America for Granted

Chapel convicted me on Wednesday. A girl spoke, a senior as well, who has only been in America for three years. She grew up in Nigeria and became a Christian at a young age, literally hiding it under a blanket from her Hindu family. As she grew more in her faith with help of the principal of her Christian school, Leena's desire to go to America grew stronger. At only 7 or 8 years old she knew she wanted to go to the U.S. As she got older and started thinking about college, she knew she wanted to move to Ameria but her parents refused it. "You can move anywhere else; you can go to Australia or England but not America." Leena continued to pray, knowing God was calling her to the States. Then a miracle happened. One monring, her dad woke her up and said he would let her go to college in America and would go with her to get her settled. Amazing! A heart of stone began to turn. Leena found about about Indiana Wesleyan (where I attend) through her principal who had a son attending there. She had heard about it previously from someone on a bus in London! Of all places to hear of small IWU!

Anyways, Leena was accepted to IWU and came in the fall of 2005. God has really worked in her life since then and in her family's life. There were two parts of her story that really moved me however. She has been faithfully praying for her family's salvation for 9 years and has just recently begun seeing God answering those prayers with her father and sister. Do I have that kind of committment? I haven't prayed that long for one person, or persons... ever and I feel so ashamed of that. I have people I want to pray for, for that long but I don't. And there is no good reason. No, no reason. Secondly, Leena commented on one of the first things she recognized when coming to America, Indiana nonetheless, in the friendly Midwest. She was excited to be here and be able to go to church for the first time, read her Bible openly, etc--all things we take for granted, among other things. Now, having been here only 3 years she is starting to notice how she takes these things for granted as well. My thought: look what we have done to her!! Hearing her talk, the Lord radiates from her and you can see His love through her, but being in America has tainted her, weakened appreciation and fervor. What is it about our culture and society that has this effect? Why are we do quick to ignore what some fight so hard to keep?

These are all things I've heard before and have been grateful for but rarely taken deep to heart. something about Leena's story though moved me in a different way. I felt with her and nearly cried in happiness for her. Lord, I do not want to become calloused. I do not want to forget what I'm so thankful to have. I do take for granted the comforts you have provided for me. Forgive me Lord...it is not what I want to do.