Nura is 48. She can most often be found playing with her granddaughter while chewing betelnut or trying to nap. Her curries are delicious but spicy enough to cause some lasting discomfort. When I first met her, she lived in a small house with a productive garden and chickens. (A few of those chickens ended up in the spicy curry!) Now, Nura lives on the 7th floor of an apartment with no way to grow things. She tells me that this makes her sad.
In the years since she “adopted” me as part of her family, Nura has told me many stories of her life in Myanmar. There are many heartbreaking stories, such as her brother getting shot as they tried to flee. But there are also many beautiful stories about family, festivals, nature, and the changing seasons. In Myanmar, Nura’s family had a simple bamboo house and lots of space to grow plants and raise animals. Her favorite (besides fresh beef) was the bountiful fish that her husband, Rashid, would bring home. He was and still is very skilled with a throw net! Rashid can’t go fishing much anymore since he works long hours.
One of our favorite things to do together (besides eating) is to tell stories about God. We trade stories of the prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Joseph. Every week, she wants me to tell them over and over again. She has often told me what she imagines heaven will be like– with beautiful clothes, gold, and endless beef. While she hopes for a better life in the future and remembers the homeland she can’t return to, the thought of heaven is a comfort to her.
- Please pray for Nura and her family– that their hearts would be open to stories of Jesus and the hope that He brings.
- Pray for the Rohingya who are longing for home– that they would encounter and trust in Jesus and have expectant hope for heaven.