We Should Pray For Enye

On Easter Sunday, May 5^th, we were invited to eat dinner with people from the community in which we live. A sheep had been slaughtered and the women were busy preparing when I and a friend arrived. After a moment of scanning the scene, my eye caught a little white boy toddle out of the kitchen-house - Micah. He was happying chewing on something as he made his way over to me to show off his great find. I inspected his hors devours carefully – something white and rubbery. “Is that fat?” I asked my Gmz friend, “No, it’s intestine,” he responded with a smile. I mustered a tight smile and turned back to Micah as he turned and ran off to play. “May God give him a stomach of iron!”

 

After another minute, up walked probably the oldest person I know, a Gmz man named Enye, estimated to be over 100 years old. I am amazed at how well he gets around, despite his back being bent at a 90 degree angle. Incredible! But that’s not all. I’m even more amazed at how sharp his mind is. After greeting him, we sat down together and talked. He had remembered that we had left for the States last summer, and he also remembered that I had promised to bring him back some clothes. He was happy to hear that I had followed through, after all how could I forget? You see, many nights before Micah goes to bed, we pray together asking him who specifically we should pray for. Most often he says,  “Janey, Work’u, and Thomas,” the three Gmz translators. But wasn’t uncommon, especially early in our time in the States for him to say, “Enye, we should pray for Enye, and Wotaak.” WoTaak was our old friend who came and drank tea at our house probably twice a week and so Micah knew him well, but Enye visited us only once in the months that preceded our furlough. Yet somehow, Enye had made in impact on Micah, and so we prayed for him many nights.

 

The next morning, Enye came to our house to collect the clothes we had brought back for him (including a nice Pizza Hut polo shirt!). As he came in and sat down, Micah greeted him with excitement. He gave Enye his hand (which is somewhat rare for Micah to initiate). Enye took Micah’s hand in his left hand and kissed it (Enye’s right arm was shot off by his son years ago in a gun accident). Then Micah, brought Enye’s hand to his mouth and kissed it, just as was expected of him.  Amazing. Many times we are pulling metaphorical teeth in order for Micah to give verbal greetings to strangers, but here Micah was demonstrating that Enye was no stranger. He had a special place in that little heart.

 

After drinking tea together and sharing some breakfast, Enye took his new clothes and headed home. I guess Micah wanting to say a longer goodbye, and so walked behind Enye up the hill and out of sight from our house. What is about Enye that has captured Micah’s love? I don’t know. Maybe it’s his small frame or his bent over posture. But maybe it’s just God stirring Micah’s heart so that we as a family might not cease to pray for him. Maybe it’s God’s way of fine-tuning our hearts closer to his.