Something that we've been working on for a while. We had been getting ready to welcome refugees to the United States and help them transition into life here. It's about love. Or at least it should be.
This particular group gets a lot of political flak, and I've even had to endure stern warnings from my family for working with them.
However, obedience to God is the most important action of a follower of Jesus. Loving the stranger, offering hospitality - those are commands. "A new command I give you," it says in 1 John, "Love one another."
Love is our most powerful spiritual weapon. It can overcome bad theology, idolatry, hardness of heart, etc. The Holy Spirit works in this heavenly love to open men's hearts and to give us favor before even the toughest of people.
Well, they arrived, a large family that did not speak a word of English. And although I had been studying their language in order to be able to communicate with them, I still only speak basics. We helped them get settled in, showed them their local supermarket, stocked their fridge (family of 7!!!), bought them some clothes, bought them some phones, showed them the bus service, started teaching them basic English. We took them to a restaurant and the owner comped the meal! For 10 people! We took them to the lake and to the zoo, too.
But the best was being able to start telling them that we follow Jesus, that Jesus loves them and that He is the reason we love them.
I'm in the middle of it right now, and it's turning my world upsidedown as I try to balance my work, my family and them.
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