Interesting People

A couple of weeks ago I, Rachel,  was walking to work and praying.  I said, "Lord, bring some people into my life that I can share with."  Not more than two minutes later a young woman walked up.  (We had met her two days earlier when we were out for a walk and she was looking for a place.  Apparently she had seen us at church so she started talking to us.)  Now she was bored so she walked with me for awhile and we talked.  Then one day she said she needed to come and talk.  She told me all about herself and wanted to set the record straight because most of the things she had told me before were not true.  She is South African and is here illegally.  She was promised a job so she came, only to find out that what the boss really wanted was a girlfriend (he is married).  She quit that and was desperate to find another job.  She didn't have money to go home and the situation there is not the best anyhow.  She was feeling confused and felt like God was far away.  We prayed and she came along to a Bible study where we are reading When God Doesn't Make Sense by Dr. Dobson.  This is an appropriate subject for her right now!  A couple of days later she was so excited and called me to say she got a temporary job.  That is one answer to prayer and we will continue to relate to her.

 

At church I met a Cuban doctor.  She had worked in Mozambique and Angola for six years previously.  She is retired now, but a woman from here contacted her and asked if she would come for two months with promises of room and board, ticket costs and $500/month.  This sounded really good because in Cuba she has a $7/mo. pension.  She sold most of her things in her house to buy the ticket and came.  Now there has been no money, very little work and Maria despairs of even getting reimbursed for her ticket.  The woman she works/lives with is into witchcraft, control and fits of rage.  Maria is desperate to leave, but determined to get her money first so is waiting it out, although she says she doesn't know if she can make it another 50 days.

 

Maria has a Brazilian friend, who is in a similar bind.  He is a massage therapist from Brazil and was promised big bucks, etc. for a short stay in Maputo.  He had work in Brazil but thought it would be nice to make more money fast so he could buy a house.  Now the job fell through, his living situation is not good and he missed his flight home because he had not received any money for the tickets.  He used his sister's credit line for a loan and refuses to go home before he can pay that debt.

 

We spent Sunday with both of them and they were thankful for a day off from their living situations.  It is interesting that God has brought me into contact with three very different people who have similar situations.  They are all desperate and looking for answers and someone to care for them. 

 

On another note, our co-worker shared today that there have been more deaths in his family.  He lost a brother to AIDS last May.  Now that brother's wife died and another half-brother also died a few days apart.  The orphaned 3-year old will either go to live with his grandparents or his mother's family.  Our co-worker is not able to attend the funerals in Zimbabwe but will spend most of his leave in December visiting the families.  It is true that attending funerals in Africa is becoming a major part of people's lives.  Where will it end? 

 

On a more cheerful note, we are doing well.  We had a good week with Dennis from Malawi who stayed with us.  God is bringing some very interesting people into our lives and He is giving us the grace to receive them and the gifts they bring.

 

Take care.