Reflections on the International Nature of our Family – Gilbert Kimeng

Some interactions yesterday moved me to reflect on something I sometimes tend to take for granted – the blessing of belonging to such an International family of believers.

Talking to two brothers who saw me wearing spiritual diapers some 26 years ago, left me with an extraordinary feeling, one that I find a bit difficult to describe. One of them was single when I got baptized. He shared videos of his last son’s baptism which took place over the weekend. I had to resort to the Scriptures to try to put words to those feelings and found this Proverb quite apt:

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,

so is good news from a far country(Proverbs 25:25)

The second brother shared about the daughter of a couple I knew. Her physical age almost matches my spiritual age, and she is currently contemplating going into the full-time ministry after completing her Masters.

This same brother is part of a WhatsApp Group (the Challenge Team) and shared about his experience – being part of the group gives him a higher dimension to his Christian life. It makes him realize that he is part of something much bigger than his local church in Berlin, Germany.

A call from a family that hosted me in Abidjan some three months ago, lit up our evening. I had shared a video taken during my stay, of mother and daughter dancing together. They couldn’t resist calling us back to express how much they missed us and the precious memories we shared as a family. While leading campus about 20 years ago, I remember boasting about this couple, as our only married couple on campus, with our only daughter (when she was probably less than 5 )– and was now dancing with her mom, a law graduate, working in her father’s chambers.

As I write, four brothers are with us, resting from a long journey from Abidjan to Lagos – they are here to take part in the 10th edition of the International Campus Leadership Conference(ICLC). Also looking forward to hosting a couple coming from Kenya (East Africa), after we all return from the same event.

May we continue to harness the sheer power of our international community, one that is color blind, speaking the same language, the language of Christ’s love. (John 17:20-26).

I refuse to take this for granted.