When you return from time away it is great to catch up with the lives of those back home and find out the news. It is more difficult to catch up with all the tasks that have been waiting for you to return and deal with. In my case I found I had to get right into organizing travel plans, moving and packing dates, new job opportunities, paper work issues and general routine housework. I was feeling decidedly unsettled and the world around me was losing its sparkle.
Then I heard news of a Cameroonian lady from church and her tragic story helped me to put my life back into perspective.
"Ronnie" is an immigrant who came to Europe looking for work. She was brutally attacked and ended up in hospital while her infant son went into care and was eventually placed in a foster home. After a two year battle with her health, "Ronnie" was finally well enough to leave hospital, but found herself without a passport, money or a place to live. The man relating to me her story came forward to give her what help he could. Expecting to hear him tell of their woes in trying to get "Ronnie" settled again, I didn't expect his next remark. "We went in search of praise."
I was hit with an image of "Ronnie" going out looking for joy, goodness and something to feel thankful for. Then I realized that her son's name is Praise. She went after what is most important to her and is worth so much more than money or documents. Thankfully she found her son and knows he is being well cared for. And now she is on her way to Nigeria to start the paperwork to regain her life.
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