A Visit with Mama
Oct 17, 2021
- Tom Albinson
I became friends with Mama many years ago when she shared with me that she has children in the US. She longs to see them again as they’ve been separated ever since a rocket hit their home in their homeland many years ago.
It was a joy for me to introduce her to my wife, Donna, on this visit. She was so happy.
We don’t share a common language, so we communicate through a translator. Somehow it always works out.
Like any good Mama, she set before us a plate filled with fried goat and brought us each a Coke.
I am always amazed at the hospitality and generosity of those who possess little.
She asked about her kids in the US and about whether the US is going to ramp up refugee resettlement again. I was thankful that I could tell her the US was resettling refugees again - even though only a tiny percentage of the global refugee population is resettled in any given year (less than 1%).
I told her that the rampant rumors of Kakuma closing down next year are not true. These rumors have created great uncertainty among the people in the camp. I was able to confirm them to be false while in Nairobi via a friend serving with the UN.
More than once, Mama told us how she prays for us.
She prays for our daughter (for children) and for my foot that is recovering from surgery earlier this year.
Of course, we pray for her too as life is so difficult here. We shared the good news that God sees, hears, and cares for her. So we can pray knowing God is good and not a detached observer. We remembered together how many faithful people have suffered much in life. She is in good company.
She shared that her daughter in the US recently married. She showed us photos of the wedding. It is clear she deeply wishes she could have been there for that joyous occasion.
What kind of world prevents a mother from being reunited with her own children?
I cannot begin to imagine what it is like for her to be separated from her children for all of these years. I pray that God will mercifully reunite them one day.