Feb 04 My Other Son…

I am so proud of him.

A decade ago  when our (first) season in South Africa came to a close- Thabang was there to help us pack up our things and send us off.  I’ll never forget that final hug and the words he said in broken english as we said goodbye.  Thabang lived on the streets- an orphan to poverty- and we had spent  5 days a week during the year prior hanging out with him and about 15 other boys.  Just wanting them to know they were purposed, not forgotten, and loved.

A few months ago, Dave ran into Thabang in QwaQwa.  Call it a coincidence if you will- but I know it was divine intervention.  While driving through the crowded streets Dave heard his name, followed by “my father, my father”.  Over a curbside conversation Thabang filled in the pieces of the last ten years- his season in jail, his encounter with God, how he determined to finish high school and then did just that.

This reunion happened while Thrive was in full-swing of  recruiting new Coaches to work for Leadership Summit.  We knew we couldn’t make Thabang any promises- but Dave told him about the opportunity and at Thabang’s initiative- he started showing up to every meeting. Since then- Thabang’s performance has stood out from the rest and he’s been hired on as a Thrive Africa Coach.

At Monday’s Hand in Hand conference, I stepped out of my car and was heading inside when I felt someone looking at me. I turned and saw him for the first time in a decade. That same broad but boyish smile comfortably worn on the face of a man. He was totally familiar and totally changed. The boy is gone but the sparkle of his soul is the same.  Our embrace was even sweeter than the last- filled with hope instead of parting sorrow. His voice, now deeper and aged- said, “My mother, I am glad you are home.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 6:30 pm and is filed under About Amy, All things God, Missions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.