I was recently in the grocery store searching for tahini (Jeannette makes the best hummus on the planet), and I overheard some other customers speaking a foreign language. I lingered for a while and listened until I could clearly identify the language as Swahili. In my excitement, I greeted the customers in Swahili and they were stunned. Actually, they were surprised and delighted. We chatted for a while in the middle of the aisle, and I discovered that this family had fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo as refugees only a few months before. They shared how difficult it was to adjust to life in America. We exchanged phone numbers and I told them I was available to help if they ever needed it. We're praying that maybe this will be an open door for sharing the gospel.
Then I heard about the tragic death of a sixteen year old girl who died in an accident. Her family had also recently relocated to Michigan after fleeing the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Unfortunately, the funeral was conducted in English so most of the family didn't understand anything. Thankfully, I was able to talk to the grieving family and offer sympathy and comfort in Swahili. After the funeral, the church asked me to translate the eulogy into Swahili so that the family could understand it. I was thankful for the opportunity to communicate truth about God's love and faithfulness, as well as our hope in Jesus as the resurrection and the life. Again, we're praying that God will use these experiences to open doors for sharing the gospel.
