A few weeks ago, in church, our youth group shared their experiences of their recent visit to Tonga. All the "born here" aussies said how confronting the poverty and scant resources were. They were not used to dirt floors, cooking fires outside the buildings, basic bathroom facilities and many other inconveniences. They were not used to eating, sleeping and living in a very small house, with only a few rooms.
One young man however, did not feel this. He was a recently-arrived refuge from Sudan. He told how the conditions in Tonga made him yearn for his homeland. He spoke briefly of his homesickness and my heart yearned along with him. I felt his pain. I felt great compassion for him. I prayed for God to ease the sorrow of separation he feels for his home. Perhaps he has family who are still in Sudan.
I have never been a refugee; never had to flee my beautiful Australia; never had to leave family behind in a beloved, but broken and conflicted land.
Sometimes I don't feel loved by God. Sometimes, I feel punished by Him. Yet, when my heart ached for this young man's alienation and sorrow, I knew that this was God's doing. Of myself, why would I feel another's grief or suffering? Love is from God, and when we love others, or cry with them because of their suffering, God is there, in that space, with both of us.http://wwuca.unitingchurch.org.au/
No comments:
Post a Comment