A Bright Light at Christmas
A Bright Light at Christmas
She looked a bit uncomfortable, sitting at the child-size table skimming through cookbooks. I spotted her at our local library’s children’s section, while babysitting our grandson Reuel. Her two little boys were playing with Reu at the puzzle table. She stood out amongst all the other parents gathered—she was the only one wearing a head covering. I introduced myself, and asked if she was a student at Texas A&M.
Our conversation continued, with more information trickling out. Nur grew up in western China as did her husband, a master’s student at TAMU. They are Uyghurs. With tears in her eyes, she told me she had not heard from her mother in almost a year. Recently, Nur had just found out her mother and several other family members had been sent to a “re-education” camp.
By the time the boys were ready for lunch and a nap, I had viewed photos of her mother on her phone. Nur told me I reminded her of her mother. We promised to stay in touch as we exchanged numbers.
In more sensitive parts of East Asia, co-workers describe the sudden disappearance of national friends. In our role as member care coordinators, we are in contact with several families unexpectedly forced to leave with only 48-hour notice while others have chosen to leave early to avoid conflict with authorities. Being called in for tea (interrogation) is not uncommon. Uprooting and relocation is necessary for some.
Pray for us as we care for those who face increased uncertainties in an already uncertain situation. In the shifting world around us, we remind ourselves that our God is unshakeable.
Pray also for Nur, who told me her full name means “bright light”. May our budding friendship reveal to her the true light of Jesus. She has invited us to her home for a traditional meal before Christmas.
Along with many of you, we are counting our blessings. We are grateful for:
- Time with Andrew, Bekah, and Reuel, who visited from NYC, along with Katy and her boyfriend Matt from Houston.
- 40 years of married life on Dec 16, celebrating with a little get away.
- Opportunities this year to care for around 200 missionaries, and train multiple churches to care for missionaries they support.
- Invitations to be involved in other trainings and mentoring.
For more about the Uyghurs in China, check out this article in The ChinaSource Blog or subscribe for daily info. Here is an article on the wider challenges for the church in China. On a different note, In this dropbox folder, you can read some of the papers David heard at the Evangelical Theological Society meetings in November. We have also read two books recently that may interest some of you. When by Daniel Pink is about the science of timing and Looming Transitions by Amy Young discusses some of the major life transitions that missionaries face when they leave or return to their home country. Highlights from these books are available upon request.
With deep appreciation and Merry Christmas to you all,
Doris, and David
David cell:
979-402-6040
david.nichols@omfmail.com
Doris cell:
979-422-5009
doris.nichols@omfmail.com