30 Days of Yearning - A Beautiful People From Afar

A's Somali co-worker and I at a wedding

One of our most fulfilling experiences during college and living in Minneapolis was getting to know Somali refugees. Having escaped horrible famine and fighting, these people (around 70,000 of them) made noble attempts to set up sustainable lives in Minnesota.  Shops, restaurants, taxi services and community centers have been set up by these industrious people and the smells of incense and sambusas waft romantically out Somali populated areas. 

My dear dear friend Z and I at her shop. She is the henna master!

We made some good friends among these beautiful people and came to the conclusion that if Somalia ever opened up to foreign help, we would be the first ones in line to offer it. 

See, not only is this a devastated and forgotten country that sees its people, land and economy, its very structure, waste away daily. It is a land that reeks of promise.  Why? Because there are 70,000 Somalis in Minneapolis alone who have very deep ties to their homeland and are working very hard to better that place however they can. 

Instead of giving up on their war-torn roots, they are dreaming and scheming and hoping for the day when they can go back and restore their nation. Granted, I am sure that not all feel this way, but I have never talked to such a large concentration of relocated people who have a desire to someday return to their place of origin.  Not only that, but they are very intentional about doing what they can from the States to see that happen.  Some are setting up businesses with the intention of one day carrying them back to Somalia. Some are training as doctors and nurses in hope of one day going back to serve their people (some have already…though the danger is great for them). Some make the trip back to Somalia each year to take money and supplies to family members who cannot get out, or to help set up sustainable business there. 

So, I was nodding my head in agreement the other night when some guy from the UN was interviewed on CNN. He said the same thing we have been saying for years – these people are amazing!  In light of the current famine and great suffering in Somalia, he was praising the Somali people of Minneapolis for stepping up to the plate and helping.  He commented that he was amazed at the overwhelming support for their countrymen that these people showed. He described initiative being taken by a variety of people from every age group.

165 Somalis gathered to put together emergency porridge packets for the people of their homeland. Students are doing fundraisers and outreaches, families are giving extra generously.  It is love in action and it is a beautiful thing.

Will you pray for Somalis across the globe with us today?  God is doing amazing things in this people…with so many right in ‘our midst’ here in America, there is huge opportunity for Truth to be poured out.  Pr.ay for Somalis in the States – for them to feel welcome, for the love of Christ to be poured out to them, for relationships to be cultivated and seeds to be sown. Pray that they would continue to be intentional in loving and caring for their suffering brothers and sisters. And please pray for the country of Somalia and it’s people there.  Pray for mercy for the suffering, for peace from the fighting, for hope for the hopeless. 

Words cannot describe how much I love this woman. Such a dear friend to me. 

My dear friend M, and her wonderful kids...the future of Somalia. Their friendship has been such a gift to us.

I have no doubt that God wants to do BIG things in the lives of a people this special.  Please pray with us that it will happen.