Project Hannah retreat

The day before we left Liberia in January of 2009, we met with the Project Hannah women. This is a global prayer ministry, concerned with the plight of women, and sponsored by Trans World Radio. They also try to teach them how to cope with daily challenges, bringing them hope. This year they are praying for the sex slaves around the world. We're talking about serious pray-ers! Christine Norman oversees the group, consisting of between 20 - 50 unemployed widows, some young, educated with young children, some old women, some of them country women with no schooling, and everything in-between. These women come from many churches where many of them lead women's small groups. Christine also tries to teach them life skills that can be translated into micro-business opportunities. Her brief to us for their monthly meeting was to teach on prayer (What could I teach them???), and include a craft.

We had about 50 women come. I taught 10 key principles and Bible promises for powerful and effective prayer, and I was amazed at the hunger for teaching. Those who could write furiously jotted notes, and I slowed my pace so that each verse and principle could be copied down. I had much more to teach about attitudes and hindrances to prayer, but I followed the Holy Spirit's promptings to share more personally. The room was silent, heads were nodding, and tears formed in eyes as I shared my struggle with disappointment with God and unanswered prayer, deep depression, leaving my faith for a year only to return, convinced I could not live another moment without God.

Miraculous answered prayer, struggles with wandering children - it all deeply resonated with each woman. Living in that black hole for so long, I never would have imagined that God would redeem my story to encourage these dear, courageous women. But that's our God!

Then I also shared some creative ideas for prayer: PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield), A Five Finger Model of Prayer (Thumb: Those furthest away - missionaries, persecuted Christians, friends and families overseas, 1st finger: Those people who lead and guide us, pointing the way (ministers, teachers etc.), 2nd finger: The strongest finger - those people with power and responsibility (governments etc.), Ring finger: Those people we love - family, friends, Little finger: Those who are ill, weak, infirm, old, poor, helpless, Whole hand: Pray for yourself finally, offering your hands to God to serve Him as praying and serving hands for all the people you meet.), Praying in sand (writing down sins, and erasing them), musical prayers, praying through sketches, etc.

Again, the pencils were flying, and many, many asked me for copies of my notes. I prayed for them and then handed each of them Pray Magazine bookmarks: Personal Prayers from Colossians, Scriptural Blessings to Pray for Your Children, Biblical Virtues to pray for your kids. And Ellie, Nancy and I sang for them the song we had taught at our weekend girls retreat, "He Knows My Name" by Tommy Walker.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.... ~ Jeremiah 1:5

Esther, the director of Project Hannah wanted to make sure she got to make a scrunchie too!

We turned our attention to the craft created by Nancy and Ellie, a hair scrunchie using scraps of tied fabric. They loved it! We also handed out donations from Donna Fanning and Operation Christmas - razors, nail files and nail art and hand lotions, small sewing kits, and devotionals from Diane Raupp.

Then we handed out the t-shirts from Jeanne Malnati, shirts emblazoned with "DEW, Developing Exceptional Women". Oh my! The cheers, oohs and ahs, smiles and thanks then exploded into dancing and song. "Jesus wastes" they sang and danced. What? Jesus wastes??? It evidently means that Jesus "wastes" or pours out his blessings on them, that they are not worthy of his blessings. Even without a video camera, I'll never forget that image!

Happy, thankful women love their gifts! Thank you Donna Fanning , Diane Raupp, Cecelia Whitacre, and Jeanne Malnati!

After closing in prayer, many came up to thank me, to ask for copies of my notes (I had a few), to ask me to come to speak to their small groups, to ask for prayer, to share their stories, to promise their prayers for me.. One woman held back until the rest were done, and then leaned forward and whispered, "I went through the same thing you did," That was all she said, but I could see the pain still too fresh to speak any more of it. A very young mother with 3 children--I don't even remember the details -- but God prompted me to give her the few dollars I had with me.

What a way to live, in the "God-Zone"! Following promptings to teach, share, give, embrace, listen, pray, not knowing how but trusting that each obedient arrow would hit its mark. It's a God thing - YEAH GOD!

And then there was Helen. "You must come to my group and teach them!" When I replied that I was leaving the next day, she said, "I will come to you tomorrow. I want to talk." And she did.

Judy with Helen Dahn and friends; Helen is on the far right

The day we left, Helen came as she had promised the day before that the Project Hannah meeting. She told me about her three children, how her husband had worked at the hospital and they had been a long time part of the ELWA community. Then she told, tears in her eyes, how during the war her husband, father and little sister were snatched and executed in front of the rest of the family. How she misses him, and how difficult it is to support herself and her children! Then she talked about her small group she leads, and about how many are struggling with wayward teens. Next time I come I will talk about parenting teens (Thanks Jeanne!) Again, she had no Bible; she too had trouble with her eyes. We got her a Bible, and Ellie gave her the pair of reading glasses she owned.

Helen used to be a seamstress, so we gave her our left over material, some needles and thread and a scissors, a pattern-making kit. I gave her a couple of Bible Study books, and some devotionals, and then we had a sweet time of prayer.

Helen, you remain in my heart - I'll see you and your small group next visit!