The blessing of meeting a bro and sis
There is nothing like having siblings. I have three blood siblings – two brothers and one sister. It is amazing how a blessing it is to have such a community at home. We are brothers and sisters, great friends and allies, sometimes foes, a strong network, support, and a lot more to each other. I love my brothers and sisters and see them as one of the best blessings God has given me in this life.
This sharing however is about having met brothers and sisters in faith, fellow Christians. In particular, I unexpectedly met in the course of doing my job, a brother from India and a sister from South Africa.
Last July, I was running a company week-long training for Asia in Singapore. It was meant for site leaders in our field. However, there were two special participants – one from a service provider company (that means he is not an employee of our company) and one from outside Asia. They are my brother and sister in Christ from India and Johannesburg, South Africa respectively. I did not expect they are Christians and that we can share about our faith until the three of us went to lunch together.
That was not a usual lunch. I usually went with the fellow Filipinos in the group but that noon I was led to ask who wants to go lunch with me and it happened the three of us went together. Over a simple Burger King lunch, we were led to open about our activities outside work and found out that each of us are active members of our respective Christian groups or churches. The Indian guy is a pastor in his church, the young South African lady is an active charismatic member of her church. The lunch turned out to be a sharing of our faith in a common God and a revelation of the souls that we are.
It is more than two months since we met. But I am reminded of God’s faithfulness when our Indian brother wrote me and our South African sister a few days ago to ask our prayers for the persecuted Christians in India. You may have heard of the church burning and severe persecution the Christian churches in India are experiencing. My heart goes to them and I promised to pray for them constantly which I am now doing daily. Although his email was filled with terrifying stories of persecution I cannot but praise God for the relationship that has been established among the three of us, brother and sisters in Christ. I am amazed that unexpectedly I can meet such beautiful souls. More amazed that we come from different backgrounds and generations. We are of different races, cultures, and ages. Yet the differences don’t matter. We are so much connected even if we don’t even know when we can meet in person again. We are one in Christ.
I pray that God bless my brother and sister. But most especially that our friendship can help each other to fulfill each of our Christian calling. May God be glorified wherever each of us is, in whatever stage of life we are.
Praise be Jesus Christ our Lord who unifies, the God of all nations!
