Meet Yamo

....with Karlyn on her 1st birthday (almost a year ago!)

This woman spends a lot of time with our family, so we thought we’d introduce her to you all. Her name is Yamo, or "Auntie" as Karlyn calls her. She is about 45 years old, and has one grown son and 3 grandchildren. Three days a week, she works in our house as our “hausmeri” (literally: housewoman). And she is one of the hardest workers we’ve ever met! We really appreciate her work around the house. With her help I’m freed up to do other things—like spend more time with the kids and do my small part in the ministry work!

...busy preparing food.

I can still remember clearly the first time I met Yamo. It was 2 ½ years ago when she came to our home and offered to work for us. Up until that day, I had stubbornly refused to employ a houseworker, (even though we had offers almost daily from women who wanted a job). It took me a while to get used to the idea of someone else coming in and doing my housework for/with me. (I know, all you overworked moms are probably sitting there asking, WHY?!) Anyway, it just so happened that at the time that Yamo came to us, I was pregnant with Karlyn and not getting much else done besides lying on the couch anyway! So my stubborn resolve crumbled and I agreed for her to start work the following week. Looking back, I see the Lord’s hand in sending Yamo to us that day, and she has been a blessing to us ever since. We hope that we are helping her too, by providing her with a steady income to live on which she also uses to help extended family members.

...with Karlyn as she was learning to walk (many months ago).


Yamo has been attending our church for about a year now and also goes to the literacy course that our coworker, Natalie VanderHeide, is teaching. I don’t think Yamo has had much schooling at all, if any, as is the case with many of the women. She has shown incredible determination in trying to learn to read and write. It’s been a real struggle for her, and she’s had a very difficult time remembering what sound each letter makes. I’ve been trying to give her some extra help with this, but it seems one time she will know the sounds and the next time she’s forgotten them all. I can see that she’s embarrassed and discouraged that she can’t remember. We do hope and pray that one day things will click. She really wants to be able to read the Bible on her own. Please join us in praying for Yamo!