The Burning Bush

What began as a normal, hot Friday turned into an erratic weekend.  Fires that were started to burn trash or clear land quickly blazed out of control as strong winds carried sparks through the dry bush.  At one point on Friday night there were fires at all four corners of the Harvesters property and while all our land remained protected many of our neighbors lost their homes and crops. 

blazes as tall as a man

huge mango trees lit by the fires and crescent moon

Sweet Molly, one of our cooks, and her beautiful children lost their tukul when the grass roof caught fire.  Fortunately Mama Lilly, Pastor Pooshani and our teenagers ran to her house and saved everything inside before it all burned to ashes.  She's now staying with us until she's able to build a new home.

Molly, Irene and Saviour

Question:  Where is comfort when a raging fire consumes your small mud and grass hut?  

Answer:  In neighbors who provide a new home and in a God who is there in the midst of loss; a God who knows the names of his people, who sees their afflictions, who hears their cries, and who says, "certainly I will be with you."  

"Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law.  The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and Moses looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.  When the Lord saw that Moses turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!"  The Lord said, "I have seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings."  And He said, "Certainly I will be with you."  excerpts from Exodus 3

In other news, I'm taking a short, much-needed vacation before school reopens on March 1st but will scrounge up a few posts while I'm in Dubai!