The Grandmother

Imagine being in your 80's and walking to the hospital with your granddaughter because you're not feeling well. She carries your great-granddaughter on her back and waits patiently as you hobble along. Going to the hospital isn't so bad, downhill all the way in the coolness of the morning, but coming back up the hill in the heat of midday? Oh, it's excruciating as pain shoots through your joints and lines your already wrinkled face.

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I went to visit Mama N Monday afternoon. When I arrived at her house an elderly lady on the porch thought I was from one of the organizations passing out food. Mama N told her no, I'm family. My heart warmed at those words.

My friendship with Mama N began just over a year ago around the time her baby was born. She had a hunger for God's Word and desired to learn more about Jesus. She wanted to attend the next Bible study we held, but then Covid shut everything down and people started arriving from the northern villages. Now, she has 25 people living in her tiny, dirt floor house, including the grandmother.

Mama N and I talked for a while, enjoying each other's company after almost a year of distancing. She still has a strong desire to learn about Jesus. At the end of our time, Mama N asked if I would buy her a sack of flour so she could make and sell little cakes to provide something for her family. I appreciated the humility of her request (not demanding money, like some people) so I told her I would try.

On Thursday, Mama F went with me to buy a sack of flour. As I drove back up the hill to my house, I worried about how I would get the flour to Mama N.

"Isn't that Mama N sitting there on the curb with her baby!?" Mama F asked in excitement.

I stopped the car and Mama F got out, calling Mama N over. Confusion hung on Mama N's face and she kept pointing back to the grandmother shuffling up the hill. When they reached the car, Mama F explained in Kimwani that we had just bought the sack of flour and could give them a ride to the top of the path leading down into their neighborhood. Relief swept over the grandmother's face.

My heart went out to the older lady. If it's difficult for me to walk up that hill in that sun, what must it be like for her? She struggled into the back seat of the car, her body relaxing as I drove them the rest of the way. Dropping them off, Mama N thanked me profusely as she took the sack of flour on her head, with the toddler on her back, and followed the grandmother down the path to their house.

On the way home, I told Mama F that God had arranged for us to meet Mama N on the road as we were coming up with the flour and He had helped her spot them. God solved the problem of getting the flour to Mama N and showed His loving kindness to the grandmother. May this plant a desire in the grandmother's heart to know the Savior who can meet her physical needs, but more importantly, can meet her spiritual need for forgiveness.