Text: Maria Johnson
The Sudanese centre in one of the countries of North Africa serves as both school, church and fellowship hall for the community. Most of the ones coming here are refugees from Sudan, and the centre is like an oasis in a country where many of them do not feel welcomed or wanted.
Their children go here for school during the day, and at night the mothers meet up for illiteracy classes in both Arabic and English. These classes are vital for their future as it gives them better chances to get jobs in order to provide for their families.
This particular evening they all come for a special women’s meeting. Many of them have become followers of Jesus during the past years, and tonight they are here to meet Johana* (USA). Johana came to the country the first time on a short term trip in 2013. Since then, she has been back at least once a year and served in different capacities and fallen in love with the country and its people. Tonight she is back at the centre with a special gift from her church in the States: a prayer box. The box is a small metal box, beautifully decorated by church members in Johana’s home church, holding several small cards with bible verses written on them – English on side, and Arabic on the other.
Johana hands them out and encourage them: “We need to learn how to pray, wait and trust every day – Pray to God for all our needs, then wait for Him to answer, and lastly trust that He will.” The women, who has been a bit reserved and shy in the beginning, lights up as they get the boxes in their hands. They turn the cards over again and again, and read them carefully. As they are about to leave they also get a bag of food and get to pick out a toy for their children. Johana explains: “The food is for your family, the toy is for your children, but this box – this is for you!”. There is no doubt which one of the gifts is the most popular one: they can’t stop reading the verses in the prayer box.
They are done for the evening and soon headed out to go home to their families, but no one seems to want to leave. They drink yet another cup of tea, mix English and Arabic in order to communicate and hug Johana as they say: “she is one of us now”. The joy is mutual, and once again they have all seen and experienced how God’s love knows no language barrier.
*Names changed for privacy reasons