a story can change everything

(Please know that I haven’t shared the name of my friend in this blog. I want to protect his identity. He gave me permission to share his story with you.)

One of my fellow Swazi friends just shared his story with me. I have to say after hearing it I find myself broken once again.  This story is his reality. It’s not a book were he can quickly flip a few pages and see what’s next but each day he lives in faith and trust things will get better. His faith encourages and humbles me. Let me share his life’s story with you. . . 

This is a pineapple field i saw on the side of the road. 

It all started when he told me that Thursday his aunt passed away. He said, “I wonder if my mom even knows her sister died.”  Out of curiosity I asked, “Where is your mom? Why wouldn’t she know?” To answer this question he had to open the book of his life and read the story from the very beginning.

 He read, “You see Brandon my mom was a good woman and a hard worker. But for whatever reason my dad abused her and us. So she left to get away from him, she moved to South Africa. And since we lived in rural Swazi I never really had the opportunity to go to school. One day a woman saw my daily life and asked me, “If you ever had the opportunity to go to school would you ever go?” I answered, “Of course I would I want to make something of myself.” Brandon I thank god for this NEW MOM that took me in and let me stay at her place. She let me stay with her and her children and she even paid my school fees. She was so good to me but her children weren’t so nice to me though they kept telling me “you’re gonna fail. You are never gonna make it all the way through school you’re so far behind.” But I have nothing against them. I forgave them.  My NEW MOM would get very upset when she saw her kids treat me that way.”

I have known this particular person for quite some time but I never knew this about him. I never knew his story.  The crazy thing is he isn’t done we are only half way through it.  Let’s continue . . .

“Some thought I was only going to school to cause trouble. The teachers didn’t really accept me. But over time they started to see I really just want to learn. So they started treating me slightly better. Let me tell you about the time our school was taking a trip to Durban. We needed 1,500 Rand to go ($193). Well I didn’t have the money so I wasn’t going. I was ok with not going I didn’t have to go. All the other kids were so excited about going. They would come up to me saying, “We’re going to Durban! We’re going to Durban!” Kind of teasing me. Then two days before the trip my teachers pulled me aside.  They told me since I’ve been doing so well in school and staying out of trouble they wanted to provide me with the funds to go on the trip.  But even with the trip cost taking care of, I still didn’t have the funds for food for the trip. The teachers went a step further and gave me the needed funds for food for the trip. All I could do after this was thank God. I was so happy! Brandon God has been faithful through it all. He is all I really have. It can get tough and hard at times and I just cry. But God will come and comfort me through in those times.”

The longer I’m (Brandon now) here in Swaziland the more I’m seeing everyone has a story, everyone including myself. These stories don’t always have the happily ever after ending. In fact we don’t know how our story will end. However there is one thing I do know and its:

 Matthew 6:33   

“Seek first the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you all you need.”

I love this picture

 

I’m also realizing that being a Christian doesn’t mean things are always easy. There is no “become a Christian and things will always be great Gospel.” No, sometimes God asks use to walk through a season of suffering. And in those times it’s tough and hard it seems “like we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death.” There is good news even in that season of our life. The good news is we are just walking through we aren’t camping out in the valley we are just walking through it. We just need to trust God while we are walking through, for He is surly walking with us through it although He might be very quite.

I share stories like with you because I want others to see what reality is for some people. So we can see we are so blessed and at times we don’t even know it. We must thank God for our blessings and pray for others that are walking through circumstances that may be difficult. We must pray that they will have strength to preserve through life’s difficulties. Pray for peace in the middle of the chaos and confusion. Pray that they will never give up on hope or on Jesus.