A Maasai girl by the name of Ruth Lucas who is in Form 4 (secondary school) lives with her mother and grandmother in Arusha. The father disappeared and they have had no contact with him for several years. Ruth is a bright girl in school. Her school decided to sponsor her schooling because they are really poor. For various reasons the school recently shut down and Ruth had to find another school.
The mother cannot afford to send Ruth to another school. Ruth’s grandfather is a Maasai and he wants to have her back in Maasai land. He does not want a girl to get eductaed, but instead follow the Maasai traditions for girls: to be married. Maasais think that only boys should get educated.
Ruth’s mother told me that Ruth’s grandfather had received an offer from an elderly, wealthy Maasai who wanted to pay a very large dowry in the form of many cows in order to marry Ruth. Ruth had been desperate because she wanted to stay in school, get her education and choose her husband when the time was ripe. For this reason the mother and Ruth came to our office asking for help.
We trusted God and sent Ruth to a good, Christian school where she is thriving.
We received a sponsor who will support her until Form 4 is completed. But Ruth wishes to continue for another two years and graduate from High School. If any of you would like to support Ruth for a few more years please write us or send a gift to our missions account. Please earmark it “Ruth”.
In accordance with Tabitha’s wishes, we asked for monetary “flower gifts” to support the work in Tanzania instead of physical flowers. It was truly overwhelming to receive the list from the mission treasurer showing how many people had sent “flowers” in this way. That money will go toward new faith-based projects that Tabitha felt we should undertake before we return to Denmark in February 2026. These include, among other things, children in 6th and 7th grade whose mothers are single parents and have lost their jobs. As a result, they can no longer afford to pay for their children’s schooling. This would mean that these children would not receive the graduation certificate necessary to continue in the education system. Here, Tabitha made a promise of faith to help, so that so many years of schooling would not be wasted. This is now in place. Tabitha would be overjoyed if she could witness it.
After the burial, we returned to a memorial service in Betania, where good friends in the congregation had prepared a lovely coffee table, providing a warm setting for us to talk together and remember Tabitha as a community.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. Thank you to everyone who helped with all the practical arrangements and made sure that, despite our grief, it turned out to be a good day after all. Thank you to everyone who attended. Thank you to all of you who sent flowers. You should all know that it meant an incredible amount to me. I’d also like to look back a bit and thank family, friends, and the congregation for your tremendous support while we’ve been in Denmark. Thank you for all the meals you brought by and all the other practical help you provided.
Farewell in Arusha
Our staff has been completely devastated by Tabitha’s illness and death. As a team, they have come together and been praying and fasting for her. And they are now continuing to pray for us and our work.
On the day of Tabitha’s funeral, our staff followed the service on a large screen and was thus able to participate in the ceremony. They had printed a beautiful banner to represent Tabitha’s coffin, and there, with roses and tears, they were able to say goodbye to her.
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