SINGLE LADIES INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES (SLIM)

EMPOWERING SINGLE LADIES

WWW.SLIF.NET   -   EMAIL: elwakenya@yahoo.com    -   TEL: 00254 7228 44732

Many unmarried ladies have a design of the kind of a husband she want. Some want to be married by teacher, doctors, nurses, professors, drivers, rich people, tall, slim, short, intelligent etc. But not like Mrs. Wahome at the time of meeting her husband Mr. Wahome. Mrs. Wahome was no different than other ladies - it took her a long journey to marry her husband and this is why she has a message for all the single ladies. With wide experience of living as a single mother for 38 years. Mrs. Wahome narrates her story of how they met with Mr. Wahome (see below).  Mrs. Wahome is an encourager to single mothers that you never know where you partner will come from. A co-founder of Singles Ladies International Ministries (SLIM), Mrs. Wahome want to join up with Single Mothers abroad to help singles mothers in Kenya and abroad through her ministry. From a humble beginning with nothing, Mr&Mrs. Wahome have grown to be multi-millionaires in Kenya. A visit to their business area along Kamiti Road in Zimmerman where they have a supermarket (Home Depo) and giant hardware would witness to this. They have used their money to see SLIM grow and they now want help to help them spread and also buy some equipments for the ministry.

During Mr. Seed recent visit to Kenya Mr&Mrs. Wahome hosted a dinner for them together with Mr. Seed's business partners Matrix International money transfer whom had flown to Kenya for a meeting with Consolidated Bank. A very welcoming Mr&Mrs. Wahome gave us a good treat at their Garden Estate house. It is while we were there we discovered that many people abroad are doing business with them. If you are construction in Nairobi or in the surroundings, you can pay money to the Wahome's hardware and your contractors will be signing and collecting materials from them. The definition is single ladies as intended by the ministry includes: - spinsters, widows, single mothers, separated ladies and divorced.  SLIM main objectives are to assist unskilled single ladies to start small-scale business. To challenge single ladies to live upright to their dignity, work hard and be responsible. To assist single ladies who are jobless to get employment by creating an employment bureau. To hold teaching seminars and workshops where professionals will teach the single ladies on various topics.

PROFILE

REV. ELIZABETH WAHOME TESTIMONY

 

My name is Rev. Elizabeth Wahome and I was born on the 16th November 1951.  I was brought up in Kihumbuini village, Gatanga in Muranga district.  After my primary school Education at Kihumbuini in 1968, I stayed at home even after qualifying to join Form I because of lack of school fees.

 

In 1970, I was enrolled at the Kenya Police College in Kiganjo and trained as a police Officer.  After the police training, I was posted to work in Nairobi where I met a guy who later became my boyfriend and we become careless with our relationship and I become pregnant giving birth to a baby girl out of wedlock.  I had to take care of my baby single handedly. While I was still at the police force, I registered to study privately with International Correspondence School (I. C. S.) doing my K.J.S.E. in 1976 which I passed well.

 

Mr. Wahome husband to SLIM founder

I continued on and worked in various police stations in different parts of our country until 1979 when I resigned from the police force.   In the year 1980, I got employment at the ICIPE – International Centre of Insects Physiology & Ecology as a junior Technician.  I was later promoted to a lab Technician where I worked for thirteen years.  I later resigned in 1993 April and joined business.

 

I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior on 20th Sept 1982 and I grew fast spiritually as the lord put in me a great hunger to read the bible and also to pray. Immediately I got saved, I made a prayer to God that while I was in world; I liked a high-class kind of life.  The devil has his class and now that I have come to Jesus, I desired to live a high class life in Jesus.  I also desired to get married. At one time I attended a PCEA youth camp where I met a good looking young brother who proposed to me and I agreed and we started a relationship.

 

Chairladies of different chapters with SLIM

SLIM members posing for a photo

 

This brother came from Mangu and was an agriculturist.  Our friendship developed well and we arranged to get married.  We had set to get married on the 12th December 1987.  We had a successful pre-wedding and we bought everything that pertains a wedding.  My wedding gown was ready, shoes, rings, maids’ clothes and even the cake was ready. About one week to the wedding day, we agreed with the brother that we would meet so that we go and collect the wedding rings but the brother did not turn up. I assumed that he had gotten busy so I went ahead alone and collected the rings. On arrival to my house, I felt a great urge to visit this brother at his home in mangu.  I   the  would   best man and borrowed his car and drove to his home village.

