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Sojourners' StoriesAt the ILF, we have begun to interview Odyssey sojourners and these are their stories.... GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART
Prison Fellowship Lesotho By Donna Varnam From very
humble beginnings in the village of Kolo, Lesotho in Southern Africa, Joseph’s
life was not an easy one. There was not enough money to provide for the basics
his family needed. To help his family, he spent thirteen years of his youth as
a herd boy for neighboring flocks. Caring for the sheep was made very difficult
due to the mountainous terrain and cold, wet weather. With the grief from the
death of his mother at a young age and often alone in the mountains, Joseph had
lost hope in life and doubted that anyone could fill the void of the love he
longed for. Read More...
THE PRODIGAL SON Prison Fellowship Hungary By Donna Varnam Even though Gabor Roszík had read and preached on the story of the Prodigal Son on many occasions over the last thirty years, it was never boring and there were always new discoveries. Upon seeing the painting of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt while attending the Odyssey training in Singapore, Gabor detected something new –the hands of the son’s father. Gabor’s eyes could not focus on anything else in the painting. At the close of the two week Odyssey journey, participants were given a book by Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son with the well-known painting by Rembrandt on the cover. This gave Gabor further fascination with the painting and the subject. Read More...
JESUS MADE ME CRY…The Odyssey Journey of Olga Clarke
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There have been few men in Dr. Olga Clarke’s life that she has been willing to trust. Her father died when she was a young child, leaving her mother to struggle to raise the family on her own. Then, as a young wife, Olga would face the death of her own husband, leaving her to raise their two children alone as well. These two early life experiences gave Olga a fighting spirit and a promise to herself that nothing would stand in the way of her ambition. Resolved that she would never be dependent on any man, she would use the opposite sex to gain her own notoriety. Those men who she found weak, she exposed their weakness and would use that exposure to earn status above theirs. In men who were stronger, she took them on with fierce competition. One thing she knew, no man could ever make her cry. 
Dan Savou knows what it is like to grow up in a Christian home surrounded by the familiar practices of the Christian faith. Dan, the eldest of five children, was born in the Solomon Islands to professional parents, his father, a doctor and mother, a nurse. His childhood was more privileged than many he knew. Maybe it was taking for granted the advantages he had, or perhaps it was looking for something more complex than the simplicity of God’s love, but Dan knew his heart did not have the freedom that comes with having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He was withdrawn, living in his own world and removing himself from those who were not of his status. He was more critical than complimentary and often viewed his associates as competitors. 
When Sylvia Fakhry arrived in Singapore from Egypt for the
Institute of Leadership Formation Odyssey, her heart was as heavy as the
luggage she brought with her. Sylvia was
grieving the loss of her uncle, Dr. Minister Adel Wahba as well as her dear mother. Cancer had made a recent claim on both their
lives. To Sylvia, her uncle was her
closest friend and an important mentor in her life. Her mother was her earthly life-line and daily
prayer warrior. The loss of these loved
ones left Sylvia broken and empty with a deep sense of sorrow and
loneliness. She wasn’t sure how she
would be able to concentrate or contribute to the two-week course that was
ahead of her.
