Nov 16, 2009 By Jenny Susa for The 5 min read

Losing a spouse is always a difficult thing for anyone to get through. But what if you were a wife whose husband just died, and you were not only left without the man you were married to, but also lost your home and anything else you might have owned during your life together? Here in America, it’s almost impossible to imagine something like that, but in Kenya, Africa, it is the reality for every widow.

The Rev. Terry Collins recently returned from his third trip to Kenya, where his organization, Discipleship Ministries, has been reaching out to help some of the villages in need.

During their other trips they learned that the widows are considered unimportant and their children are viewed as even lower than they are.

“A couple could be married 40 years,” explained Collins. “And the children are on their own. Everything they built together goes to the husband’s family when he dies and the wife is left with no home, no assets and no provisions. She is discarded as unimportant and left to survive the best she can.”

Collins’ wife, Susan Collins, and volunteer Cynthia Kramer spoke to hundreds of widows in Kenya last year about the hardship they were facing, many along with their children. The ministry had the idea to develop a community for these widows and orphans where they could learn to live and work together to become self-sufficient.

The plan for the new community includes huts for the widows and children to live in and an assembly building where the widows can cook, teach their children and hold worship services.

“The widows would have livestock, small gardens and sewing machines,” said Collins. “This would provide them with milk, cheese, vegetables and the ability to make their own clothing. Anything extra would be traded for whatever they need. This is our way of helping to give their dignity back.”

While the ministry visited Kenya this year to hold crusades and attend a pastors’ conference, they also met with officials in Ndiru who have agreed to help provide the land for this new community to be created. Randy Byers, a volunteer from Masontown and a part of Discipleship Ministries, commented that with the help of the organization’s partners, local churches and the churches in Africa, the community would become a reality.

Collins said that after talking to the widows about this community for two years, they were finally able to tell them that it would come about but that, sadly, not all of them would get to be a part of it.

“Each building will house 12 widows and 24 orphans,” explained Collins, adding that there are hundreds of them in this village needing support. “It will take a matter of years to meet all of the needs. But the widows overwhelmingly applauded the fact that the two women who spoke to them last year kept them in their hearts, and now they believe that the church in America, partners of Discipleship Ministries and the local churches in Africa really care about them. The chief of the village hopes this will become real very soon and be a model in the community for widows and orphans that will spread across the country of Kenya.”

Collins and everyone working with him have learned throughout their missions that through faith, anything is possible. Byers commented on how the organization’s first visit to Kenya resulted in a new church being started.

“That is the ultimate missionary work, to go back and see that a new church has been planted,” said Byers.

Because of the ministry’s visits to the region, they have also sparked a new belief among the people in the importance of seeking God’s forgiveness for sin.

Collins visited one village where people had been a large part of tribal wars that occurred two years ago after a controversial election. After participating in these violent battles, the village had not seen rain in two years. They experienced famine even greater than what the country is accustomed to as a result of the draught, and many people, including a number of children, died because of it.

Collins said that as they taught the people there, they asked them if there was ever a time when they had repented of what they had done during the civil unrest, and the tribe acknowledged that they had not.

“They repented in a way I have never seen before,” said Collins. “Open and heartfelt, asking for God’s forgiveness and that he would bless their church again.”

Collins said that most people would never believe it, but the rain began to fall in that village only.

“They began getting saturating rain every night,” said Collins.

While the ministry is planning a trip for next year back to Kenya, and developing a team for that, Byers pointed out that the local needs are never forgotten.

Collins said the main goals of Discipleship Ministries are to preach, teach the Gospel and feed the poor. They have taken those parts of ministry to areas of the United States and Fayette County, including the operation of a food bank in the mountain area. Byers said that the ministry has recently reached out to local families and teens in Ronco, Fort Mason Village and Strickland Estates. The ministry holds revivals and healing services wherever they are invited, and before traveling to Africa had spent years feeding the orphans and the elderly in Russia.

Collins asks for the prayers of the organization’s supporters concerning their upcoming trip to Africa, as well as the ministry’s other outreach. He is willing to come to any church or civic organization to offer a presentation about the ministry in Kenya. Donations may be sent to 314 Nelson Road, Farmington, Pa. 15437. Collins may be reached by e-mail at disciple@lcsys.net.