Very recently a good man passed away after a battle with Leukemia. His
name was Pieter Boersma, he was born in South Africa, your mother and I came to
know him and his family in 2009 when we journeyed to Mozambique. Pieter and his
wife Rika had a calling from God to serve those in need, and serve them they
did. They founded an orphanage and took in children that had been abandoned or
orphaned, many due to the ravages of AIDS on the country.
I remember learning of their mission with your mother in church when
another missionary came to speak of various efforts across the globe. In 2009
the world economy went through a deep economic recession and at the time the
company I worked for, Eaton, decided in addition to laying off 10% of their
employees that those remaining would take “MULA’s”. The acronym sounds better
than the definition, Mandatory Unpaid Leave of Absence, so one week unpaid each
quarter. Honestly at the time I didn’t mind as I just felt grateful to still
have good meaningful work with a good company that was doing the best they
could given the uncertainty in the world at the time.
Your Mother and I quickly decided this would be perhaps our only
opportunity for this much time off for the foreseeable future, and began making
plans for a 3 week journey. There is nothing quite like setting out for a 20
hour journey to the opposite end of the world. I have always had a thirst for
adventure, but that didn’t stop the sinking feeling in my gut as we set out,
but as with any adventure having a steadfast travel companion allays many a
fear. We flew first to New York City where we spent the night before boarding a
15 hour flight directly from NYC to Johannesburg South Africa, from there we
took another 1 hour flight to Maputo Mozambique.
We arrived in a world our imaginations had struggled to form, and that we
could not fully prepare for. Overall we were simply elated to have arrived, and
we quickly located Pieter and Rika in the airport and went for lunch. One of
the first things I noticed is that your mother turned a lot of heads, there
were not a tremendous amount of blonde women walking around in town. My mind
initially went to how I would defend her absent of any decent weapons…. As an
American I was used to at least having the option of being armed! One thing I
will say- for some reason when I think of foreign places my mind gravitates
towards thinking everyone is out to get me. My personal experience to all
corners of the world including Saudi Arabia has dispelled that. I think the
media and some good cherry-picking of unfortunate events has done a lot to
instill fear into people. Now a healthy dose of caution and common sense when
dealing with unfamiliar surroundings is still a sound practice no matter where
you go.
I think the most overwhelming thing to me was it all seemed a bit
chaotic- the airport where we had to file papers for lost luggage (got it on
the next plane- no thanks to anyone in the airport though) the traffic (your
father once literally laid across the laps of 3 strangers who were totally used
to it, though not used to it being a “white” their term) one of the things that
stood out the most is the population was 98% young people. I believe in the two
weeks we spent there we may have seen a total of 5 people over 60. The experience
at the hospitals and caring for many of the children that were born with HIV
and had lost their parents to AIDS demonstrated that long life was a rarity,
not the norm.
The Boersma’s orphanage was a fantastic home for our two weeks. At the
time they had around 12 children, aged infant to 6 years old. If you ever begin
to feel entitled to anything, a good exercise would be to visit an orphanage,
here in the US but especially in a 3rd world country. Stepping one
foot inside, and for the briefest of moments entering into their lives one cannot
help but feel overwhelmingly blessed. To have parents to raise and care for
you, food in your stomach, a roof and quality medical care, to be loved and
held, to be clean and have access to an education. There are innumerable things
we begin slowly to take for granted in life. I will as you all grow caution and
watch for the attitude of “this world owes me something”. In fact it does not,
and those that feel that they are victims of the world are destined to live
lives of envy, bitterness and sorrow. I saw joy in those children that escapes
even the most fortunate of the rich world. These orphans did not expect
anything, and so whatever they did receive was a blessing they cherished, we
should live life the same.
One thing that stayed with me the most is how much they wanted and needed
my attention. There was never enough energy to satisfy them, and often they
wanted one on one time. To ride on my shoulders, be pushed around in one of the
hobbled together toys they had, to play soccer, or sit and read in my terrible
Portuguese. They simply wanted what had been denied to them, to be the focus of
someone’s love and affection, to be someone’s joy, often just to be held, we
are not meant to live solitary lives. When I think of the love all 3 of you
have growing up it makes me so happy, but at the same time it pains my heart to
know children every bit as worthy of love go neglected every hour of every day.
