Today we met a taxi driver whose name I can’t pronounce and who comes from a tribe in Kenya I have never heard of. Let me just call him Michael! As he drove us to our hotel, we struck up a conversation about the things of the Lord. He listened for a while and when he perceived that we were the kind of people he could be personal with he began to tell us many of his personal faith stories. Just yesterday a family crisis had arisen because his uncle’s wife was at the hospital ready to deliver a baby, but the hospital would not accept her because they had no money. They sent her to another hospital which also wouldn’t accept her. Now the uncle is an alcoholic who has no understanding of the things of the Lord, but as often happens, the uncle felt he had no alternative but to call his Christian nephew to ask for help. Now Michael had no money either, but he quickly said to his uncle, “We are going to pray, because whenever I face a challenge in life the first thing I do is pray”. So he prayed on the phone, before he did anything. Then Michael proceeded to try to ask his friends if any of them could help him with a little money! A few hours later he called his uncle to tell him that he had had little success in raising money, but the uncle said “My wife has already had the baby! For some unexplained reason the hospital took her in and delivered the baby. But now they had another situation, The hospital would not release the baby unless some payment was made.” So Michael did a repeat: “Uncle” he said, “We are going to pray because there is no help from any other place but the Lord”. Michael continued to try to find some money to help in the situation, but an hour later the uncle called and said “An amazing thing has happened, “The doctor has released my wife and the baby”, but we are now sitting in front of the hospital with no way to get home. We need 750 Shillings (about $8) to get home.” Of course, you guessed it, Michael just said “Uncle we are going to pray and ask God to give you the money to get home”. Michael was sure that he could come up with 750 Schillings but it just wasn’t working. Finally he called his uncle to tell him that he had no money and the uncle said “Don’t worry, we are now home. A stranger came by and gave us the money take the bus home. I know that “your God” has helped us.” Michael then corrected him and said “No, Uncle, he is your God too, and you have no idea how much he wants to help you!”
That was just one story! Michael told us several others. It was a very moving moment for us and we recalled to mind all of God’s promises to help the poor. It gave me encouragement to continue to encourage the poor to trust and believe in the faithfulness of God and His love for the poor.