The Miracle Continues…

Studying with Musa…

In recent weeks I’ve had the privilege of providing some tutoring for our dear friend Musa, who is in his first semester of study at Boise State University.  Though his English skills are improving rapidly, the vocabulary of university-level classes is extremely challenging. 

Here we’re preparing a speech for his Communications class.  Musa chose as his topic to speak about the Gatumba Massacre, of which he is a survivor (he was a teenager at the time) though two of his brothers were killed there.  (for more about Gatumba, click here)  Musa faced this intense homework assignment with his usual graciousness and incredible courage.

Musa also leads a group of Gatumba survivors who have formed a singing group called Miracle of God.  They love to share their songs of worship and praise to God with others in the Boise area, and have travelled as far as Seattle, where they’ll be returning this weekend for the 2nd time.  Musa plays the keyboard, sings, and writes some of the group’s music, most of which is sung in Swahili. 

Another friend of mine who is also a part of this group recently said to me, “You need to understand that we’re different. When we feel sorrow… we pray, we sing, we dance.  The more we grieve, the more we worship. That’s how God heals us.”

That’s why when these precious friends pour out their intermingled joy and sorrow in song, you know you’re walking on holy ground.

We need what their hearts have to offer…

Traci

Bump On A Blog (OR: a conversation with myself)

The Setting:  Inside my head, several months ago.

Myself, to me:  You really should write on your blog today.  Folks will be wanting to know what you’re up to.

Me, to myself:  Your’e right.  I’ll blog today for sure.

Myself:  Better get started.

Me:  Can’t.  Too much to tell.  Don’t know where to start.

Myself:  Hmmmm. You could always wait until tomorrow, maybe then you’ll know where to start.

Me:  Good idea.  Tomorrow for sure.

NEXT DAY:  Repeat.

EVERY DAY FOR WEEKS ON END:  Repeat.

UNTIL TODAY….

Me to Myself:  Today is the day.  Start somewhere.  Start anywhere.  For goodness’ sake, JUST START!

So….

Here I am…. just starting.                                          

First, I want to let you know that Danny and I are doing some major “re-focusing” for Mission Connections.  When we first came to Boise, we knew that we had a passion to connect the loving heart of God with the hurting hearts of people… and to use our knowledge of Swahili and understanding of African cultures to reach out to our African sisters and brothers.  Since then, it’s become obvious that God is turning our hearts more and more to the plight of African refugees here in Boise, as well as the thousands of refugees still running, hiding, and waiting in Africa.  
 
We’ve been going through a time of praying/thinking/dreaming/planning, as we seek to narrow our vision and purpose to this specific group of marginalized people.   This is an exciting transition for us, as our passion for reaching out to refugees has grown so strong.  

Here we are in Boise, Idaho, but I literally spend time with refugees every day.  There is a constant need for translating, listening, transporting, encouraging, tutoring, mentoring, and be-friending.   God is giving all of us an incredible 0pportunity to participate in his mission to love and serve some of the most forgotten and displaced people on earth. 

Don’t misunderstand…. I’m not saying this is an easy ministry.  Refugees arrive in America carrying a small bag of clothing and a heavy burden of suffering.  If I can in some tiny way lighten that burden by taking any part of it upon myself, I know that I’m walking on Holy Ground.  (You can’t take away another’s suffering without entering into it.)

There are a lot of details yet to clarify as we turn this corner in our ministry.   We invite and welcome your input in the form of prayer, encouragment, advice, support.  We’ll continue to pray and think and dream (and Blog!) as we figure things out.  But one thing I know for sure is this:

If you allow yourself to become involved in caring for refugees, you will never be the same…
 
you will be stunned by their stories
amazed at their faith
touched by their suffering
and drawn into relying on the Love of God as desperately as they do…

Not only do Refugees need what our hearts have to offer, 

we desperately need what they have to teach us.