 

It happened that a few months before our pre-wedding, the brother had asked me to lend him five thousand shillings (5 000/=) to repair his broken leister engine for irrigation.  He had told me that his cheque had not been released by KHE and he needed some money. Since I had actually seen the broken engine during one of my visits to his home, I reasoned that it was a matter of little time and I will become his wife, so I went ahead and got him the money he had requested me for.  When he came to visit me later I asked him if the broken engine had been repaired and he affirmed positively and I concluded that I was really going to marry a hard working brother.

 

Professor Manundu sampling SLIM products at the conference

Mrs. Wahome the founder of SLIM addressing members

 

When I arrived at the brother’s home, outside their compound, God made me turn my head and guess what I saw, the leister engine covered with cobwebs. It was unrepaired. I stood in shock and within me; I heard a voice wisper ‘dishonest’ and there and then, I knew I was going to marry a dishonest man.  Immediately, I made up my mind I was not going to marry a dishonest man and I decided to cancel my wedding there and then.  I went ahead and knocked at his mother’s door and she opened and welcomed me.  I asked her where the brother was and she informed me that he had gone to Kirwara to oversee the arrangements for the hall which would be used for the wedding reception.

 

I went ahead and informed her that there will be no wedding and she should inform her son.  She started crying and this almost made me change my mind but I did not.  On my way back, I passed my home and informed my parents of my decision to cancel my wedding.  I explained that the brother had turned out to be dishonest.  It was not good news to them but they had very little to say.   I went ahead and visited the pastor who was to officiate the wedding and shared with him and he told me that it was better to cancel a relationship than to divorce.  I felt that, that was what I wanted to hear and nobody had told me such good words of comfort.  I realized that it was good to seek Counsel God’s servant. I  then drove back to Nairobi.

 

A Friday conference

SLIM members learning how to prepare detergents

 

The following morning the brother came to visit me and I asked him how his home was. He had not visited his home and he had no information of my visit there.  He went ahead to inform me that all was well at his home.  I asked him if leister engine was working and he told me yes.  That moment I told him he was liar and I was not ready to wed a liar. I informed him of my visit to his home and also about the decision I had made. He thought I was not serious but I was.  When that day of the wedding came I spent it with a couple friend and  I had a wonderful time not forgetting that it was supposed to be my greatest day. Some of my close friends who had bought me wedding presents gave them to me later and I received them.

 

The Tanzanian delegate posing with the founders

SLIM products

 

 

What followed later was not interesting as everyday I would see my wedding gown every time I would open my wardrobe.  The devil would put nasty thoughts in my mind that I would be buried with that wedding gown.  The lord took me to Psalms 118:17 which says (I shall not die but live to declare the deeds of the lord).  I took this scripture at a personal level and I spoke to the devil with a loud voice using the same word of God. I took the wedding gown and anointed it with oil.  I was filled with the spirit of praise and worship and I enjoyed every moment of my life from that moment.

 

One evening as I prayed, I found myself reciting the word in Isaiah 1:18 which says come and let us reason together and I told God that I would like to make a covenant with him. I reminded God that it was mandatory for me to give him ten (10%) of my income as tithe in my name Elizabeth Muthoni Mwangi.  I decided to tithe another 10% for the man who would marry me as I felt I needed to get married and I knew God will give me the desire of my heart.  I told God that since I had no idea how much the brother who will marry me earns, I will tithe twenty percent, my 10% and his 10%.

 

Since I came from PCEA background where one had to write his or her name on the envelope every time they gave their tithe, I had two envelopes of which I would write my name on one. I made a prayer and asked Jesus what I was to write on the other envelope. Right there the Holy Spirit whispered to my inner ears and said, Baba John. (John’s father).

 

I wrote the name Baba John and dropped the two envelopes in the offering bag, after that, I felt a lot of peace and joy in my heart and a long journey started with the lord.  At the end of every month, I faithfully tithed for the brother who will marry me although I didn’t know him. I asked God to give me a prayerful brother and also a tither.

