About a month ago, I was brought to a Missions
Committee meeting at our local church in order to hear Jamie Boiles’ story. Jamie is a missionary
in Kigali, Rwanda. She is the director of Belay Global (non-profit
organization) that helps men and women create sustainable jobs for themselves
in order to help provide for them and their families. Belay has two different
biblically based trainings. Duhugurane training is tailored for educated,
English-speaking Rwandans. Their dream is to develop Kingdom business owners, who are concerned not
only with the bottom line of profit, but learn how they can have an eternal
impact with their business and those they employ. DuHope is a ministry
for women who are currently in sex work with a desire to leave. For these women, it is simply the only way they can provide for their children. It’s
the only way they can survive. It’s desperation. On August 1, Jamie Boiles started meeting 21
women who were desperate for a way out. Two months later, days at DuHope are
made up of Bible study, vocational training, fun games with kids, sharing
stories, the occasional singing, and creating beautiful jewelry that gets
better by the day. Jamie’s story is amazing and if she were writing this, she
would move and capture your heart just like she did mine. I won't be able to
tell her story. This is her story. This is her passion. You can see it in her eyes and feel it in her heart. So today, instead, I am
going to share what God has recently put on my heart and where he is leading
me. To find out more about the ministries Jamie is involved with go to: http://www.belayglobal.org/project/giving-some-duhope/
When Jamie spoke at Central, I think everyone left with tear-filled eyes
and overflowing hearts after listening to her tell HER story; the
story and path God had set out for her. I remember feeling so
encouraged by the way God was using Jamie for the Kingdom. That night, we
were messaging back and forth and she invited me to come and do an internship
with her in Kigali. Quite honestly, my emotions were like a
roller-coaster for a while. I was excited, nervous, scared, unsure...and then I
would be excited again. My uncertainty caused me to keep a lot to myself. Satan
was at work in my heart. He was planting doubt and fear deep inside my soul causing me to feel so inadequate. I spent day after day praying and crying out to
God. I was in need of my Father. I knew this was something I couldn’t do alone.
I needed courage. I needed strength. I needed guidance. God spoke to me in a
powerful way reminding me of my ultimate purpose. It was time for me to surrender
my life before the foot of the cross and say, “Here am I, send me.”
This summer I will be joining Belay Global for an eight-week internship
in Kigali, Rwanda and couldn't be more excited to see how God will work in and through my life. Spending my summer in Rwanda, I will have the opportunity to
take part in some amazing projects, but more than that I will get to do life
with these women. I will get to invest and study the word of God with
women who are
longing for hope.
women who are in need of knowing their worth.
women who long
to be loved.
women who don’t understand the power of grace.
I get to be a small
part in the bigger story. The bigger story is Christ and the path he has set
out for me and each of these women. After a lot of prayer and consideration, I
feel deep in my heart this is where I need to be. I sit here in complete awe of God and the beauty of how he calls
us to be his hands, to be his feet, and to be his voice to people who are in
desperate need of His love and grace. This summer, I expect my faith to be challenged and
grow deeper in Christ by sharing His word to those I am surrounded by.
I’m so excited to let my light shine for
Jesus while being challenged and changed into the woman God desires me to be. As
they say, it truly takes a village to raise a child. I think I've finally been
challenged to pursue something that I can't do alone. I want to go on this
journey representing the people who have made me who I am. I want to go on
behalf of my village. I have shared milestones in my life with each of
you and I want to share this one with you as well. As you keep up with me
through this beautiful journey we will share tears, laughter, hardships, and take part in
the growing faith through one another.
I would ask that you pray for me as I begin the efforts of raising support. I will be selling T-shirts soon as well as some other small fundraisers. I will also be sending out support letters. While acquiring financial support is an important part of any mission, I know God opened this door for me and I know he will provide for my needs. Most importantly, I am asking for your prayers. I am asking you to pray that God will use me to show Jesus to people who do not know Him. Pray for my protection and my strength. Most of all, pray daily that God will continue to grow me toward a compassionate heart and sacrificial service for His glory.
If you would like more information on my summer journey to Rwanda please feel free to email or call me anytime. I would love to sit down and share more with you about where God is leading me. My email is: jaleynetherton@gmail.com
