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God is good…in Karen!
Blaise and I just got home from our refugee family’s apartment, and I am so excited that I must share this with you tonight!
As I have said before, Blaise and I began praying for our unknown family several months ago…long before we were ever matched with anyone. We asked that God, in His infinite wisdom, match us with a family whom we could love on and connect with. We also, of course, prayed that God would provide them with comfort and peace as they journeyed to the United States and began their new life. We had no idea at that time that God would place with us the most unbelievable people…whom we not only connect with, but have SO MUCH in common with…despite the thousands of miles, cultural traditions, experiences with war, and languages that separate us!!
As we sat on the floor talking, the father suddenly jumped up and went to their bedroom, and when he came back he was holding certificates. I have tried to ask them before what job they would like to have in America, but I could never successfully communicate it. Tonight, however, the father shared a piece of their past life in the refugee camp. He was trained and certified by the IRC as a community health worker, and he worked (I don’t know the exact details) to teach others about sanitary health practices, spread of disease, etc. This is where it gets good…he also handed me a certificate for the mother. Can you guess what she was certified in? SPECIAL EDUCATION!!! I am not kidding!!! For those of you who do not know me, I am also a special educator at a local high school!! We bonded over that very quickly, and she informed me (through hand signals and little English) that she taught small children (elementary) who are blind. I told her that I teach big children (high school) who have learning and behavioral disabilities (which I pointed to on her certificate).
As if that was not enough…we were teaching each other how to say husband/my husband and wife/my wife in our respective languages when I asked how many years they have been married. The answer: five and a half years. They were married on March 25, 2005…only THREE MONTHS after Blaise and I were married (December 11, 2004). Their next question was one that I anticipated, thanks to my time in Sudan….six years, no children? =)
I just wanted to share how great and amazing our God is!!! I had no idea a few months ago, when we asked that God go ahead of us and Exodus to match us with a family, that He had such amazing things in store for us. It both humbles me and makes me even more in awe of how big and perfect our God is!
