Bananas and Rainbows
Sounds like a children’s
book title, huh? It’s not.
We live in a hard place.
You’ve probably read our posts that describe the violence, the poverty, the
corruption, the constant strain of want and bombarding requests for help. Yes. We
are called to this. But, calling isn’t easy and grace doesn’t include
comfortable convenience. Some days, living on the edge of the slum, moving with
poor women, we deal with personal problems so foreign to our “American minds”
that I must gulp, swallow my complaints and simply choose to sing.
Lately, we’ve wondered what
it might be like to not raise the 5 year old who’s been a part of us for three
years now. We’ve struggled with limited
opportunities on where and how to educate our kids. Gouging gasoline prices,
skyrocketing food costs, daily concerns about security… All these trials
threaten to steal my peace, and silence the joy of service.
It’s times like this that I
ALWAYS find Jesus moving in the shadows of small blessings. , like He’s teasing
a game of hide and seek, inviting me to play, to laugh, to be brave because
He’s there, right there, even in the midst of tenuous uncertainty.
There was a day so difficult
I couldn’t restrain the sad tears welling in me. That was the day I saw the
Lord in the surprise of bananas and the glory of a rainbow.
Mind you, bananas are fairly
common here but none seemed to grow on the tree we planted over a year ago. Our
second Christmas tree, not more than 3 feet high in the pot was transferred to
the yard and grew in crazy measures, standing taller than our almost 6 foot
son, but no bananas. Not a one.
Despite nursing it to bear
fruit, nothing came of our efforts. I gave up.
Weeks later, there they
were, like an overnight birth – bananas!
That same evening, after
ministering a day of crisis to faith-filled solutions, the ride home found us
following a brilliant rainbow – uncommon beauty in shantytown. We laughed,
dancing in the evening’s glorious glow.
I realize these blessings
might not sound like much compared to miracle healings or dramatic deliverance,
amazing testimonies we’ve also experienced here. But when Jesus shows up in
those small, small things - like bananas and rainbows - His intimate presence
invades difficulties and coaxes my grateful smile.
Although we see Him in the
profound, what small things will you see God in today?
Asante sana for your encouragement, support and prayers.
hugs from the haugers Ooo0o