WHEN HURUMA FORMALLY began, I was no longer employed, and we had little to no money with which to run a children’s home. Initially, we could only provide our new family with one meal a day. At that time I was often so troubled and concerned for the children that I would frequently go to bed without taking anything to eat. I would often cry myself to sleep in desperation—the children deserved so much more than what I was able to provide.
On one particular Sunday, I had gone to Eldoret to visit my daughter Caroline, who was attending school there. As I was waiting for the evening train to come, I attended an evening service at a small church by the railway station. The message offered in the sermon was on the importance of tithing to God. And despite there being many within the congregation, I felt as though the pastor was speaking directly to me. Suddenly, I became the only one in the room. I knew that God was using him to speak to me, and I became ashamed of my actions. After all, God had given me and my family everything we had. I knew what I had to do.
I could not approach my husband about this matter; this was something just between God and me. I went home and took the two small bags of flour we had left, along with 400 Kenyan shillings (about $5.70). I wrapped the flour up in a table cloth and stuffed the money into my bra; I did not want my husband to know I was tithing all we had left. I headed toward the church and left everything we had left, as a gift to God. It was a big sacrifice for me to make; I had no idea how we were going to feed the children, and I had no choice but to beg for bread on my way home from the church.
But God blessed my family. By the time I returned home I was greeted by a woman who blessed Huruma with significant support; soon after, we also received one of our first corporate sponsors, Barclays Bank. By tithing all we had left, I had taken a step forward in faith. I trusted that God would provide for our needs, and He most certainly did.
Some would think me foolish for tithing everything we had. But in my heart, I knew it was what God required of me. I took a step forward in faith, trusting that God would provide, and I praised His name; our needs did not go unnoticed or unmet.