“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
John 15:12-13
Living without borders became a reality the day I entered the refugee camp at Tabanovce border post in the North of Macedonia. The Explore Africa Team was based for 3 weeks in the Capital of Macedonia called Skopje. Our South African hosts, Danie and Ester with their three children, made our stay in Macedonia an unforgettable one. While living next door to them in accommodation their neighbours, Godse and Betty provided, with true Macedonian hospitality and cuisine we struggled to say good bye the day we had to leave. It’s the faces, personalities, stories and loving hearts of these two families and everyone else we met in Macedonia, that really set the standard of what this year will be all about, and also what it means to open your home for fellow brothers and sisters of Christ.
From the word go, Danie quickly set up a working roster for our team and also gave us a good briefing of what to expect while working in a refugee camp serving tea, food and spending time with people in search of hope. With a visit to the camp, where we will be serving mainly Tea, or as they call it, Chai, to refugees “passing through” Macedonia on the Balkan route on their way to Europe in search of a better life.
It was just before our arrival in Macedonia that the borders were closed to all refugees and we faced a situation of dealing with refugees stuck on route to their “new lives”. As we have learnt to understand, one needs to seek God in every situation, and although these refugees could not move further until the border gates are open, it did give us an opportunity to connect with these wonderful individuals for a longer period.
Spending time with these refugees from Syriah, Afghanistan and Pakistan, young, old, woman and men illustrated to me just how strong God’s love truly lives in all our hearts. By feeding and nurturing this Godly love, brings out the beauty of every human being, that now words can describe. I now know that God’s love goes much, much further than the border of your fence at home, the border of your province, the border of your country or even the border of your continent. Love can cross borders and this means to all parts of the World. Our love for each other is not limited to what and where we think, and by laying down our life before God means loving far and wide to every nation, regardless the background, belief or culture. My eye flaps that was blocking me to see wider were left behind in Macedonia, and I can truly say my family and friend base have grown tremendously and consists now of a lot more nationalities and people from other backgrounds.
Give God the opportunity to work in your heart to love freely, openly and without borders and you will be amazed to see what He can do through your deeds.
Blessings from me for now…