Breakthrough

It always seems like a slightly short yet very long week after doing
a following a case study. You spend three days of the week with one
person and then you have three or less if you start on Monday until
Sabbath, by Thursday it can feel like Friday. But I know we are all
experience that! Especially exam week for all you students!
I have been praying for my neighbors here, we have good relations
with most of them. I wish I could find more time to get to know all or
them, but the tight quarters helps. The landlord is very friendly and I
have gotten acquainted with his children too, a vibrant collections
from under ten years old to 19. There is also another family that is renting
in our little compound. Their home is a single mother home, their father
lives south about 300Km. I do not know if they are actually divorced or if
financial circumstances or schooling keep them parents seperate. (Sometimes
a father around here can only find a job south, some dads spend a month
in Cotonou, Benin's largest city, and comeback just to visit, then head back
to make some more money). Rolande is the oldest son and a good friend of mine.
He has some interesting ideas on the West, when I first moved in and even
when Manny arrived, he wanted to know if we like rap and other such
affiliations. He himself will often wear a New York hat, with low-riding jeans
and some 50 cent shirt or something similiar. Some people might be wearing
a rap star shirt because that's all they can find, not really the case for Rolande.
Wearing this style many older Africans would label him a bandit. I guess
that gangster kind of attire makes people think of stealing and such, which I
can see why. But nonetheless Rolande does not act the part he dresses,
he has been a faithful friend to me. It was he who found the rooms we rent,
and has informed me on other cultural practices especially by helping me
in the cuisine domain. His younger brother has also helped Manny and I
with traditional food preparation. Back in December I wrote about how a
close cousin to Rolande passed away and he and his mother went south for the funeral.
It is always tragic when death opens up an opportunity to witness, but nonetheless
I did take the chance and told Roland a little about what the Bible says about
death. I also gave him a New Testament and suggested he read Lazurus' resurrection
in John 11. Just this past week he came over and sat down and we began to
talk. Africans are amazing at hiding emotion. Even when a parent dies
or Father or whoever that is loved dearly, no one is allowed to cry. This
is concerning because everyone needs to grieve, for a little while. So in
the familiar non chalant kind of way, he shared that he just found out that
his cousin had been killed by his mother (not Rolande's mother, but his cousin's mother
meaning Rolande's aunt), and that his cousin was her first born. In Africa
the first born still has a major role in leading the household, especially
if the first born is male. Rolande was real confused, although his voiced didnot betray it his words and eyes surely did. He chuckled a little as he explained, and
then questioned, how could a mother do such a thing? It was a chuckle of
fear and sadness. He continued saying that now he was frightened, though
a distant relative he was a relative, and apparently after the brother died
four more family members were given a curse to be killed, but with some
counter measures (more sorcery) they were freed. He was not one, but what if
they should remember him, he asked. I knew exactly what to say, though I could
not find the words. I had always prayed for Rolande. We are good friends, but
it is hard to know when to put faith questions to someone. I have thought
we were good enough friends that sometime I could just share with him my views and
perhaps invite him to Bible study. But I really asked God for a clear
opportunity, and hear it was on a silver platter. Rolande knows about God, his sisters
attend the Catholic church from time to time. After he spilled his news, I
told him a little about my views on the issue. That yes it did not make sense
for a mother to kill her own son and try to kill other relatives as, that's
how it is with Satan, I assured, confusion. When one is under his control the bonds
of love and reason are not used, only self-preservation are in mind. I told
him that really the only protection we have is in Jesus. He agreed, saying
that God is the biggest power. I then asked him if he might be interested in
studying what the Bible has to say about all this, the power struggle between
good and evil, the problems of the world. He said he'd like to. So now the ball
is in my court. Rolande sometimes finds odd jobs to work, but most of the time
he is around the house, so the biggest dilemma is for me to put the time aside.
I am just so thankful that God has provided a means to reach my friend. Satan
surely is not about to give up and I ask that you pray that I will not neglect
to prepare and to put that time apart for studying with Rolande, and that also
God will protect Rolande as we study. Life is fragile, and it is true Rolande
could be a target, but I know God knows and so He will with our prayers see
fit to protect Rolande as he learns. Since for now it's sort of an ignorance issue,
someday Rolande will understand how he personnally can connect with Jesus
and live a victorious life.