A Grandmother... My Sister?!?

The first time the grandmother saw me, she thought I was the Red Cross coming to bring food to her family. Instead, I offered her something of far greater value. The Good News of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday arrived overcast and threatening rain. Around midday, it poured. Thirty minutes before leaving for the Bible study at Mama N's house I called the M believer that I had asked to go with me. She told me she didn’t want to risk the muddy, treacherous path in Chibubuare. She would go with me another day.

God, should I still go?  Yes, this family is hungry for the Word of God. How can I deny it to them?

I grabbed the Kimwani Bible and turned to leave, but decided to grab all of the booklets at the last minute. Wrapping them in a plastic bag in case it rained again, I placed them in my bag and walked out the door.

As I descended the path I said a quick prayer. “Lord, I don’t know what I’m going to do or what I’m going to read. Please guide this Bible study today.”

When I reached the hillside above Mama N’s house and saw the slick mud I cringed. Seeking solid footholds, I inched my way down the path.

“Hodi,” I called when I made it to Mama N’s porch.

"We can sit inside today?" she asked me after the greetings.

We always sat in the backyard, but the rain had gotten everything wet and muddy. "Of course," I replied.

I slid through the doorway and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting offered by a small bulb. A foam mattress lay on the floor of the living room, along with one of the local beds (a wooden frame crisscrossed with woven reeds). Evidence of the numerous people sleeping in that house. Mama N motioned for me to sit on a woven mat that lay at my feet. Several children immediately surrounded us as we sat down.

I had just started reading in Genesis when the grandmother shuffled into the room wrapping a capulana tightly around her head and shoulders to ward off the chill of the rainy day.

When I got to Genesis 3:15 I stopped to explain it in Portuguese. "When Jesus died on the cross Satan thought he had won, but when Jesus came back to life He showed Satan that He had won and fulfilled God's promise from Genesis 3:15."

Mama N translated my Portuguese into Kimwani for the grandmother then turned to me. “We are taught that Jesus did not die on the cross,” she said, looking at me with a question in her eyes.

“The Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross,” I responded. I read the summarized version of His death and resurrection from the blue storybook I had grabbed on my way out the door. “Some people say Jesus did not die on the cross, but He did die on the cross and God raised Him back to life three days later.”

"Yes, He did die on the cross," Mama N agreed. She then asked another question to which I read a section from the tiny red booklet. Satisfied with that answer, she allowed me to continue reading in the blue storybook about Jesus' ascension to heaven and His promise to return one day. 

The grandmother said something in Kimwani and Mama N answered her then looked at me for affirmation. I hesitated to agree. What had she said?  Had she said when Jesus comes back He will take all people to live with Him?

I wanted to clarify only those who believe in Him will go live with Him. I switched between Portuguese and Kimwani to make sure I could clearly explain myself. “When Jesus comes back, He will take His friends to live with Him, only His friends,” I looked at the grandmother as I said this. She looked back at me, waiting for me to continue. “Only those who believe in Jesus will go with Him when He returns, not all people, only His friends who believe in Him.” 

I opened the Kimwani Bible to John 3:16 and read it to them, then I flipped over to Acts 16:31, and finally to Romans 10:13 “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

"We can pray anytime, anywhere," I said. "We all need sleep, but God never sleeps and always listens to us when we pray. We don’t even need to say the words out loud, He knows what we are praying in our hearts. I could be praying right now and you wouldn’t know, but God would know and hear. Whoever asks God to save them, He will save them.”

The grandmother looked me straight in the eyes and said “I believe.”

“You believe?!” I repeated in Kimwani, shock rolling over me. Had she really said that word?

“I believe,” she said again, her piercing gaze held so much confidence in her wrinkled face. She rattled on in Kimwani and the only words I understood were 'thank you,' 'God,' and 'we are listening,' as she motioned again and again to the Bible.

Still trying to get over the shock of her telling me she believes, unsure exactly what it meant to her, and not able to communicate sufficiently in Kimwani, I decided to continue reading the Kimwani Bible. My desire to speak Kimwani fluently had never been stronger, but I had God’s Word, which is sufficient and does not return void.

I read the rest of Romans 10 and wondered what else I should read to them. I decided on Ephesians 2:1-10. After reading that I slipped in the part of my testimony I had learned in Kimwani. "God saved me when I was eight years old, not because of anything I did, but because of His grace. I called on Him like Romans 10:13 says, and He saved me. Now, I want to do good things, not because I have to, but because I want to thank God."

The grandmother nodded in understanding and said something in Kimwani. I looked at Mama N for translation. “She said, ‘you are showing us the way,’” Mama N replied in Portuguese.

I looked back at the grandmother and she grinned at me and pointed at the Bible. She wants me to keep reading... God, what do I read now? I flipped through the Kimwani Bible and stopped at Romans 3 and read the second half of that chapter. Then I moved on to Romans 5:12-21 which compares the first Adam who brought sin and death into the world with the Last Adam (Jesus) who offers the free gift of life.

They all sat still, listening attentively to the Word of God. The small amber lightbulb dangling from the rough wall dimmed further, making it harder to read the small print. Oh God, let me soak up every minute of reading Your Word to this precious family.

I read Romans 8:1 “There is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” And then verse 28 to the end of the chapter (all things work together for good to those who love God, and what can separate us from the love of God?).

I knew the sun had begun to set outside and yet they still wanted more. What now God? I turned to the book of Psalms. If the grandmother had truly believed then I wanted her to have something to hold on to, to remember and cling to in the coming months. I read Psalm 46 because it helped me during the cyclone two years ago, Psalm 139 because it talks about God's knowledge of and presence with us, and Psalm 23 to end with words of comfort in these uncertain times.

I prayed for them, asking the Holy Spirit to be with them, to lead and guide them, and to thank Him for the time we had to study His Word together. I said goodbye, even though I wished I could stay longer.

As I walked back up the hill I turned and took a picture of the house.

It slowly sunk in that the grandmother might now be my sister-in-Christ. Father, I entrust her to You, into Your capable hands. At her age, with no one to tell her what to do, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain from believing in You. May Your Holy Spirit work in her heart.