The tragedy in Charlottesville headlines news reports and social media on this Sunday morning. Many churches are addressing the evil of prejudice and hatred, and we pray against this demonic force of division that threatens the beautiful, diverse United States of American, this nation that was founded by immigrants and traditionally welcomes the refugee.
On this 13th day of August, in the middle of news of the Charlottesville tragedy, God in his divine and sovereign plan connected us to an opportunity to preach in a church of refugees from the Congo. The church was planted by a Pentecostal pastor and his family who themselves were the victims of a genocide in the Congo. As a result of the genocide they fled to Burundi and while in Burundi on the 13 of August in 2004, This family and many others in the church suffered a horrible tragedy that today is known as the massacre of Gatumba. One of the survivors of the massacre, who was just a young girl at that time, is now our student at SAGU.
And while I have never been to the Congo of Africa, it was a dream come true for me to worship with my African brothers and sisters. Though our languages were different, the music was different, and we were the only white people in that church, we were united in love for Jesus and love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. And that kind of love makes all the differences seem insignificant. In fact, that kind of love makes the differences a delight.
The music was different but oh what a delight! I couldn’t understand the words but I could understand the praise!!! The children sang and danced after they took the offering and little by little the women and men joined the dance at that front of the church. It was a “running in place” dance and oh what JOY! The people whistled and shouted out with a kind of yodel shout. It was glorious. And then the Pastor invited Nelson and I to dance with the people, without hesitation, we joined the dance. As soon as we began dancing, the rest of the congregation pulled out their cellphones to record the visiting missionaries dancing the African dance.
After church we went together to eat an authentic Bayamulengue food, the food was different but oh what a wonderful delight! We shared stories and testimonies of God’s love an favor as we ate together.
And while it was our hope that our ministry was a blessing to the church, we were blessed so much more. There was the offering placed in Nelson’s hand by a young man, a refugee from Burundi. He said “I was so blessed by the message of God from a man of God and and so I wanted to bless you.” Brother Joseph came the pulpit and said, I am praying that my children will be missionaries. I want to send my daughter Sarah to SAGU, so she can be a missionary. And I am so thankful for this missionaries to come here and bless us that I am going to put gas in their car for their trip! And just when I thought we couldn’t be more blessed the Pastor’s wife gave me the most beautiful African dress that fit me perfectly! Giving only produces more giving. Our cups are over flowing.
And all the while I am in awe that God would weave my life into this story of redemption and grace on the anniversary of a massacre. I am in awe that God is always on mission even in our messes, in our tragedies, he is always at work weaving a redeeming our story. And as prayers are lifted from pulpits across our country, I can’t help but be filled with hope that once again God is on mission redeeming a tragedy.
There is such delight in the differences and once you have sat at the table and eat foofoo and beneit, you are forever addicted to living life in the differences. There is nothing better. My life is fuller and richer because of the differences.
And God invites us to play a part of his redeeming work. I am so glad that today God gave me the opportunity to worship with people so different from me. I am so grateful that he is weaving me into this story one connection at a time.
Still, my heart grieves that the same country that rescued and welcomed this Buyamulengue family after their tragedy, can also be home to people who reject that beauty of our diversity. Lord, have mercy on the United States of America and redeem our story once again.
