You may or may not know that people of all ages have been fleeing their countries in North Eastern Africa, walking across different countries in Africa and making their way here. At this moment, there are over 5000 refugees here, most of them are from Sudan. There is a small minority from Eritrea. Because of the 'good' political relationship between Eritrea and our country, these people are not granted 'refugee' status because if our country acknowledged the atrocities going on in Eritrea, they would lose the 'good' relationship they have with them. This is not the place to discuss Eritrean and my country's political relations.
The Eritrean people that are here are in shelters and housed in prisons because they have nowhere else to go. They have run from Eritrea because of crimes against humanity, civil war, forced child conscription and a host of other reasons. To be sent back to Eritrea means almost certain torture and death. So, now the reason for this entry.
Of the small minority of Eritrean folk, there are 40 unaccompanied minors - boys between the age of 13 and 16. The non-profit organisation that is monitoring the plight of these refugees is doing its best to find solutions for these children. The shelters are awful, these boys are also subject to abuse in the prisons. To cut a long story short, we have agreed to take one of the boys into our home.
We have been praying about it. We are not rushing into it. We have had interviews and have been screened by the social workers, clinical psychologists and directors of the program and at the moment, they are determining which child would be most suitable for our family. More than likely, by the end of the week he will be here with us.
We are excited, we are nervous, we are also at peace about it. We believe that God is in control and He has our best interest at heart. We believe that He will provide practically what we need as well as emotionally, spiritually and in every other way necessary. He will also protect us. He has blessed us protected us and provided for us in so many ways. He is faithful and we don't believe this will change.
We appreciate your prayers.
These verses have helped us in our decision making.
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. 19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Psalm 82:1 A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
Matthew 25: 31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
and James 2
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• Jan. 21, 2008 - Untitled Comment
JoAnn