Day Two - Sun home visit with Compassion International - Tuesday, 2.21.2017

jg
Feb 21, 2017
4 min read

Sun melted our hearts the moment we entered the Compassion International Kibungo Center. She immediately ran to Elizabeth and hugged her deep and long, swaying throughout. After hugging me also, we laughed, cried and smiled together as we realized this tremendous blessing that God provided for us to meet face to face. We have sponsored Sun for about four years - God led us to her during a Generosity Sunday at Passion City Church, where the entire village in which she lives was sponsored together. We were drawn to her specifically because her birthday was February 12 - the same as my mother's birthday. Mom was nearing the end of her battle with cancer and we felt that it would honor both Mom and Sun to link them together in our lives by their days of birth.

In addition to traveling with our Compassion hosts, Pastor Eugene and Frank, who was training on his first home visit, we were greeted by Pastor Joseph who shepherds the church where the Compassion center operates, along with his team, including Victor and Esther. They treated us like royalty, providing three throne-like chairs for Sun and the two of us. After sharing about the church and Compassion center, they shared a banquet table with us, offering finger bananas, hard boiled eggs, muffins and sodas. When Sun selected a Coca-Cola (possibly the first she had ever tried), we told her that Coke is headquartered in our city of Atlanta. They reviewed her book of records with us, including her health check-ups, education, spiritual development and all of the correspondence between her and us over the years. It was an impressive record-keeping system for each child. Sun has had some minor health issues with migraine headaches and ear infections, and her grades at school have suffered over the past year. Once we completed the review of her records, she provided a gift to Elizabeth of a basket and a woven hat to me, which was a sign of respect in Rwanda. We were so touched by her expressive love, as we peered into her eyes and saw the love of Christ in a child. So precious yet so in need, like all of us. Our hearts continued a journey of deep, authentic love, contrasted with a powerful ache for justice and relief from the struggles of poverty. We saw Jesus in a profound new way.

As we walked outside to tour the church, Sun took our hands and we walked together, the three of us hand in hand through the church yard and building. She continuously would squeeze our hands in affection and gratitude as she would look at us and smile. Perhaps the most powerful time of our visit is when she gently whispered in English, "I love you." We aren't sure we have ever experienced this type of love before. It was like the love we share as family - deep connection of life together, blood and marriage ties and common values. But yet it was also completely different, wrapped in deep compassion, sorrow and care for the life of a child. This might be not unlike the love that parents feel for their children, yet it also is somewhat different. A heart cry for a child and family in need. We love you, too, Sun!

After the school visit, we traveled to Sun's home, to meet her mother, Grace, and sister, Nema. We were honored to be invited into their home, and talked about their lives and prayer requests. Since Sun's father left the family when she was very young, Pastor Eugene reassured them that our Heavenly Father was father to the fatherless and husband to the husbandless. The struggles of a single mother were very real, much like those in America, but yet at a far greater level of poverty. And despite that, they had the joy and hope of Christ, and we were so humbled when they opened a small lunch box that we had sent to Sun a couple years ago, and it contained all of the letters we had sent her over the years. We all cried and laughed together, reviewing the correspondence and thanking God for the opportunity for our families to meet.

We thank Jesus for the privilege of meeting and knowing these people. Despite the extreme poverty and physical need, they share so much joy, grace and love. They are models of the redemption and forgiveness we have in Christ. There is so much that this child has revealed to us about God's heart for the poor and our complete reliance on Him. We ache for all of the needs of this family and so many. God deepened our love for Sun and her family so richly by allowing us to connect face to face and grow our relationship in a profound way. Lord, please guide and direct us, to listen and discern what you would have us do, to live out the honor of our part of Your plan.