I am Sarah Reed.
*Our family has seved as global workers in Nairobi, KENYA since 2000.
*I am the wife of Rodney (Rod) Reed, Academic Dean of Africa Nazarene University.
*I am the mother of 3 daughters; Rebecca 23, Katie 21, and Hannah Grace 15.
*I am the daughter of Bill & Esta Van Meter, aging parents in Sun City, AZ.
*I am the sister of Cynthia Schertz who does all the care for our parents.
I work with a wonderful team of nationals. We do our best to raise up, train, and encourage children’s Sunday school teachers for our Nazarene churches across East Africa. I help to organize the Reed household and help to care for the some of the needs of other Nazarene global workers with whom we work. I help to teach the Baby Class at our local Nazarene church & do what I can to encourage my other children’s Sunday school teachers.
My team and I travel a lot, out with the people across the countries of East Africa. We try to find out what’s happening, to encourage more ministry to children, and to raise-up country, district, and zone children’s ministry coordinators. We want our teachers to know they are not alone. We do not come with a lot of money, nor materials from the US. Instead, according to the most pressing needs that we find, we write and translate local curriculum, using local materials like banana leaf crafts or glue from euphorbia. Currently we are developing a Rite of Passage curriculum that can be taught to either boys or girls, rural or urban, who are entering their teen years.
Being far away, caring for my mother’s Alzheimer’s and my Daddy’s growing feebleness is a constant concern. Currently Dad had decided to sell the family home and move into the assisted living place where my mom has been staying. I wish I could be more help to my family.
My girls – that they may GROW and GROW and GROW in their walks with Jesus!
Rebecca graduated from Olivet Nazarene University and came back to Nairobi for an internship, helping to fight Gender Based Violence & supporting Youth Empowerent. Becca ended up being hired full-time! We praise God she’s back home!
Katie is a junior at Olivet Nazarene University. She’s the only one not in Kenya now. She’s an extremely busy social work major – serving her NEW PEOPLE (her words) as a Resident Assistant as well as bringing Olivet onboard to help build up a neighboring impoverished community! Big task!
Miss Hannah is a 10th grader at West Nairobi School. She’s loving having Becca back home! May Jesus continue to be imbedded in her heart more & more solidly!
Rod is Academic Dean of Africa Nazarene University! Wow – students come from all over Africa. May the thriving school draw its students into life-time committed relationships with Jesus, as well as give them a strong education.
I (Sarah) pray our ministry to Sunday school teachers continue to grow and grow! May God give us more wisdom on practical ways to help our Sunday school teachers. Our cry is that if teachers can ‘train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not turn from it’. Lord – help us to build up teachers to embrace this task!
©2015 Thrive.