Twin Identity: time and chance unite!

Twin Identity is a beautiful depiction of redemption. It illustrates God’s love and protection over the least of them for, “He seeks to save the lost.”  

This story begins with a set of precious little girls.  They are actually twin sisters who are three years old.  In a perfect world they would be cared for by loving nurturing parents. However, their life is far from that.  In fact, picture this. 

It’s a beautiful day in the land of Kenya!  The girls are wearing trousers under their tattered teal blue dresses, black booths.  Like normal little girls, their hair's kept short; however, the harsh life in Kenya is stealing their childhood.  At first glance, one would think they’re searching for a lost coin, a lost toy ,or playing in the dirt. As the twins move around in a slow crouched position, they are laser focused. From a bystander’s vantage point, it’s obvious the girls are unattended by an adult. One of them is holding a stick mulling through the dirt while the other continues her search, because the only thing on their minds is their next meal—anything to satisfy their aching bellies.   

These twin girls were abandoned by their parents.  But, in the grand scheme of things, they were never forgotten. Though starving and desperate for food, they were filled with hope and determination; moreover, they were destitute, yet in the grand scheme of things, they are highly favored. 

• Kenya has a population of 46 million people.  Of this number, 25% or 11.5 million people live in underdeveloped housing and suffer from a variety of harmful living conditions, such as food insecurity and diseases.  
• 1 in 4 children under five in Kenya was stunted in 2017, equivalent to 1.8 million children.  
• 17 million Kenyans routinely go to bed hungry.
• About three million women of reproductive age in Kenya suffer from anemia.
• The number one cause of death of children under five years old is malnutrition.  
• According to the World Food Program, 337,000 children under five years old suffer from malnutrition.

Kenya is in crisis, with significant health and development consequences for both women and their children. While some progress is being made in reducing child stunting, levels still remain unacceptably high. Nearly 151 million children under five were affected by stunting in 2017 globally, only a nine percent decrease from 165.2 million in 2012.

New Meaning
As Beatrice Olonde journey’s back to Kenya, her homeland, to bury her 30-year-old son, she’s “grieving lives lonely highway". Steeped in a barrage of sadness, a dark cloud looms over her head as she dreads coming face to face with the finality of her son’s death. It’s while she’s feeling alone in a dark pit, her life changes almost in an instant.  

One day, while walking home, Beatrice saw these precious little girls digging in a pile of garbage for food that’s been tossed on the ground, next to the roadside.  Captivated by the twins, she stops. When she realizes they’ve been abandoned, this mighty woman of faith felt impressed to rescue them. It’s in that instance that Beatrice finds new meaning in the mist of her tragic loss. 

Though one journey has ended, another one started unfolding.  Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John 12:24

God Makes No Mistakes
Here’s where my story takes a unique twist. After this mighty woman of faith takes the girls to safety, she comes back to the United Sates. She was impressed to share her story with a complete stranger about her son's death and the twin girls. She began to pour her heart out about the financial needs to cloth and feed them. That stranger was Judith Young, Co-Founder of Dorothy’s Story Inc.  As the lady bears her soul, Judith immediately feels impressed to help the woman, as she realizes the lady’s need is in line with Dorothy’s Story Inc.’s mission. 

“To relieve the poor and distressed, the under privileged, advance religion, erect or maintain public buildings and promote social welfare.”  Some would call this amazing story luck, but as a believer, I call it God’s divine providence. 

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.  This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  Psalms 34: 4-8

As a believer, if you are in tuned with the Holy Spirit, He will guide and lead you to wherever He has planned for you. He will tell you what to do and say, and who to say it too.  It will position you at the right time to receive your longings, It's called favor. That’s what happened to Beatrice when God brought her and Judith together on His holy seventh-day Sabbath! 

Called for A Reason
Born into a Seventh Day Adventist family and raised in Honduras, Judith’s parents sent her to Belize for high school. After graduation she completed one year as an RN then became a missionary nurses aid and pharmacy assistant while going to school.

When I asked Judith for the reasons of her passion in helping others, she said it's all her and her sister know. Judith and Esther come from a family of missionaries. It was imbedded in them since they were children.  Judith’s father would take her and her three sisters to church Sabbath school. They were age 3, 6, and 7.  Judith is the middle child. She said as they shared their faith as children, they would sing with the other kids, share the Adventist message, and tell Bible stories. This was a happy time for Judith and her sisters. 

Then, I asked how they came up with the name Dorothy’s Story. She said, “In 2017, we talked about honoring our mother. Dorothy was our mother. She was a woman who lived her life helping those in need. She allowed God to use her.” Today, Judith, Esther, and their grandchildren are continuing Dorothy’s work. Judith said, when Dorothy was alive, she would help missionaries by building houses, teaching bible studies, leading people to Christ, and providing marriage counseling, to fulfill her life purpose, all for the cause of Christ! Fulfilling life’s purpose is what every person should strive to do, but if you are a Christian, all the more important to seek God’s wisdom to understand your purpose."

"For I was an hungered and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." (Matthew 25:36,37)

And so, as God would have it, this threefold union between Beatrice, and Co-Founders Judith Young and Esther Wills of Dorothy’s Story Inc. paved the way to help launch Walters Children's Home, to help other starving  children in need of protection from the harsh life in Kenya. Walters Children's Home is an orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya, and is run by Mrs. Beatrice Olonde, who is both the owner and manager. This orphanage currently houses 13 children. Three of the children attend an SDA Boarding school. Dorothy’s Story Inc’s goal is to raise $12,000 for the Walters Children’s home which covers one year of operating expenses for the orphanage and includes room and board for all children.   

"And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a three fold cord is not
quickly broken." (Ecc. 4:12)

Beatrice Olonde's story could have ended in tragedy, but God stepped in and said NO! Though Beatrice lost her son, her life could still glorify the goodness of God!  It’s a profound story of redemption and speaks about the lives of three courageous women who were tuned into God’s voice and answered His call.

In closing, Judith says, “This type of ministry is the most rewarding, because I’m being a blessing to anyone and everyone who needs help. My sister and I are very passionate about it. I’m allowing God to use me wherever He sees fit.  And I asked God to point me in the direction He wants me to go every single day. That’s what I love and that’s what I’m passionate about.”

If you would like to learn more about Dorothy’s Story Inc. you may contact Judith at:  young.judithj@gmail.com or 916-662-0206.  

You may also donate to their ministry or contact, Karen Gardner at karenj@coveredandkept.org.




BY Karen R. Gardner