God Works All Things Together

Before I came to South Africa, my experience on this continent was limited to French-speaking, West African nations. I confess, South Africa didn't make that much sense at first: what use is a French degree in a country in which none of the eleven official languages is French?

But the Lord works things together in marvelous ways.

A few weeks ago "Mimi" arrived at Sparrow Village. She is eleven years old, and she and her younger sister are immigrants to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - a French-speaking nation. Mimi speaks and understands very little English. When I was introduced to her and began speaking to her in French, her entire face lit up! She started sharing stories and asking if I was going to teach her English and how to read and write.

Her French, however, while far stronger than her English, is also quite stunted. Although French is the official language of the DRC, people rarely speak it in the home and only learn it at school. Since Mimi does not even know her ABC's, it is clear that she did not receive much schooling before she came, and since coming to South Africa she has received none.

Cue one more of the Lord's marvelous workings:

Not only can I be at Sparrow to speak French to this precious little girl, but I also work down the street at Child Haven with Anna, a housemother from the DRC who speaks French, Swahili and Lingala. I brought Anna over to meet Mimi at Sparrow last week, and the two of them chatted away in Swahili in a conversation that revealed much of Mimi's previously unknown past. Anna will now be helping Mimi to read, write and speak English so that she can start attending school with the other Sparrow children as soon as possible.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)