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The Prodigal Restored Our days in Africa in 2008 were a constant unfolding of miracles. Our beloved Karamajong son, Bismarck immediately became one of those breakthroughs. He is the one who has an earnest desire to go to college and then some day return to his tribe in the Valley of Abim as a missionary doctor. In 2007 he found a school close to where we live and we began to do all we could to help him move forward with his dream while he still worked for us as our night guard. “I don’t know anyone in the whole world who could be happier than me,” he often told us after he began his studies. “How can I ever thank you enough for all the love and encouragement you have given to me? No one has ever loved me like this.” Bismarck is also a tender worshipper and a sensitive young man with a caring heart. So he’s the one who comforted us the most significantly when we returned brokenhearted from living and ministering among his Tribe in 2007 when all the dangers rose up against us. We’ll never forget these words he spoke to us during those weeks of horrific devastation for the ministry here… “It may seem to you like a small thing you are doing here in Africa. But what you are investing in our people is going so deep it will affect generations upon generations. Even those who have come and left have taken what you taught with them. They will never be able to forget it. It is this powerful because you have taught us how to love. But you have not only taught us this message of love. You have lived it out in front of us day after day. Never have our people seen this before. Never will we forget it. Long after you can no longer come back to Africa, this love we have learned will live on in each of us. All our lives many Africans will be changed because of that. Everyone who ever knows us will be affected by it.” But when we were in America many in the Karamajong Tribe who knew and loved us were relentlessly pressured to turn against us by one of their leaders who violently opposed us. Our very special Bismarck was one of these young men. In his remote and violent tribe loyalty is fierce. It is stronger than the principles in the Bible for those who are a Christian. It was this allegiance to the tribe that was used to wear Bismarck down and eventually he buckled under the pressure and made terrible mistakes that betrayed our love. All our trust in him was shattered and we had to remove Bismarck as our night guard. We knew that losing his job and the regret of hurting us would affect Bismarck’s ability to do well in his studies. It was heartbreaking for us that all of these troubles could even make it impossible for him to continue in school. The impact all this would have on his whole life and future grieved us. So as we returned to Africa in 2008 we ached to see Bismarck restored. He wasn’t at the airport with the others and before his first visit to us we learned that he was failing in school. The weight of his betrayal had taken the toll on him that we had imagined it would. It drove him into the depths of distress and mental oppression. Consequently, although he was one of the most brilliant people we’ve ever met, he no longer could concentrate on his studies and he was failing in his classes. When he did come to greet us at our compound, he looked just like I would picture the prodigal son in the Bible who foolishly left the generous blessings and devoted love of his father’s house and ended up living like someone who has no one and is destitute. He degraded so far in his life that out of hunger he ate the filthy, rotting garbage among the pigs. This is the same tragic, tormented person Bismarck had become. When he walked up to us the light was gone from his face. His eyes were dark pools of haunting sadness. It was a shock to see him looking so lost and forlorn. Yet a week later a miracle happened. Bismarck asked to meet with us and we quickly welcomed him. He arrived troubled and heavy hearted. His head was hung low and he seemed aged beyond his years by the agony of his guilt and regret. To see him in this much pain hurt us more than words can express. Tears filled our eyes. “I was deceived,” he confessed as he sat across from us, “ and I was so very, very wrong. All you ever did was love me and I caused you so much pain. I beg you to forgive me for all that I have done to hurt you and betray your love.” Bismarck seemed hopeless that all of us could ever forgive him. He definitely never thought it possible that he could be warmly embraced and fully received back into the family. So he was visibly shocked when Joseph, Barry and I eagerly stood up and wrapped our arms around him. All we could do is hold him and cry. As we did I was immediately reminded of Jacob who cruelly hurt his brother. But the instant he realized that Esau forgave him, Jacob said…
“What a relief to see your friendly face. Truly that is what it felt like in our home that miraculous night. What we were able to extend to Bismarck was the smile of God that a person desperately needs when they are genuinely broken and sorry and are pleading for forgiveness. “You are like David in the Bible,” we then assured him. “You made some horrible mistakes that caused pain and many serious problems. But you have a good heart. That is what God sees and it is what we see. So it makes us very happy to have you return to us with a sincerely repentant heart. The failures are past you and now never let anything destroy this love again.” At that moment all of us jumped up and hugged again. Later that evening, the smiles on our faces as we sat with Joseph under the stars were exceptionally bright and our hearts were bursting with joy. “People in my tribe and in this village will be affected by this,” Joseph expressed as he sat back in his chair. “No one would ever believe that such a restoration is even possible. Not after what Bismarck has done. It doesn’t happen here! So word will spread fast and this will touch many lives in a very big way!” In the wake of this astounding victory a cascading river of peace settled on the ministry in Africa. Bismarck went back to his old self. Once again he gleefully bounced across the courtyard to come greet us. His gratitude shined like the brightest of beacons from his glowing face and he was once again exuberantly excited about school. What fun it was to laugh with him and hug him. A son we lost had come back. It was a miracle! One night as we sat with him grateful tears welled up in his eyes while he told us… “The same great love you have shown to me, I will give to others for the rest of my life.” |
