His name is Abraham. I met him on a rocky dirt road down the street from the church we are working with this month in Nakuru, Kenya. His tall, lanky frame loomed above me, and his bright smile contrasted against his dark skin. There was no d
oubt – his build and his deep black skin gave it away – he was Sudanese. There are a large number of Sudanese refugees here in Nakuru, even though we are far from the Sudan border. Many wear bright, traditional clothing, and almost all are extremely tall and thin. Some speak English, some Swahili, and some only speak Arabic. At first I had asked one of the Kenyan men I was with how they could tell if someone was Sudanese and not Kenyan, but the visible differences are now obvious even to me.
Abraham told us that he moved here to Kenya a few years ago with his family, to get away from the war. He had been a solider for over 20 years, since he was “this big” and indicated the height of a young teenager, maybe smaller. He told us that he was a Christian, and had been since 1993. “All we could do was pray. Pray for protection and then go out and fight.” He spoke in such a positive way, and he clearly loved Jesus, but his eyes gave a glimpse into all the tragedy they had seen in his lifetime.
He and his family were safe, and he praised God. Now, with the new-found independence of South Sudan, Abraham is looking forward to taking his family back home. All the Sudanese people are excited. Celebrations in the streets, with dancing and singing, speak of a people that are excited for change. Excited for freedom.
I’m reading in the Old Testament right now (2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, etc) about the return of the exiled Israelites, and I can’t help thinking of these beautiful Sudanese people. They are living in a land not their own, longing for the day they can return to their homeland. They are excited about the possibilities in the future. People like Abraham have learned that no matter what goes on with the government, with wars, with treaties, or with the creation of new country, there is only One reliable place to put your trust – Jesus Christ. He is a constant no matter what hardships, curve balls, or celebrations life sends your way. He is worthy of our trust and He promises to bring His people out of exile, out of captivity, out of heartache, and give them rest in Him.