 

At the end of that year on thirty first December, I prayed and asked God where Baba John was and John too.  I continued to pray and lived a holy life and at one particular time God told me that he would give me children to raise and I will serve God in abundance.  I then knew that it was not only John but also there were other children too. I continued to pray and also told God I was not going to give up although my years were advancing and white hair had started to grow. I remember reminding God that he had created me a woman, a helper and I told God something was very wrong.

Either God was not faithful to me or his word in Genesis 2:18 which calls a woman a helper was not real.  I quoted to him the scripture that says God watched over his word to perform it. I asked God if he created me a woman, did it mean that there was no brother I could help.

 

In Jan 1990 on a Sunday, I wanted to see a sister in the lord after the Sunday service in my church. This sister belonged to the woman’s guild group and she was going to visit the sick and the needy in the estate. Since she had no time to see me, I had to accompany her and other three ladies of P.C.E.A. Kariobangi South woman’s guild. The ladies led the way and I followed with my poor self image.

 

Single mothers children performing acrobatic during the conference

A group photo

 

They visited four homes and they gave alms and prayed. On the way home as they said they had finished, one of the ladies said, it was not good if they did not visit one brother in that area although it occurred that it was not one of the houses they had planned to visit, they contributed some money and bought milk and bread.  As we entered through the rusty metal gate the sisters were careful not to be cut by the broken pieces of old and dusty metal. This house spoke volume of poverty even from outside. As the women entered the house and it was my turn to enter, two boys approached and one held my right hand and the other my left hand.  These boys had scurvy disease and water like liquid was coming out of their scratched dry skin. They were also suffering from marasmas.  The lord then reminded me that he will give me children to raise.  I looked at those children and told God in my heart that I could raise children but not like those ones. When I reached the door of the house and stepped in, I saw an old sickly man stand up and I thought he was rising to welcome me.  I found myself a place to sit and the two boys sat near me and started to play with my circular dress and putting their heads on my thighs.  I then started asking myself many questions.  I never concentrated on what the other sisters were doing. By now they had finished their mission and it was time for us to leave.

 

That evening I went home disturbed and questioned God about what he had ministered to me about the children. I could not understand the whole issue. The following day was a Monday at my place of work, and around 10 o’clock, I received a telephone call from a man called Joe but I had no one in the name of Joe known to me. He spoke in kikuyu language and said ‘ni Joe’ When he realized that I could not remember him, he went ahead to remind me that I had come to his house the previous day with the woman’s guild group and he had gotten my telephone number  from one of the ladies. He asked me if I remembered when I entered his house that he stood up and I told him yes he stood up to welcome me.

 

He continued to explain to me that he never stood up to welcome but the moment he saw me enter his house, he thought that his late wife had resurrected. Later on when I saw her picture I saw that I really resembled her. He went on to tell me that he wanted to marry me on the 15th Dec 1990 and he hang up the phone.

 

I was really terrified by this telephone conversation because I hardly knew this man and I had only met him the previous day.  Back home that evening, I never prayed but I quarreled God and told him that He was not fair.  I reminded God that I had not been tithing all along to marry a man like that. I now even preferred to marry the con brother with who I cancelled our wedding.  I could not imagine God would embarrass me the second time.

 

As days went by, bro. Joe continued to call me and I would tell him that I was still praying.  After much prayer and waiting upon God, I obeyed and I clearly told God I had not accepted bro Joe because I loved him but because I was obeying the conviction of the Holy Spirit. During this time the brother called again and requested me to meet with him and I agreed and we met at central park Nairobi one Sunday afternoon.

 

"A journey of a 100 miles starts with one step" - this could be what Mrs. Wahome is saying today

A Ugandan delegate performing at the conference

 

I bought some refreshments and as we continued talking, he removed an old brown envelope which contained some photographs and he introduced me to his family.  When he showed the picture of his late wife it was true that I resemble her and her name was Grace, he took another photo and told me, this is my first born daughter, she is called Cecilia. He then took another photo and he said, this is my second one and she is called Sarah and he took a third picture and said, this is my first born boy, he is called JOHN. There and then I knew beyond any reasonable doubts that this brother was the one to be my husband. He then continued to introduce me to his other children Joshua and Esther

 

Please remember that when I was tithing for the brother who was going to marry me, the Holy Spirit impressed to me to write Baba John on the envelope.  When Bro Joe told me that the name of his first born son was John I had no doubt that this was now going to be my future husband as he was baba John. I also knew that his children were the children God told me that he would give me children to raise plus a sick and a very poor father.

