The Forgotten Women of Kenya

By Jana O’Guin

While on a first-time mission trip to Kenya, author Jana O’Guin visited the local men’s prison with the host pastor. When she asked an officer about the women prisoners, he replied with an offhand wave, “I forgot about them.” The Forgotten Women of Kenya presents a collection of stories of women who have been confined in African prisons, often with their children, and left with little hope. While they accept responsibility for their actions, many end up in prison due to the harsh conditions of their lives and the choices made to survive—often while protecting or providing for their children. These stories of restoring, rebuilding, and receiving the fullness of Christ’s redemptive power seek to inspire you and ignite your inner strength and determination to get through whatever obstacles may be holding you back. Drawn from one woman’s story of ministry in Kenya, these personal narratives share the lives and experiences of women incarcerated in African prisons.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Feb 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781483495934

Book preview

THE FORGOTTEN

WOMEN OF

KENYA

Jana O’Guin

Copyright © 2019 Jana O’Guin.

Interior Image Credit: Jana O’Guin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-9595-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-9594-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-9593-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018915199

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 02/08/2019

Praise for

The Forgotten Women of Kenya

The best stories are those about rescue and restoration. The Forgotten Women of Kenya is chock full of just those kinds of improbable stories. Jana O’Guin recounts the lives and experiences of desperate, yet faithful, Kenyan women and men who have impacted her own. As you read their stories, don’t be surprised if you discover that God wants to redeem your deepest pain by calling you to courageously love and serve others!

Jim Johnson

Senior Pastor

Preston Trail Community Church

I have had the privilege of knowing Jana through the years as she traveled to Kitale, Kenya where I had cofounded a seminary and ministry. Her involvement and commitment to being part of the solution to challenges have always inspired my admiration. Her journey to help those who have been marginalized in society is a study of compassion, determination and true grit. Obstacles to helping others were simply speed bumps in her way forward. She refused to let them stop her! The powerful stories of the people she has met on the way to clarifying and fulfilling her destiny is an inspiration and a window into the Africa she knows and loves. The women she is helping are those marginalized souls pushed to the side and easily forgotten. Jana is living out the call of Isaiah 1: 17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah 1:17 (NLT).

I pray The Forgotten Women of Kenya breaks your heart and motivates you to join her in the journey of helping the least of these. Matthew 25:45 (NLT) 45 "… ‘when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

Phillip Walker, PhD.

President Emeritus/Cofounder

International Christian Ministries

Jana O’Guin’s book The Forgotten Women of Kenya is profoundly moving as you are introduced to little Augustine, Pastor Moses and his wife Margaret along with the culture of Kenya, the needs of the neglected, and the hope that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jana relates to the needs of Kenya women because she has personally experienced in life what privation, suffering, and loss is all about. While it is unlikely that you have ever been abused, beaten, or cast out of your home, you will feel the pain, the loneliness, and the despair of those whose stories Jana relates. Long ago Jesus affirmed the worth of a woman who anointed him with ointment saying, She has done what she could, and when you provide help for a suffering child, an abused woman, or a hungry youngster, you will be blessed. Beware, this book can give you a new vision and help bring hope to the forgotten women of Kenya.

Harold J. Sala

Founder of Guidelines International and author of 40 Unstoppable Women.

The Forgotten Women of Kenya is more than just a collection of stories, it’s a testimony of what God can do when we stop, listen and answer His call. Jana O’Guin has answered the call and made it her life mission to help the forgotten women of Kenya. These women are no different from you and me. They have struggles, feel pain and at times have lost hope, but despite everything, and through the grace of God, they have been restored. My prayer is that everyone that reads this book will not just be inspired by these stories, but that it will ignite a passion and bring clarity on how we too can answer His call and make a difference in this world."

Michelle Prince

Best-Selling Author, Speaker & Publisher

This book will take you on an amazing journey of love and care and ministry that is so needed in this world. Thank you, Jana, for your caring heart and this meaningful ministry!

Howard Partridge

Executive Vice President of Operations

Ziglar, Inc.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank my husband Michael for his unwavering support over the years as I have traveled halfway around the world countless times to follow my passion of serving the least of these. He has encouraged me to pursue this calling, even when I questioned it myself. I want to thank our daughter Alicia and son in law Matt, daughter Delaney, and grandchildren Robby, Lexi, Brinlee and Kylee as they have understood my absences and encouraged me along the way. Our time together is so precious to me.

My friends and extended family in Kenya who allowed me to tell their stories in this book. Margaret, Moses, Nolega, Augustine, Brian, Elizabeth, Calvin, Ann, Naomy, David, Jane, Lonah, Gladys, Joshua and many others. You are the reason this ministry exists.

Cindi Halliburton for helping to put my experiences into words. Michelle Prince for guiding me through the publishing process. Thank you, I could not have done this without you.

My small group from Preston Trail Community Church - Jim, Robin, Laura, Rob, Teri, Lindy, Michelle E, Sam, Deanna, Bill, Brenda, John, Pete, Marlena, Carla, Scott, Michelle P, Chris, Kathy and Shawn. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement through this journey.

Introduction

My name is Jana, and I wrote this book to tell you the story of my ministry in Kenya: how and why my partners and I began it, what we do, and where the Lord is leading it. I hope that through this story you will learn something about people struggling for hope and healing half a world away. Perhaps you will be moved to pray for them and for our ministry. Perhaps you will feel called to help. Perhaps you will even be inspired to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life to bring redemption and dignity to a community that He will show you.

But while this book shares something of my journey and ministry, it is not about me. It is about women who have been confined in African prisons, often with their children. While they accept responsibility for their actions, many of them end up there because of the harsh conditions of their lives and the choices they made to survive, choices often made to protect or provide for their children. This story is about helping them to rebuild their lives after they are released, to provide for themselves and their families, and to experience the fullness of Christ’s redemption.

This book is about women like Nolega. You’ll hear more about her story later in this book, but this is part of her confession, crying out to the Lord who always hears and never despises a contrite and prayerful heart.

Hello God, it is me, Nolega.

I do not know what day it is, but I know it is 2008 because this is the year I will die. I am thirty-four years old. Here I am, to confess my life to you. The bad stuff along with the good stuff. The children, they are the good stuff. The bad stuff is all due to me and my wrong decisions. My life is broken.

I killed a man who was drunk and beating me as he stole from me. I screamed that I was struggling for my children. To feed them. To give them a place to live. To pay for school uniforms and desks so they would grow up to be educated people. Worthy adults. Not like him. He grabbed at me and beat me.

All the rage and resentment I had felt for all the men who had lied to me and beat me came up from inside me and I fell on him like a warrior lion killer. I do not know