Kimberly Taylor: January Update
Today is the coldest it's been in Dallas since I moved here. A shocking 27 degrees! But real winter, finally! I took our puppy on a long walk just so I could reminisce through the bite of cold air on my face. I know everyone back home is laughing as you prepare for a weekend of sub 0 temps. But Texans don't like the cold. So while this unexpected cold spell is kind of fun for me, it's got the rest of the city locked up at home.
In trying to send out an update, I've written, rewritten, and completely scratched this at least five times over the last month. I want to be read as positive and assured. I want to instill confidence in my partners and support team. Having put my trust in Jesus, my ultimate confidence and future is in him! There are many things I am assured of. Yet as any human knows, sometimes the circumstances of life can be uncertain. If I had to choose a theme word for the last 4 months, uncertainty would be the winner.
In light of a continued travel ban for our team and ministry, my role at Unto feels undefined. I could continue to wait 6-8 months and hope we are able to resume our previous work, but no one really knows what the future will hold. In an effort to make the best use of my time this year, I'm continuing to meet with other Cru ministries to discuss opportunities. I'm happy to stay with Unto if that's what the Lord shows me. So far though I haven't felt the clarity to pursue one direction (or stay).
Although there have been many downsides to COVID, while we continue to wait, I have had the chance to really get to know our ministry! Since last March, I've now worked with our marketing team, our campus team, and most recently have spent the last month working on a program that is a part of our Women's Initiatives, LuoPads.
LuoPads are reusable sanitary pads developed for women overseas who don't have access to feminine hygiene products. In the U.S. we don't think much about dealing with a girls' monthly cycle. But that's because we readily have access to several types of feminine products. However, overseas, these products are either unavailable or far too expensive to purchase. During a girls' monthly cycle, many girls are often forced to stay home from public activities and wait til the week is over. This can cause them to miss up to 20% of the school year! You can imagine how hard that makes it to keep up with the curriculum. In India, 23 million adolescent girls drop out of school each year because of a lack of sanitary supplies.
The pads we make at Unto are made from used flannel and towels and can drastically change the course of a young girl's life! As part of my work with our Campus team, I've been coordinating with universities to host events on campus where they cut and trace the materials used to make our LuoPads. When I connected with my first school to present the event, I thought it would just be a few quick emails. As it turned out, the LuoPad event and event materials hadn't been revised in many years. 6 weeks later, I'm still working on updating our manuals and connecting with schools interested in hosting an event.
As a woman, I can imagine how lack of these products would change my ability to live. I have LOVED this project! If you think your church or a group would be interested in hosting an event to make LuoPads, I'd love to connect!
A few years ago my church purchased a house in the South Dallas community and converted it into a prayer house/ministry center. The community in South Dallas is confronted with a lot of brokenness from trafficking, drugs, prostitution, and alcohol dependency. With the start of the new year I've been able to get plugged in with the team and start helping with a Monday night Bible study.
We're working with girls from the neighborhood ages 6-16 and I've been so thrilled to be a part of this ministry! I'd almost forgotten how much I love discipleship until I got connected at our prayer house and back working with students. I'm excited to continue being a part of the team there and seeing what doors the Lord opens.
Prayer
I have two meetings this month with other Cru ministries. Prayers for clarity and wisdom in those conversations.
I'd love prayer for this new ministry I'm connected with at our Church's prayer house! We typically have 10-15 girls come out on a Monday night and many of them are learning Bible stories for the first time. Pray for their sweet hearts to hear the gospel and believe it, know their value, and absorb everything good and true thing they hear. Pray that no obstacles would prevent them attending.
For the last few months I've been hosting a dinner at my place every week or so. It started as a casual thing with a friend, but soon after I felt the Lord give me a vision to open that time up to other ladies who need community or are seeking the Lord. He has brought more and more girls into my life who are in that exact space. Almost every week I feel like I meet someone else who needs to be invited. Prayers for life giving, sweet community to develop and that it would truly be a blessing to those that come!
