Edith’s Story

Edith Greaves is from Sierra Leone, Africa. She has been married to Dave for 28 years and has two kids, Precious and Daniel. She recently became a grandma to Malakai (Kai). Edith has worked at ICI for 31 years, helping in various aspects of the ministry.

Edith grew up Catholic and was determined to become a nun. She got a job as a teacher at a UMC school in another town; her dad thought she was crazy for moving away from her family and everything she knew. She was visiting a friend and found a tract on their couch. It clearly explained Matthew 11:28-30. Edith prayed right there and felt a giant weight lift off her. She was hungry for God’s Word so she began reading her Bible, starting at Genesis and reading through to Revelation—multiple times! She was awed by the Word of God! A friend at the UMC school was a missionary from Humboldt, Kansas. Edith had seen Christianity Today magazines at her house with advertisements for Calvary Bible College. Edith reached out to Calvary, but because she was in Africa, there wasn’t much they could do. The Lord challenged Edith to share the Gospel with her dad, but she was hesitant because he was hard-hearted. The Lord told her to go anyway, and Edith did. Her dad had been attending an Anglican church but never heard the Gospel. Edith recalls that he was surprised but understood after she shared the Gospel with him. “I want the faith you have,” he told her; Edith was able to kneel and pray with her father. Edith’s dad, the last person she expected, exuberantly supported her by filling out forms for Calvary and buying a one-way airplane ticket to the US.

When Bill Dillon spoke at Calvary, God told Edith that ICI was where He wanted her, but she couldn’t reach anyone because she had the wrong contact information. Later, Tim Dearborn came and spoke to her night class, and because of that, she was able to come to ICI as a summer missionary. She laughs now, “We were supposed to raise funds, but for a girl from Africa, how do you raise funds?” She painted dorm rooms on campus and looked for odd jobs. She made $500, but wondered, “Where is the rest going to come from?” The next day, people from her church came and had a check for the remaining amount; they also bought her the necessary clothes and supplies. They were a huge encouragement to her. She switched her visa, and in January 1993—she came to Chicago.

Edith shares, “I love visiting homes and talking to the parents. With the moms especially, I’m able to ask, ‘Do you have anything you’d like me to pray for?’ It is so exciting to hear a parent that I’ve prayed for call and share answered prayers. I get to point out how God is providing for them and answering their prayer. God is real, and I get to help show them that.” Another privilege she enjoys is, taking kids to church because “they hear about Jesus from me all the time, but it’s a chance for them to hear truth from someone else too.” Edith loves when kids believe in the Lord and start praying and see results and know that He is real!

Recently, Kiara joined Edith for church. During praise and worship, Kiara kept asking questions like, “How do I know I’m saved?” Edith took her to the book of John and walked her through the Gospel, saying, “Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” and Kiara responded, “It makes sense! It makes sense!” Some truths clicked for her. Kiara also confessed she sometimes got distracted and was believing lies. When she called the next day the distractions and lies were back, so Edith walked her through what to do when lies creep in—telling her to always go to your Bible!

Talia, who is 23 now and had moved away, showed up at church one Sunday. She was so excited to see Edith. She came back to the area for school, and she remembered going to that church with ICI leaders and wanted to go again—so she came on her own. Edith explained, “ICI plants seeds and waters them. We might not see immediate results, but God is moving, and we just need to be faithful! God will do the rest. We just need to keep sowing seeds and watering faithfully… It isn’t in vain!”

Edith’s influence at ICI is profound, with her passion for prayer shining through. She is a beacon of hope for those in need, as when people seek prayer, they are directed to Edith. Her love for leading people to the feet of Jesus in prayer is a testament to her unwavering dedication.