to learn how to drive. It is a huge open paved/graveled area with absolutely no cars! Well there was actually one car with a gentleman sitting outside of it in a chair trying to get a little sun. Anyways, they even have cones in various locations that you can use and set up as obstacles to maneuver around and for learning to park. It was a really neat place! Well, Mary did pretty good after she learned not to step on the brake so hard! The first time Mary went to stop we all were thr
own forward and poor Miata screamed because it scared her! I laughed and laughed while Miata sat with her big round eyes trying to figure out what had happened!! It really was too funny!! Mary got better and better at easing on the brake. Overall she did really well as a beginner. She has just passed her written driving test on Tuesday and really wants to take the driving part as soon as she can. For her to learn to drive costs $2
5 an hour which she cannot afford. I told her we would go several more times while I am here but then she will have to pay for at least 1 or 2 hours so that she can actually get on the road and drive with other cars. Now that is scary with the amount of vehicles on the road here! I definitely could not take her in a rental car!Anyways, I would love to share a little about Mary...
She is from Kenya and has suffered dearly! She has 6 children of her own and had taken in (adopted) 3 additional children who were orphaned due to their parents being killed. She also took care of many other children as well (as a single mom... due to tribal clashes she had seen her husband, 3 brothers, brother's wives, their children, and her mom killed.) She used to be an accountant in Kenya and was also a very outspoken advocate against female genital mutilation which happens to women all the time in that area. Because of her outspokenness many leaders had threatened Mary on several occasions trying to get her to be quiet but she would not! She was determined to make a difference for women and continued to push the government to make changes and help better protect women. Well below there is a little more detail of what happen to Mary. During my first trip here she had shared so much with me but now during this visit she has shared even much more. Her stories are absolutely unbelievable and one cannot even fathom what others in this world endure on a daily basis!!!!! Anyways, this is just one person's story and just one of the many individuals that Arlene and Jack have helped!! On Friday evening Arlene had two individuals stop by whom she and Jack also help. As I sat at the table looking in the living room the thought that ran through my mind was... look at mix of folks from varies countries that are in this room right now! There was Mary from Kenya, Katoko a Japanese lady, & I can't remember the gentleman's name but he was from El Salvador. Well then of course there was us from the US and then little Miata from China. Anyways, it was kinda neat just seeing the mix of races from all over in this one small room. And to think it is all because of this kind couple who reach out to all color and all races to help anyone in need! The help in ways that are mind boggling! You could not even imagine what they do on a daily basis and at 75 and 81 years of age! Just last night Arlene was up til midnight working on presentation things she is doing for El Salvador. I thought this morning she would surely sleep in but nope, she was up by 7:00am! Amazing!!
Well, tomorrow we are going to San Francisco for the day. I will try to post more tomorrow night.
EMAIL ONE:
Dear Ones,Well, tomorrow we are going to San Francisco for the day. I will try to post more tomorrow night.
EMAIL ONE:
A while ago I asked for prayers for Mary from Kenya (a strong, outspoken woman who had repeatedly said that female genital mutilation must be stopped and that people needed to protect their girls). The outlawed sect, Mungiki, in retaliation, broke into Mary's home during her dinner with her mother, sister, and children, and did FGM against Mary and her sister in front of her mother and children. The Mungiki had also burned the homes of her two brothers while they and their families were asleep inside, plus many other atrocities. Mary managed to come to the US and came to our church one Sunday. She had already started her application process to get asylum. Our daughter, Jennie, and family and Jack and I started giving her some assistance. She got a good immigration attorney with a very difficult judge. The judge and the Homeland Security attorney kept raising questions and wanting more information and voicing reservations about her application. The process dragged out over 10 court appearances and over 1 1/2 years. She finally was granted asylum on April 7 (while Jack and I were away visiting our son Michael and family in Spain and Jack's 2 sisters and my sister and family in NC. Below is a report from our friend, Marjorie!
Thanks for your prayers! We also pray with faith that Mary will get a good job. She has been taking training to be a Nurse's Assistant and used to be an accountant.
Much love,
Arlene
EMAIL TWO:
Dear Arlene,
I know you know because Mary called you from the car going home
but I wanted to just bring you in and connect. It was a thing of so much
joy that we each realized it slowly. First the judge began to give
indications that he would approve. Then there were more discussions.
Miss HomeLand gave no closing arguments. Finally the judge said
he was will to grant asylum but he wanted to make sure there would not
be an appeal. Miss HL didn't speak for a moment and the judge asked
her if she would like 10 minutes. She said yes and dashed out.
Craig and I agreed she was telephoning her boss. 10 minutes later
she returned and said the government waived appeal. Judge granted
and moved directly to give her instructions and pages of information.
All this while we sat like little church mice, 9 of us plus a lawyer in
training who had asked Mary's permission to sit in. Finally the judge
left and we were up and smiles and handshakes and when Mary could come out
of her area, there were hugs all around and a few tears.
Special thanks to you Arlene, for getting the group going and seeing
it through. This truly was mercy and compassion.
Blessings for your final leg home. Looking forward to seeing you and Jack.
Love,
Marjorie
EMAIL TWO:
Dear Arlene,
I know you know because Mary called you from the car going home
but I wanted to just bring you in and connect. It was a thing of so much
joy that we each realized it slowly. First the judge began to give
indications that he would approve. Then there were more discussions.
Miss HomeLand gave no closing arguments. Finally the judge said
he was will to grant asylum but he wanted to make sure there would not
be an appeal. Miss HL didn't speak for a moment and the judge asked
her if she would like 10 minutes. She said yes and dashed out.
Craig and I agreed she was telephoning her boss. 10 minutes later
she returned and said the government waived appeal. Judge granted
and moved directly to give her instructions and pages of information.
All this while we sat like little church mice, 9 of us plus a lawyer in
training who had asked Mary's permission to sit in. Finally the judge
left and we were up and smiles and handshakes and when Mary could come out
of her area, there were hugs all around and a few tears.
Special thanks to you Arlene, for getting the group going and seeing
it through. This truly was mercy and compassion.
Blessings for your final leg home. Looking forward to seeing you and Jack.
Love,
Marjorie
