matter of factly

We sit and talk and laugh for hours into the night. In my broken Creole and their patience, we talk about ordinary things like cooking and cleaning and babies and families and church and God... and after a few hours, the conversation turns. They tell me matter of factly about their husbands... about how their husbands cheat with younger girls and push them and kick them and throw them into walls. One tells of how her husband brings his younger girlfriends home with him and then tells his wife she isn't pretty enough anymore... he doesn't bring home any money and she works tirelessly to buy milk, clothes, and school for her son. Another tells me how her husband has been cheating for years, and physically abuses her. She shows me scars. My heart breaks for them, and I become absolutely enraged. I say that we must do something! or call somebody! They shake their heads calmly and tell me again matter of factly that their is no one to call... the police don't care. Their is no one in this country who will protect them. So I say we should take matters into our own hands and find a way to give their husbands what they deserve! I am ready to fight them myself. They shake their heads calmly and tell me matter of factly "no." I look puzzled and one says softly "We know something they don't. We know Jesus and we know He is coming back. We will wait until then... because we know that then they will get what they deserve."

And then, they smile. And my heart is broken and it's taking everything I have to hold back the tears. And I am astonished at their faith. And I am ashamed that mine is nowhere near theirs. They are holding on to Jesus and His promise of return with everything they have. They are being beaten and abused and made to feel like they are worthless.. yet they work and they sing praise and they laugh and they live their daily lives holding on to this Hope... that Jesus is coming. And they rejoice, because they are SURE, and they are EXCITED.

And I think about all the people in this world and in my life who don't know what it is to hope in the Lord. And then my heart breaks for them, because I am hit with the reality that Jesus IS our only Hope. If people are not hoping in Christ and His promises of forgiveness and grace and eternity, then I cannot understand what gets them from day to day? Especially people who are surrounded my turmoil and poverty and spiritual warfare and desperation and brokenness... how do they function if they don't know Jesus? And how do I live among them without telling them, here or in America? And where do YOU fit... and if you know Him and you have this hope, why aren't you telling people?

Me & Karis