young girls too. I come with a lesson prepared but God always adds things that I was not planning to say. It is really cool. Very humbling that God would care about me and these people.
It is not really about us is it? It is all about Him.
Thanks for your prayers.