Make New Friends...

Almost two weeks ago, I was having some quiet time before heading to work.  I prayed and asked The Lord to give me an obvious opportunity at work that day,  but not necessarily one that would have to painfully stretch me. As I thought of what I just said, I started laughing and then carried on my way.

Well, that afternoon I had what I consider an obvious opportunity! A few hours into my shift I had a mom come to me and enquire about some information. As we were conversing back and forth I heard a baby cry.  It clearly came from the direction of this mama, but there was definitely no baby in her arms. As I moved towards the cry I realized there was a precious baby boy swaddled on her back. Ohhhh, my heart melted! This boy was so precious! I patted and rubbed his back and we exchanged genuine smiles. I asked the mama where she was from and she responded, 'Rwanda'. As she said it, my eyes doubled in size! (I almost died.  I instantly wanted to hug her, to embrace her, to squish her, to lift her up and swing her around and ask 'If we could be BFF's?) Instantly I started speaking to her in Kinyarwandan. She was stunned and started laughing. We shared a few basic greetings back and forth in her native tongue as we both smiled from ear to ear. She asked how I knew Kinyarwandan, so  I was able to share with her about the mission work we do in her country and told her about the wonderful friends we've made there. This brief moment with her took me back to so many memories, so many living room prayers, visits and moments with our family in Rwanda. (We had received word earlier this week from our Pastor in Rwanda, that his daughter  had become very ill and was put into a coma. This girl is very near and dear to our hearts so was very hard and very sad for us to hear, but we kept faithfully praying for her healing!) Did God really send this women as a gift? A representative of a people group we love so much, yet feel so far from right now?  We talked for several moments, I then gave her my contact information and as quickly as she came, she was gone.

I came home from work that night and practically did a cartwheel through the front entrance and a back flip off the kitchen island where my family was standing. I completely interrupted every conversation taking place in the kitchen and started to share with them about my prayer and my newly found friend.

Over the next few days I thought about her often. I thought about being in a new country, a new culture, learning a new language, all alone.... just me and my children. Overwhelmed with emotion, I began to wonder if I truly understood bravery.   

We connected briefly over the next week, I wanted to hook up, to meet for coffee, to hang out...but I didn't want to push it. But after a conversation with 'My Erin', and although I know it's not proper to invite yourself over to someone's house, I did! Seeing as my invitation was so welcomed I pushed a little further and asked if I could bring my children too....aaannnnd since that too was so warmly received, I then asked if my husband could come as well! (Wink, wink!) She was eagerly receptive to everyone coming to visit that Saturday morning. 

Well you better believe first thing Saturday morning our youngest children rose early and did what all children do, they started with the questions! Yes, those questions!! "When are we going?" "How much longer until we leave?" "Can we go now?" I heard these questions repeatedly, so by 7am I had no choice but to jump out of bed and help them in their preparations. They coloured, they baked, they recited common rwandan greetings and they decorated a special gift for their soon to be new friends.

A few hours later the time came and we arrived at their home. The mama came to the entrance and greeted us.  She went straight for our youngest boy,  she scooped him up with a strong embrace and hugged him, swinging him back and forth. As she swung him, his legs dangled and swung back and forth beneath him. If you know Jamie and I at all, then you know when we saw this we died laughing knowing this was going to be a great visit! We all greeted one another with genuine hugs and godly affection and then the children ran off with their new friends.  We didn't overstay our welcome, although I'm sure it would have been embraced. It was such a beautiful morning. We prayed, ate, laughed, played and shared with one another.

I'm so thankful that God knows exactly what we need, when we need it. I'm so thankful for people, for diversity, for old friends and for the ability to always be stretched to make room for new ones. People and relationships are one of God's most precious gifts. And most of all, I'm so thankful that He hears even the smallest prayers and knows every desire of our heart.

Afterthought....

As I was thinking about this precious visit, I thought of how often we rob ourselves of awesome opportunities and so many deep friendships in exchange for a few quick 'likes', comments, or messages.' Because it's more comfortable... In this new era of 'social media' we've traded the deep relationships for surface ones. Sure, social media is great for so many things. It's great to stay in touch and to keep people up to speed....but why not slow down? Why not be more intentional. We can't become so comfortable creeping people and looking in from the outside that we forget what it's like to be on the inside. Social media will never trump physical touch and warm embraces. It can rob us of hearing the irreplacable sound of laughter, seeing the tears and hearing the quivering voice. It misses the unity and bond that's formed in breaking bread and fellowshipping with one another. Let's not let the opening of our laptops, rob us of the beauty and opportunity of opening our doors.

-h