(photos illustrating this story are shown below)
JUNE 26, 2025 -- The girls welcomed Cynthia Rives, the Board Chair of the Jerri Savuto Charitable Foundation (JSCF) and HTC UWFaith member, her family and Mission Teams from Texas. She thanks the United Women in Faith for changing their lives.
The dedication was a very special event for the whole community. The community members of all ages lined the pathway to the dedication. The women’s fellowship was there in their blue-purple dresses and joined us as we walked to the center. The girls' colorful skirts were made especially for them to go with their special dedication day t-shirts. Jerri Savuto Charitable Foundation Board members Rev. Kevin Anderson, Rev. Dr. Lisa Neslony, Pauline Ntombura, and Cynthia Rives all participated in the official opening of the center.
The dedication started with the girls singing and dancing their favorite welcome song, followed by a reading of different scriptures and a blessing. The girls honored the Texas Mission Teams as Special Guests. Rev. Dr. Lisa Neslony told the story of Pauline’s dream for the girl’s to have a safe refuge and claim power as women. The center was originally a dream of Pauline Ntombura of Kenya. She shared the amazing story of the Jerri Savuto Center and how it came to be. The girls presented the Jerri Savuto Headlines News Report to share the story of the beginnings of the center. Rev. Dr. Lisa Neslony spoke to the girls about how women in Texas and Kenya had worked together in the last four years to build the Jerri Savuto Center! She also stressed that they should never let anyone tell them girls don’t have power. Through the power of the Holy Spirit there is no limit to what is possible. The women's fellowship of Kenya came forward and gave all the visiting team members beads - including Cynthia's grandsons!
We signed documents, cut the ribbons to officially open the buildings and pulled back the curtains to reveal the dedication plaque and picture of Jerri Savuto. We met dignitaries from the local government. Then we toured the new buildings and were served a delicious feast that was shared with the whole community. It was truly a special day for all in attendance.
There were two mission teams that traveled to the center from mostly Texas. One Team was headed by Rev. Lisa Neslony, pastor of Saint John the Apostle UMC in Arlington. Lisa along with Rev Kevin Anderson from Alvarado UMC, had a team of 22 missioners from a variety of churches. The other Team was from FUMC Denton and included members of Cynthia’s family plus Janet and Dennis Fisher of The Marfa Ministry. I brought them a panoramic-type photo of the Horizon Texas Conference UWFaith women (pictured at 2025 TX Leg Event) sending their love to the Girls.
All the girls were home for the Dedication. Twelve of the older girls go away to secondary school but return home on school breaks like summer. There are also about 12 girls at another campus in Dera. All the girls are keenly aware how fortunate they are to be a Jerri Savuto girl. They are now safe from forced marriage and the threat of female genital mutilation and they are very grateful. Thank you, United Women in Faith of the Horizon Texas Conference!
See what is described above in the photo collages below!
-- Cynthia Rives, JS Center Board Chair and HTC UWFaith member
