Becoming the Person God Created You to be...

..... in the Midst of Great Odds.

One of my true friends is an orphan. She raised herself. Daily she had to make a plan for getting food, going to school and finding a way to get appropraite clothing. Living in a metal house, she had to make sure the roof was mended if holes appeared as they frequently did. She had to keep herself safe. Living in a world of abusive and dangerous males was terribly frightening. My friends name is Judith. Judith had to make sure she got to school on time without an alarm clock or electricity. She has to fetch water in a bucket from a pump many kilometres away. This young girl had everything stacked against her. Life had not been kind to her. But in Judith's heart, she knew that she had a very special friend in Christ Jesus. She knew He walked besides her through all the uncertainties of being an orphan totally alone in this world.

Judith also had a belief in education. She would tell me,when times became almost impossible to live through, that come hell or high water she was going to finish school. This was difficult as she attended a school with 100 children in a classroom,it had irregular teachers,Judith often did not have money for candles, so could not study at night. In spite of this, Judith finished her schooling with a college pass. She then walked for and wide in search for a job. She impressed a company so much,that they offered her training and a job as a chef. A church group then gave her living accomodations. Judith was on her way to success in a world that ran on the survival of the fittest. Judith had proved herself to be one of the fittest. Now that Judith has come across the other side and found success, she wants to serve at the Mustard Seed. She says she wants to give back to Christ and society. I have often wondered what allowed this orphan to beet all the odds and become a surviver that is now giving to a world that was very harsh. I have come to beleive that it was not genetics, nor nurturing. It can only be because of her strong relationship with Christ Jesus and His guiding hand in helping her to make right choices. There is a sure knowledge that if one child can make it, so can these angels. With Christ all things are possible.

**Words from Julia