Scattered Seed

The trunk slid into the back seat easily and fit right next to the box of grapefruit that I bought at the market that day. I closed the door and looked at London with both excitement and nervousness in my eyes. "It's like you're going to college," she said, "only better!" So true. And I have a whole lot less stuff.

I said goodbye to the Richters, pulled out of the guest house, and was on my own for the first time since arriving in Burkina Faso. I just hoped that I could find my way to my new house, where my host family, the Hiens, would be waiting for me. 

I couldn't. I got pretty close, but the dirt roads started to all look the same and the waning sun complicated my navigation. So I had to call Geoffrey and then he had to call Stanislas to come and find me. So much for being out on your own, huh? I am learning that even though I came to Burkina to help the people, I must first learn to receive help from them. 

The Hiens - Stanislas, his wife Charlotte, and their three boys - were all joyfully waiting for me. They carried my meager belongings up to my new room, which is a separate bedroom and bathroom on the second floor of the house. Everyone helped put my bed together, and when we were through, they all knelt beside it with me and prayed. My eyes filled with tears.

It wasn't the first time that day that I cried. 

Earlier, when I was helping out with a homeschool co-op for the missionary kids in Ouagadougou, I picked up a book to read to one of the children. It was about a baby ostrich who hatched out of his egg only to find that his family was no where to be found. He was soon discovered by a zebra named Zella. That's when I read this.

That's me! I thought to myself as the tears started to form in my eyes (right there in the middle of reading the story!) I feel as though I just hatched out of a shell into a whole new world about a half hour ago. How am I to know anything? 

The story continues to tell about how the baby ostrich, whom they named Zak, grew up with the herd of zebras, and they took care of him even though he was different. (Sound familiar?) When he was grown, he ended up saving Zella'a baby, Zodiac, from a lion by swooping him up with long neck and running away with his fast legs. 

On the last page of the book, Zella tries to find words to thank Zak the ostrich. Zak recalls how Zella had first helped him. 

Sometimes, we hear God speak to our hearts through his Word, his church, and the gentle stirrings of our spirits. Sometimes, we hear him speak through creation or even music. This time, I heard him speak through a children's book. 

God has given us a promise to provide for us always. He has provided a hatching for me, a herd to look after me even though I am different, and an assurance that I will be able to contribute back to the herd in the end...maybe even by saving a life. 

Right now, it can be hard for me to see that at times. The transition is great and the changes are many, but I must keep my eyes on the promises of our faithful God.

Just last night, I shared with Stanislas and Charlotte the truth of how I feel. In my broken french, I told that how thankful I am for their hospitality. I expressed to them that sometimes this transition into a new culture for me is really great, and sometimes it is really hard. Sometimes I am excited, and sometimes I am very afraid. Then they stopped right there and prayed for me again. They told me that It's normal to feel that way, and hat God would give me courage. "In four months, you will speak great french," Stanislas told me. That was so encouraging coming from the one who has heard my most basic language ability. 

The Bible teaches that seed can only grow once it has been scattered. It is no good just sitting together all clumped up in the bag. After Jesus' ascension, God scattered his disciples like gospel seeds all over the earth, and his church flourished. In the same way, we are all little scattered gospel seeds, sent out among the people of the world to proclaim the good news about Jesus. 

When times get tough, remember with me the lessons of a seed. A seed can only grow once it dies, and it can only grow when it is scattered. Let us die to ourselves and get out of the seed bags of our comfort zones. There is great big field out there ready for the seed.