 

We started our courtship which was very good because every time I would go to visit bro Joe and his children, I would buy milk, bread, sukumawiki (green vegetables) and maize flour for the food we would eat and also his children.  I would also leave him a few shillings to push him a few days. Whenever I would want him to come and visit me, I would first take him bus fare to come. He would, I cook for him and I would also give him some money to last him few days.  That was our life of dating. One particular time, I requested him to take me to a hotel and I knew he had no money but he agreed, he took m e to café de Paris in Mfangano street, Nairobi. When we met before we got to the hotel, I gave him some money so he would pay the bill and I knew this would boost his ego. He gladly took the money and put it in his old wallet. We got into the hotel and he asked the waiter loudly to serve us. After the meal and drinks, he asked for the bill, I was watching him and smiling.

 

In November 1990, we did our pre wedding at P.C.E.A. Bahati church and true to the brother’s word, on 15th December 1990, we did our wedding at P.C.E.A Kariobangi south and a long  snake convoy of fifty two cars made their way to and fro my village – Kihumbuini as they came for the bride Elizabeth Muthoni Mwangi. I will never forget that morning as God removed all the shame and humiliation I had suffered when I had cancelled my previous wedding. At the village people used the cancelled wedding as sign post when giving their friends directions.

 

We started our marriage in a humble way with my daughter being the first born and in Kenya polytechnic in first year and rest of the children totaling to six in number. The youngest named Esther was less than three years.  I continued to work at I.CI.PE.  That time I would pass through Korogocho slums market to buy dry maize in 2kg for I could not afford 20kg tin then take it for grinding to make flour, the rest of the money I could buy vegetables i.e. onion for fifty cents, greens for three shillings, ripe tomatoes for fifty cents, this will be enough for that day’s meal.  If by chance I bought quarter kg of meat for seven shillings, I would slice into small pieces so that each one got a piece and we would fully enjoy the meat.

I remember I had kept some chicken to rear so they could lay eggs and my sister in-law had a green grocer shop. I usually would ask her for the spoilt tomatoes to give to my chicken, but I would wash those tomatoes which were not completely rotten and cook. I would also keep some in the fridge to use the following day. I remember asking God as I washed those rotten tomatoes if that was serving God in abundance as He had spoken to me.

 

Early in February 1993 through our best man, who was a director in the forest department, we got a load of timber for an Indian saw miller for free.  From this load we stared a timber business on a road reserve in Zimmerman estate on Kamiti road. Over the lunch hour break, I would walk from my place of work from ICIPE to Zimmerman to encourage Mr. Wahome and also see if he had done any sales. We would buy half sliced loaf of bread and ½ litre coke soda and we would share. In the evening after work, I would pass through Zimmerman to pick him so that we go home together. The bus fare from Zimmerman to the city centre used to be 1 shilling but sometimes we would bargain and pay fifty cents.  This way we would save the other fifty cents for the next day.

 

After one month of selling timber, our sales were ksh 350 (three hundred and fifty) so our tithe was thirty five shillings. We gave to the church joyfully. The following month our sales rose and the business continued to grow. Our tithe grew from the first thirty five shilling to thousands and it is still growing. The timber business grew and we were able to acquire a plot where we transferred the business and also build offices. God enabled us to buy a second plot. We still use the road reserve for storage.  We have seen the business grow from one load of timber to a whole distributor of cement and timber, twisted bars and many more building materials.

 

Recently God enabled us to extend our business and we opened a supermarket in the name Home Depo Supermarket.  Our children got healed and have now finished school.  The first born is married with two boys and one of our son is finishing university this year while our last born has just completed doing business studies in Nairobi.

 

I give God praise for the road he has helped me to travel together with my loving husband Joe (sweetie).  He is no longer sick nor  poor  but God has raised him from the dust to eat with kings by making him to recover financially again. Now I serve God in abundance confirming His Word.

 

To God be the all the glory for the great things he has done.

 

Rev. Elizabeth Wahome

Mama John.