January Mission Offering Testimonial
Philister Randiki and her family were in a situation so hopeless that Heifer made an exception by giving them two animals, but when she was asked if there was anything too painful to talk about, Philister said with a smile, “There is nothing that can defeat me.”
At 72, Philister was the first of four wives to a husband who died of AIDS. The other wives also died of AIDS, leaving 10 sons, six of whom have died of AIDS along with their wives and three of their children.
Philister was left to care for the 18 surviving children.
“All the orphans, even the ones who left, are coming back to me,”
Philister said. “Love and the force of love is so strong.”
But before Heifer appeared, Philister admitted that she was scared and confused
about caring for so many children.
“We were starving and could barely manage to put one meal on the table,”
she said. “We gave the children porridge, but it was dry and had no nutrients.”
With the gift of their dairy cows, Philister’s family began receiving
up to 20 liters of milk a day. They consume half and sell the other half to
buy food.
“I would not be alive today without this gift,” she said. “Before
Heifer I was sick and worn out from trying to care for my family alone. Now
there is food and money and my sons and daughters have returned.”
Philister recently died of recurrent malaria - still the number one killer in
sub-Saharan Africa.
But her family is still together. Those who have survived are caring for each
other. They are learning how to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and are sharing
their story with others.
You to can help change the World Two by Two! This month’s mission offering collections will go to Heifer Project International. The Luther League started collecting funds at the beginning of Advent to reach the goal of $5000 to buy a Gift Ark. With this month’s collections from the mission offering hopefully we will surpass our goal and give the gift of an Ark once again this year!