We had some wonderful people assisting us at the retreat who deserve your prayers.
Alice Scott - Teacher at Isaac David School where we had our retreat
Alice was our hostess, mistress of all the logistics involving bathing, feeding and sleeping 37 girls, and she ran a tight ship, always with a smile. She joined us for all the sessions, and lapped up the teaching, training and crafts. She was so eager to learn new ways to communicate and inspire creativity with her students! She and Maybelline, the other teacher, made the "I am Special" button, created with collages, pipe cleaners, sewing bags, and kept asking for more. She truly deserved one of the "DEW - Developing Exceptional Women" bags!
Maybelline Hopkins - 3rd grade teacher at the Isaac David School
Maybelline is another "Exceptional Woman". She would really like training in phonics so she could more confidently teach her children. She was so eager to learn crafts and teaching techniques, and we loaded her up with leftover craft supplies. While we were talking about the lesson and the orphans needing love, and God keeping our tears in a bottle, and she whispered, "You know, I'm an orphan too...
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. ~ Psalms 56:8 (NLT)
Edwina Zeon - 27 year old teacher, chaperone of Suzie Guenter Orphanage girls, my sister
I took one look at Edwina and knew she must be Helene and Jefferson's daughter. I asked several students if they could tell me any African stories, and she spent almost an hour writing out a Spider story. We've already exchanged e-mails. We've also become Facebook friends, and she told me that she's already shared some of our first lesson with her students, resulting in great discussion! I sent her a copy of my notes, and she will let me know when she needs the next installment. We have an instant, life-long connection that can only be of God.
Mary Dennis - Phoebe Gray Orphanage
Mary Dennis, the Phoebe Gray Orphanage chaperone for the retreat, and I had a great conversation at lunch. She's had her share of heartache too. Two years ago, one of the orphans, a twin girl, whom she had raised as her own, died of malaria. Compounding her grief, the government came and took away the little girl's brother as well. Her own children have left and are far from the Lord while she cares for other children, fully comprehending the irony. We shared our struggles with our children and wept and exchanged embraces.
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