I bless the rains … 

Those were tears in my eyes. I do that more than I used to, and I’m good with it. They aren’t always tears of joy, but these were. 

There had just been some powerful sharing of experiences on Saturday morning. And then some music snuck in to push me deeper the way it often does at Prince of Peace. This time it wasn’t the well done sacred music that it usually is here, but rather an ear worm from my past, which my heart recognized from the battle to tear down white apartheid in the mid 80’s. 

“I stopped an old man along the way 
Hopin’ to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies 
He turned to me as if to say 
“Hurry, boy (friends), it’s waiting there for you.” 

Then the refrain began which I’m still singing as I write this. 

“I bless the rains down in Africa.*” 

Well done, Leah Jablonski, who created the video. And, Pastor Tim, Kirsten Anderson, Erin Shah, Sherry Jablonski who have also returned with her from our trip to one of our Global Partners, Grain of Rice Academy in Kenya.** The joy, power, challenges, depth of faith of your experience made clear that God blessed you “down in Africa.” And all those you met. And now us. I hope you’ll watch the 11 minute video here.

I’ve never been to Africa, but I have been to Haiti. Unlike the 30 hour flights to Kenya our group just took, Haiti is just a two hour flight from Miami. I grieve that we can’t safely visit our 4 Global Partners in Haiti right now. I still remember the caveat I read on my flight there, “Don’t make this trip to change Haiti. God will use Haiti to change you.” God did. As God did to me in El Salvador. Palestine and New Orleans. God is like that. You did it again, Lord, this time “down in Africa” and I only went there by video.

Pastor Jim Wilson

* by Toto, 1982, inspired by missionaries who prayed to bless the rain, crops and people in Africa.
** We have 13 Global Partners at Prince of Peace. We are intimately connected by faith and love to each of them, and they to us.