One morning recently, our team was preparing to go to the beach and spend time with the Lord. About 10 minutes before we were to leave, we received word from one our hosts, Wen (names have been shortened to honor those involved) that there was a great loss during the night. Our other host, An’s close family friend, Sha had to leave Jay Bay quickly yesterday to return to her home town and care for her ailing Mother. Sha’s mother had been injured in a hit and run. Sha left her eldest daughter, Iss to care for her other daughter, Bhu and grandchildren A and K while she was away. Sadly, there was a fire during the night and Sha’s daughter Bhu and grandchildren A and K died. What a tragic loss for Sha, Iss and this community. Death has a ripple effect; beginning with the family, then friends, then community and beyond. This is a major loss for the community.
I can imagine how this will impact Sha, her surving daughter, Iss and her Mother, Sha’s siblings, Sha’s family friends, the children’s school; the teachers and staff, their fellow students, those they were closest to and those who knew of them, neighbors, friends throughout Jay Bay and beyond.
When I was in 3rd grade, on New Year’s Eve, my Grandmother and Niece died in a house fire. In the days and weeks that followed my Mom, Aunt and Uncles came together to clean out and sift through the remains of the house. Each laying claim to what they found and taking it home to have as a keepsake. Once the initial clean out was finished other formalities happened like reading the will and dividing things accordingly. This brought about division that went on for most of my childhood and into my adult years. I have seen how the pain of loss and grief brings out different sides of people which can lead to division, broken relationships and more pain.
Ephesians 4 talks about unity in the body of Christ. In verses 2-3 it says “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” This is my prayer for Sha and her family, that they will join together in unity as they grieve.
The community that our team is apart of has come around Sha and her daughter, Iss to provide for their needs. Everything they owned save the clothes on their backs, were lost in the house fire. A family has taken Sha and her daughter in, providing for their housing needs. A drive was quickly organized to gather hygiene items, clothing and household items. Plans are being made now to build a new home for Sha and her daughter, Iss in the next month.
Sha works at a coffee house that is a owned by An and her husband. They organized the drive and made the coffee house the site to drop off donations. The staff at the coffee house were surprised by so many people bringing things for Sha and her family. They wanted to know why strangers cared so much for someone they do not know. They were touched by the love and generosity that they saw happening before their eyes, without any expectation. What a wonderful testament to the love of the Lord, how His love is transforming and enables us to love others freely.
