Mini Storm in MoraZa

NOBODY WENT TO CHURCH THAT SABBATH. For the very first time in the history of the Moraza church, nobody showed up at all. I wondered how the missionaries felt. Had everyone backslidden? “Oh Lord,” I prayed. “Please don’t let them all leave because of me!”

You see, I knew that I was to blame for all of this. I should have been more patient with my non-Adventist cousin, George. I had a fight with him about the boundary of our rice fields. We were both clearing our fields, one day, preparing them for planting. I was clearing the portion which I believed was ours when I heard him holler, “Hey, Elena, that’s part of our land! You’re claiming what’s not yours.”

I was furious! “This is part of our land,” I retorted. “I know what my father left for me before he died.”
We exchanged quite a few unpleasant words that day.  Finally, we both decided to just leave the whole thing alone. I decided not to work on the land anymore, and he did the same.

I was fetching water from the well a few days later when one of my neighbors said, “Elena, George said his family doesn’t consider you a relative anymore because of what happened at the farm the other day.”

I didn’t reply, but I was hurt. When my bucket was full I picked it up and turned to leave.  As I turned I saw Solena, George’s sister, coming toward the well with an empty bucket in her hand. Solena is an Adventist, and she’s my best friend. I wondered if she was angry with me as well. I tried to read her expression, and waited to see if she would talk to me.  But she didn’t.  In fact, she passed by me as if she didn’t even notice that I was there.

“So, I guess it’s true,” I thought. “The whole family hates me, even Solena.”

The bucket of water felt strangely heavy in my hand as I walked home.

Not surprisingly, the news about my inglorious incident with George at the farm spread around the whole village. Even the church was affected.

You see, Solena and I are leaders.  The other members look up to us. Before the incident with George, we had been a team.  Whether we were leading Bible studies or coordinating church events, we were always together. Oh, how much I missed those days. They suddenly seemed to be all part of a distant past.

Nobody went to church that Sabbath. I didn’t blame them.  I didn’t feel like I could worship God with such a burden in my heart either.

“I feel so alone,” I was crying to Redly, the missionary, when she came to visit me later that evening. “I have no relatives here. Both of my parents are gone. And now, God is my only friend.”

“But Solena doesn’t hate you!” Redly replied. “I was at her house, just this morning.  She told me that she loves you because you are her best friend.  Of course she loves her brother too. But she told me that she can’t afford to lose either of you.”
“She really said that?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes, she did,” Redly assured me. “Don’t listen to what people are saying.”

It was as if heavy weight was lifted off my chest. My best friend, my sister, my partner in ministry didn’t hate me after all!
I was the first to arrive at church the following Sabbath. Thank God that the other members also came.  Best of all, Solena was there too!  We chatted happily, and made plans for the church as if nothing had ever happened.

During the testimony time, I shared what I told Redly when she came to visit me. “I feel so alone. I have no relatives here. Now that both of my parents are gone, God is my best friend.” And then I added, “But I thank God that I still have Solena with me!”
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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God,” (Matt 5:9 NKJV).
 
 
**Names have been changed to protect privacy.

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