Watching HOPE come alive!

Head down, obviously carrying a heavy burden, feeling such a lack of hope...  

This is the Catherine we had come to know. 

And as we grasped her story, we understood.  A drunkard husband... one who on multiple occasions, has hung himself from the ceiling, only surviving when Catherine awoke to discover what he had done, cut him down and revive him.  Lack of food... herself and her 2 daughters plus the abandoned baby she has taken as her own, hungry...

Yes, the burden has been HEAVY for this mama!

 

She began to blossom over these last few months.  As she has walked through our discipleship program, she has begun to understand who she is, who God is, and that HE cares about her!  

 

Catherine is a beautiful lady with an amazing heart! 

A few weeks ago, Girls With Vision helped her launch her own business!

 

Day one...

 The GRAND opening of Catherine's fruit stand (that sells mostly veggies).

We are SO proud of her - and thankful with her... GOD is meeting her in her need!

2 weeks later

My new favorite veggie/fruit stand!!! 

I wouldn't buy my tomatoes or sukuma anywhere else!!!

After being open for less than 2 weeks, you can see the way her stand has grown! 

She is a faithful and VERY hard-working lady - we are praying that GOD will BLESS her business and provide for her family's needs!

Yes, the growth of her business, even in 2 weeks is AMAZING!!!  But more than that, I love seeing the change in her eyes... as HOPE comes alive for her!     Tangible hope... there will be food on the table and rent will be paid this month... but more than that, eternal hope... as she walks with a community of ladies who are seeking and finding GOD even as they struggle.

I'm GRABBING onto that HOPE today, right along with Catherine...

 

"We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to GRAB the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual LIFELINE , reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God..."

Hebrews 6:18-20 

Nothing to do with the story... but this picture of Catherine and I  makes me smile so I had to share it!

Catherine and I, happily SMILING for the picture...

Baby Christabella is NOT so happy! I am the only white person she has ever seen... and she has cried every time I look at her for the whole year that I've known her mama!

I purposely stood on the other side of her, so she would let us take this picture... I didn't know the look she was giving me until I downloaded the picture...