(From Lisa's journal while we wait in Nairobi for adoption paperwork to be completed.)
It’s almost
Thanksgiving Day in USA. Mark and I sit in Nairobi Art Café. Conversations in many different languages waft around us. It’s late. Christmas lights blur
through the heavy rain, and we want to be home. We long to share this holiday
with family and friends, but no. We won’t even be with our kids when
Thanksgiving blooms. We’ll be driving across the country toward them to share
whatever is available at the market to cook.
In this, we give thanks.
Tonight,
the congested traffic keeps us stalled because the Pope visits this
international city.
Tonight, we sit among Chinese, Arabs, Somalians, so many rural Kenyan dialects we can’t discern.
We wait. We pray.
We share with the young woman who sit by herself busy being alone on her phone.
We watch the burka-covered girl leave with a group of men.
We read the newspaper - Turkey shoots down a Russian Jet. Tunisia suicide bomb kills 12.
Our hearts ache.
But tonight we are thankful to share His truth with those searching.
Tonight, we sit among Chinese, Arabs, Somalians, so many rural Kenyan dialects we can’t discern.
We wait. We pray.
We share with the young woman who sit by herself busy being alone on her phone.
We watch the burka-covered girl leave with a group of men.
We read the newspaper - Turkey shoots down a Russian Jet. Tunisia suicide bomb kills 12.
Our hearts ache.
But tonight we are thankful to share His truth with those searching.
Thanksgiving.
What are we thankful for as the rains pour down on a country that currently forbids families to adopt orphans, that welcomes a religious dignitary while hiding corruption behind well manicured receptions, that ignores a call to take up their cross and follow Him…?
The rain continues falling.
But we are thankful,
as God will not let the pounding rain drown out the cry for justice, for mercy, for grace.
What are we thankful for as the rains pour down on a country that currently forbids families to adopt orphans, that welcomes a religious dignitary while hiding corruption behind well manicured receptions, that ignores a call to take up their cross and follow Him…?
The rain continues falling.
But we are thankful,
as God will not let the pounding rain drown out the cry for justice, for mercy, for grace.
A song reverberates
over the sound system…”Oh Africa…Africa… Africa… where are you?”…
We
wonder.
An old man sweet-talks a teenage girl over pink ice cream.
A young wazunju guy plays games on his laptop ignorant to the sadness around him.
Hard rains do not relent; colors look hazy, images distort.
Yet… God. He is not foggy or far.
We sense His presence near.
Ready to save.
Ready to bring freedom to a place that knows only expensive loss for fake liberty.
They cannot pay for the real.
Only Jesus - He sacrificed for us all.
We are thankful.
Blessed Thanksgiving friends and family.
Asante sana for your prayers, support and encouragement.
hugs from the haugers Ooo0o
An old man sweet-talks a teenage girl over pink ice cream.
A young wazunju guy plays games on his laptop ignorant to the sadness around him.
Hard rains do not relent; colors look hazy, images distort.
Yet… God. He is not foggy or far.
We sense His presence near.
Ready to save.
Ready to bring freedom to a place that knows only expensive loss for fake liberty.
They cannot pay for the real.
Only Jesus - He sacrificed for us all.
We are thankful.
Blessed Thanksgiving friends and family.
Asante sana for your prayers, support and encouragement.
hugs from the haugers Ooo0o
I think it's at times like today that we miss you the most! Sending hugs to you all!
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