When we visited Ennis in the Muthare slum, I think I witnessed the power of the gospel of Christ more clearly than I have ever experienced. I met Ennis on my visit to Kenya last March. She continues to gain strength – which is a miracle – her CD4 count has gone from 4 to over 900, and all without any medications.
When we arrived she was not home – she was cleaning her church, something she volunteers to do faithfully every week. Although she makes less than $15-20 per month washing clothes for people and is struggling to make enough for rent and food, she continues to trust God to provide and praises Him daily for what she has, as she serves Him faithfully. Before we left, I asked Ennis how we could pray for her – instead of asking for provison for rent or food or a blessing on her business, or to be able to move out of the slum to a better home for her and her kids, or for healing from HIV for her or her infected 2 year old boy Morgan, she simply asked that we would pray for her to have strength and faithfulness to continue to serve God and tell others about His love.
The pure and undefiled religion I saw on display – the complete and unfathomable contentment, overflowing joy, undeniable peace and hope, and remarkable humility of this woman – brought tears to everyone in the room, including the volunteers from the church that visit her regularly. We wept tears of joy together, not tears of despair. Just as she praised God and was thankful that He had brought visitors to encourage her, so did I – that He would show me a present-day servant and saint who bears witness to to life-changing power of God who forgives us and sustains us and is all we need. Ennis is a living example of how we should live our lives.
