So I greeted my new friend in the middle of town. Abdu* welcomed me and began with a big smile “I hope you have given us the whole day….”
Well, of course, I hadn’t. I thought this was a 2 hour meeting of sorts. You see this is the thing: I never quite know what I am getting myself into here. What I think is a meeting to discuss a project ends up being something quite miraculous.
I was meeting with refugees from the areas in the country where there has been war nonstop even during times of ‘peace.’ They are all young: 16-25. Their families are not here; no parents, no sisters, no brothers. They had never welcomed a white person to their area before… and the girls were quite shy at the beginning. The men started to share with me a little bit about their lives in their state and what they were doing here.
And their next words were so genuine: “We want our sisters (by sisters they mean any girls from their state) to know you and for you to encourage them. We want them to have someone to look up to and help them.” Now, I know I am not the answer, but I sure can point them to the One who is.
I started to speak to the girls in my broken Arabic and found out that they are in fact students at the primary school where I am hoping to work with a Girls Mentoring Program. Isn’t God funny?? Already opening doors from within. These young girls had prepared a fabulous lunch and blew my socks off. One of them asked me “Ita bi rija ini miteen??” When will you come back here?
I was so incredibly humbled. I must confess that I think my heart breaks a little more every day. I know I cannot do justice to all that the Lord shows me here and allows me to do, but He is on the move friends....