Enter people like Pieter and Rika. They lead a comfortable life in
Mozambique, which is to say they lead an uncomfortable life compared to almost
anywhere else in the world. Sometimes there is running water, sometimes not,
fuel and electricity are sporadic at best, Malaria is common and Pieter had it
at least twice, and if you do get sick the nearest quality healthcare would be across
the border- hours away in South Africa. They also did not allow these
challenges and their fears hold them back from starting a family of their own,
they have 3 boys that face the very things they do. Yet with these challenges
and so many more they willingly entered into this pain in the world that needed
addressing, they did not shy away from the calling they felt God placed in
their heart, and keep in mind, Pieter still got cancer, still suffered after
caring for the suffering. The point of the work we do as Christians is not so
we will be repaid in this life with comfort and peace, it is so we can answer
Gods call and save people in this so very brief life before we face the eternal
life that is to come.
People often turn away from God when misfortune strikes them, as though
they believed God has turned his back on them. Scour the bible, those who walk
closest with God are often the very same people who suffer most in this world,
and for good reason, if a holy life was simple Jesus would not have had to come
and die for our sins, the road to destruction is wide, the path of righteousness
is narrow and testing. God didn’t promise this life to be easy for one reason-
it barely matters. What is 10,40, even 100 years of suffering in comparison to
eternity, what does it matter to build treasures here when we cannot retain
them, Pieter was focused on the prize, his eternal life, and leading others to
an eternal life and relationship with Jesus that would bear the ultimate gift
for them and their descendants, the gift of Gods salvation. As people we often
judge the quality of life in years, comfort, or possessions that point to a
rich life of elegance. God does not judge it so, and deep in our hearts what we
long for is not the treasures of the world, it is for a peace that passes understanding.
Pieter is now surrounded by love and joy, he knows neither fear, nor
hunger, no sadness or pain, his race is run and he has won. Every day around
this world good women and men pass quietly away, the world did not know them,
and it did not love them, but God and those they cared for did. I am so proud
to have known such a man and his family, and I want you to know him as well
which is why I am writing you. He lived, he mattered, and I will see him again.
Legacy does not need to be widely known and publicized to be impactful, if you
leave one person behind who knows the purpose of this life because of yours,
then you have done well.
One thing I am going to start mentioning is songs I am listening to and
loving- so this writings are…. Need to Breathe- Cages, Judah and the Lion- Suit
and Jacket, Radical Face- Always Gold, and Cereus Bright- Stella
Cora- you went from training wheels to riding your bike in about 24
hours. I tried to help you but you really just wanted to do it on your own. After
kind of paddling around on your bike you just started riding, you and I went
around the block about 10 times the first day- you have been loving it ever
since. You ride around quite a bit with Adam, our next door neighbor. The other
recent development is you playing volleyball. It’s so fun to watch you play and
enjoy yourself, you are so much more confident then you used to be, though I
guess there has always been a streak of “I want to do it myself” you were
typically shy around others, not so much anymore. You are quite independent which
I love, you are so helpful around the house and are growing into such a well-rounded
person it is amazing to watch. I am also happy that you are still my sweet
little girl, and when you are not biting and punching and wrestling with me you
always want to cuddle. I love you so much.
Quinn, or Quinsters as I call you most of the time, Deacon calls you
Quins-minsters. I also commonly refer to you as a little monster, a hot mess
express, and the family calls you our peacock due to the often heard loud
pitched call coming from you! At just over a year old you are fully your own
woman, hell bent on what you set your mind to and full of emotional distraught
and anger when things don’t go your way. Thankfully you are as cute as can be
and provide “loves” often to us all, you typically will walk up and turn your
head sideways and lay it on the person you are being affectionate to, then you
will smack them a few times in the face while smiling and do it all over again.
Your hair looks pretty red to me, and your eyes a beautiful shade of blue. You
are our most fearless climber, its never a surprise though is often a shock to
find you perched high atop something you should not be, completely and
blissfully unaware of the mortal danger. As with your Sister and Brother before
you, you and I are getting to be better and better friends as you grow older,
you love following around and being part of the fun. Often while I wrestle with
your siblings you will walk up and plant yourself on my chest to be included. Our
lives are all fuller now that you are here, even the neighborhood kids treasure
pulling you around in what has become your little green wagon- JoJo or Sophie especially.
I love you with all my heart.
