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She walked nine hours. With a baby on her back. In the hot Kenyan sun. But, to explain why she did that, I need to tell you what happened two days before.

Over 350 women gathered at the compound for the second all day Project Hannah Conference. They came from many villages. Some walked several hours to get there. Others came by bus leaving their villages before day break. It was an amazing sight to see their excitement as they arrived with their children. The day started with lots of dancing, singing, worshiping and praying to God.

     Then I shared Isaiah 40:31 with them: “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles….” You could see the joy welling up in their hearts as they listened and understood that God is the only One who gives strength and provides what they need for each day.

     At lunch they were served a simple meal. No tables or utensils, but they were extremely thankful. For most of them that was the only meal they would have that day. The great celebration lasted until late afternoon. At the end, several accepted the Lord after listening to the message and the stories of others who had found peace and hope listening to Women of Hope and praying with their friends in our Project Hannah prayer groups scattered all over that region.

     Two days later, Valentine took her little boy and set out on the nine hour journey back to the Project Hannah office. She wanted to meet with Eunice and Agnes, both producers of our Women of Hope programs. She said that after the conference, she felt she needed to make the trip even though she had no guarantee that they would be there. So, she came.

     I will never forget the sad eyes and sweaty face of  that frail, tall woman. We gathered at the office. Together with Eunice, Agnes and Astrid, my colleague from Norway, I heard her story:

“I need help,” she said. “I came to the conference two days ago because I’ve been listening to the Word of God through the Women of Hope program. God spoke to me that I should put my faith in him and not despair, as you said. But deep in my heart, there is a knife cutting me up day after day. Please tell me what to do because I am doomed.” She broke into silent tears and for a while, nobody said a word.

     Then Eunice asked, “Valentine, what is it that makes you feel doomed?” And then she told us the story. “My husband left home a year and a half ago saying that he was going to work in the mines in another region far away. Ever since, I never heard a word from him. We have no idea where he is.

I am all alone trying to raise our five children.

My oldest son is supposed to register for the national primary education examination this week, but I have no way to pay for the school fees.

The little money I get washing clothes is just enough to put a bit of food on the table. But many times I don’t get any job at all, so we go to bed without any food. It is terrible to watch the kids go hungry.

And it’s impossible for me to sleep not knowing the truth about their father. Sometimes I imagine him going to bed well fed. But, but what if he is dead? I feel sad; and sometimes I feel angry. So many times I have thought of ending it all and killing myself. That’s why I came. I heard the message here and I need direction to know how to live that way. What should I do?”

     That’s when God gave me Isaiah 49:15-16  for her: “Can a woman forget her nursing child and the fruit of her womb?  Even though they may forget – I will never forget you. I have inscribed your name in the palm of my hands – your walls are continually before Me.”

     Valentine heard each word and was encouraged with this great promise that God sees her and never forgets her! I asked if she wanted us to pray with her. She agreed. Then she prayed leaving all her bitterness, her abandonment, and all her worries at the feet of Jesus.

     Then she was ready to go. We could not send her walking back home another nine hours!  So we emptied our wallets and gave what we had, enough for the bus ticket, and also for the school fees of her son and two of her other children as well!! 

     Before leaving she asked Eunice and Agnes if they would come to her village. She said, “I want women from my village to have what I have now! To experience the power of trusting God and the power of prayer, as I did.” To this day, Eunice and Agnes go all the way up that mountain every week to minister to a group of Valentine’s friends and neighbors.

     Just think, in a forgotten village, far away in the Kenyan bush, there is a simple woman who God transformed into an evangelist, witnessing and bringing hope to many. Her husband is still out somewhere she does not know. The five kids are still her sole responsibility. Her circumstances did not change, BUT SHE DID! 

     She knows that God is her husband and that he will never leave nor forsake her.  And all [this happened] because:

• Christians in Norway gave of their surplus to support Project Hannah ministry there [in Kenya]
• two Kenyan women were willing to walk miles in the hot African sun
• and thousands of Project Hannah intercessors around the world, some right here, are sustaining this ministry through their work of prayer.

Now that’s amazing!

This testimony of God transforming a desperate Kenyan woman into an evangelist was one of many ministry updates Founder Marli Spieker shared the weekend of April 16th [2011] during a special forum at TWR’s Cary, NC offices.

Valentine's story was also retold in Marli's column in the Fall 2011 Hannah's Heartbeat newsletter.