I've recently been given the opportunity to enter the households of several Syrian refugees. This concept might seem frightening or uncomfortable to most, but some men and women actually travel from all across the world to come and play a part in this global crisis. I've even had the privilege of getting to know a few volunteers whom have commited themselves to serving these households on a more permanent base. For myself, however, it's been an encounter with the reality of the situation in the Middle East - and not just the pictures we watch on a screen from the comfort of our living rooms, but an up close and personal confrontation with its consequences. For the first time I was the one sitting down with the issue, face to face, looking into the painstricken eyes of those who have lost everything.
I'd like to tell you a little more about these moments of contact. But instead of trying to narrate all of the various encounters, I want to take you into one of the rooms where we are currently sitting together:
Just before I start, I have to give you some background on the situation. These Syrian households have fled from the terror in their homeland to a foreign country in a desperate attempt to escape possible death. Many end up in a small little backroom down a narrow alleyway, or in tents comprised out of sheets of plastic sewed together and erected somewhere in open dry land - anything really just to be 'safe'. We've listened to stories of houses that were bombed and family members who were shot down in the streets. On one of the visits, both the mother and father still have shrapnel lodged in their bodies - restricting their ability to work; and without any income, they can't afford the necessary surgery.
I could go on to tell you about the distrust between families due to the multitude of terror groups that have turned on each other; or how jobs are nearly impossible to acquire - in essence leaving each family stranded in this foreign environment (which in turn doesn't really want them here either); but that will take forever. I believe it's evident enough that the circumstances seem pretty dire for these people.
On top of the physical hurt, it is important to note that most of these Syrian families do indeed come from a Muslim background; which is a whole story in itself. When you enter their homes, a heavy feeling often becomes you. Their culture oppresses creativity and the concept of questioning the norm, and although most of our experiences were quite pleasant, one has to admit that the atmosphere is a little "dampening" sometimes. This specific concept is what brought me to a stand still once again...
If God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and we read Genesis 1:1-25, it's easy to see that He indeed IS 'creativity' - He loves to make all things beautiful and in the most unbelievable detail! If we in return embody His likeness (Gen 1:26), then we are surely nothing short of being creative.
And it doesn't stop there. He continues in verse 28 by saying that "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it...'" Do you see the blessing that came before the commission? It's His blessing that empowers us and it's He who breathed life into our lungs. In the words of Jonathan David Helser: "God fills us first, and then He invites us to fill the earth." His beauty is hidden in nature, and it sings His praises. How we engage with and indeed further this, is the question at hand. So if you ever want to use the excuse, "I'm just not creative" again, I invite you to think twice. But before we head down that road, we have to go back to the house where I'm in:
It's the second house visit for the day and we've just walked through a pretty desolate area to find the entrance hidden in the corner behind some rubble. From the moment we walked into the home, everything 'felt' a little different. As the women greeted me, her eyes seemed to be 'open' - which is rarely the case. (I do need to add that we don't always receive all the information about the people whom we go to visit; so please see how this information unfolds as the meeting continues...)
The lady's young boy - no older than 5 - comes running around the corner with joy carved out on his face, but he's a little shy so he quickly retreats to where these strange people can't see him clearly. She leads us to the living room to sit down on the greyish-blue 'floor cushions,' and with a wide smile she starts the conversation with our translator (long-term volunteer). Seeing as though our Arabic is not nearly up to scratch, all that I can do at this stage is to ask the Holy Spirit to show me where this women is at in her life and what God expects from me in this moment. It's quite cold today and the small gas heater in the middle of the room is put on maximum (predominantly for the men's feet to warm up). Do note that this is the ONLY other piece of equipment/furniture in the room. She offers us tea and goes to make it - with a huge smile. At this stage I am well aware of the fact that there is a different spirit altogether within this home... But then again, she might just be really friendly when receiving help from the church? And then my eye catches something - the bird in a cage hanging against the wall.
Not once during our time here have I seen anyone with pets - I mean, if you are barely surviving yourself, it doesn't make much sense trying to take care of a dog or a cat. But here, in this minimalistic room, this household has chosen to bring something of nature's beauty into their dried up world. It's like seeing a small portion of God's creation flood the room everytime this little bird sings... And then I KNEW that a different Spirit was governing this lady's heart.
Although we generally sit quietly and intercede until called upon to share a story or testimony; by now I can't take the suspense anymore, so I ask our translator whether this household has accepted Jesus into their lives. With a subtle smile he replies: "Yes, they have chosen to follow Christ." My heart leaps with joy! As the little bird continues to sing, my mind is taken on a stroll with our Lord about His creation and the way that He makes all things new.
In the midst of all the pain and loss, Christ has entered this home and completely changed the outlook on life. Upon meeting her husband and their daughter, it's clear to see that the joy of the Holy Spirit is within them. By the small little addition of a bird in a cage it has been made clear that there already exists a desire to make things 'good' again - to find life and beauty in the barren world they're currently in. It's like finding a young sprout rising through the dried up desert pan - a little sign of hope with marvelous promise.
God reveals His ability in the strangest of ways sometimes. If I ever doubted that it is His Spirit that brings joy and hope and a future, thát doubt has been evicted for good. No matter how deep you're plunged into difficulty, He can still convert those hurtful eyes into windows of life. And I'm thankful for having the opportunity to see firsthand what a difference He really makes.
And to take it one step further, I'd like to add that if we merely grasp the concept of God being our Creator - the one that formed us; I believe we'd find the act of 'creating' much easier. It will become an overflow of His Spirit within us, and we will sing His praises, because He has been singing over us since Eden. Maybe it's time to take a look at how we can make our world more beautiful...
I've recently listened to a teaching on the specific worm David refers to in Psalm 22. To put it in common english - its absolutely mindblowing to see the perfect reference to Jesus (that would only come many years later) and all that He would come to fulfill. Oh yes, God hides Himself in plain sight, we just have to seek to find Him. His fingerprints are all over, and what's to say about YOU!
The Apostle Paul writes, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, ESV). Maybe we should pause a moment and ask what these 'good works' truly refer to (and do try to go a little beyond the daily "church-like" acts of doing good deeds). The more we explore and seek Him, the more He reveals. I believe there is a calling to make something beautiful with what you've been given - it's just to find out where.
So it is my prayer that we will cultivate the gardens of creativity that God has placed in our hearts, everyday...
For "In every moment of creativity we are touching eternity" - Melissa Helser
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