We did something different for the people this Sunday night (May 25th) for coffee night.
We had a “Birthday Party” for Bella.
Bella turned 14 on May 25th. We celebrated many times here, in MOKA, but never with the people, so I thought they would like to be involved this time. The week before I started making banana cakes and freezing them. I had brought in decorations and so we put them up in our wind house. Some people even brought her food, as her birthday gifts! I was shocked that they knew this and was extremely grateful for those who showed this kindness.
Kindness is something that I am seeing more of in this village, more among the women (maybe because I’m with them more?) Just the other day, Kosovo brought a bag of their staple food, sak-sak, to her cousins family because she had heard that they didn’t have any and that his wife wasn’t feeling well. Kosovu has been coming to hear Gods word every week and even travels with us to the other villages. She has never proclaimed Christ but this gesture of kindness was a change in character. Sad to say that Satan got wind of this change and came charging into the situation, using her daughter as the pawn. Jennifer is her daughter, (the one I mentioned last year who was beat up by her husband.) I heard yelling in the village which is a common everyday affair and once I realized it was two women I went down to see if I could help solve the problem. The daughter was so angry that her mother would give away her hard work of getting the sak-sak( as I have explained before- it takes a whole day of hitting the pulp then squeezing it through sieves to get the starch.) At first I was like you have to be joking, oh but she wasn’t. So I tried to talk and help but to no avail. No one wants to listen and they just want to be heard. SO I LEFT. Later that night I prayed that I would have an opportunity to speak to the daughter on these things. So guess what GOD did, He brought her up to my house for medicine on Saturday and thats when I told her “I have some things to say-” she said “She was still angry that her mother never said sorry”. RIGHT there I stopped her. I asked her,”First of all whose sak- sak tree did you cut down for food”- (her grandfather KOBE’s) I was like “That belongs to your mom”, and… then I asked her “Who helps you when you have a problem?” - she said “My mother.” I wanted her to understand something else so I asked her. “Do you know where my mom is?” She looked at me puzzled, so I preceded with”FAR, FAR away, I can’t run to my mom for help or see her when I want.” She should be thankful that her mom is with her, and loves her, and is willing to help her. Many don’t have moms in Moka because they are long dead. I told her how her mom was doing something out of kindness and GOD loves that. What she did and said to her mother God does not like. She needed to realize that she should be thankful that her mom is here and has the food from her smart Grandfather who provided for his family for years to come. (Oh Kobe I miss him).
Logic and critically thinking are a big thing missing in the village life, and I hope Kosovo continues to be lead by the spirit right to SALVATION!-
“SATAN, you are unwanted in this village and it is time you move on to a new place.”
Bella’s Bday!
Kosovo is the one holding the string for Bella. She was with us on one of our evangelism trips.