Last night we hosted our first cell group (Bible study). Of the three couples we invited, only one showed up. And of that couple, only the woman came. But that's not my point.
The woman who came is from Congo (not to be confused with the DR Congo) and speaks French. Her English is limited, and while I (sort of) speak more than one language, French is not one of them, so communication was sometimes a challenge. But that's not my point, either.
We have the common bond of both being foreigners in South Africa, but what really made the fellowship sweet was that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. It is amazing to me that I can meet someone from all the way around the world, be total strangers, not share a common culture or even a common language, and yet be "family" because we both follow Jesus.
When it was time to pray she asked if she could pray in French as she was more comfortable with her native language. During her prayers, I heard a lot of "merci" and "papa". Thank you, Papa. It touched my heart to hear her call God "Papa". We often call God "Father", but the word "Father" is so formal. It isn't the same as "Daddy" or "Papa".
This may sound silly, but I love the love of God. There is nothing on earth that even comes close. It makes me feel like saying, "Merci, Papa."
1 comment:
That's so neat. I once prayed with a native Spanish speaker and was deeply touched when I heard call God El Senor.
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