coming home

Standing in the back of Simon's truck in Zim, a young man from the worship services came up to me with a plastic bag in his hand. "This is for you. I didn't think I could ever part with it, but I know I should give it to you."

When people who have nothing give you everything they have, thank you doesn't feel like enough, but sometimes it's all we can muster. Inside the plastic bag was No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green, along with a note of encouragement and some Bible verses. Prior to reading the book, I knew nothing about Keith Green. I was supposed to read it.

I've been emailing with my new friend, and feel I need to share an excerpt from his email last week, despite all the horrific news coming from Zim, of persecution in South Africa for refugees and the political mess all around. It reads:

oh, we are more than hanging in here! nay, not even surviving but alive and well! it does seem strange the situation we are in at the moment as a nation. when one lifts off their eyes away from the economic woes and such things alike you'd find that the spiritual reality is great and fantastic. i am one of those who had left the country. i was out for a year and a half. came back about ten months ago. God kinda of impressed it on my heart that He is preparing for the 'exhiles' to return home. exhiles both in the natural and in the spirit. so i am holding onto the promise to see the return of the exhiles and already God has started to herald the songs of the returnees here.

Cheers to all the exiles coming home.