Morley Update 2011 #33

Everyone,

The word “word”. Right now I am typing this in Microsoft Word. We say things like “May I have a word with you?”, but in reality we usually mean “I’m going to talk your leg off”. Or maybe that’s just me. You’ve heard of “a man with a thousand faces”? Well, I am probably a woman with a thousand words. My husband once said jokingly “there are people who can talk on any subject – Myrna doesn’t even NEED a subject!” But that is in English…

My Farsi skills are limited to single words. Many of them are pretty useless such as “zamburr” which means Bumblebee. But there are some words that I use. I can say things like “la bas seshambe” or Clothes - Wednesday. When we are eating together I use “hooshmaze” (delicious) and words like “ab” and “noon” (water and bread). In the kids room, I know the words for “coloring, craft, glue and sit down”.

On Tuesdays I often begin the day working as a greeter. I like this job because I only need a few words. For Persian people greetings are very important. If you are having a conversation with someone and a new person joins, you must immediately stop what you are doing and greet that person or it is considered very rude. So I stand near the door and as people enter I welcome them. If it is a man I place my hand on my chest, nod and say “Salaam”. If it is a woman, I say “Salaam” and receive a handshake or the traditional three kisses. The kids usually run up for a hug if they are regulars or hide behind their mothers if they are new.

This Tuesday as I was greeting, a woman came in who has been here for about a month. I gave her little girl a small pack of color crayons the first day they came and so we are friends. I said “Salaam”. She didn’t really respond so I said, “Khoobee” (How are you?). At the sound of that word her face crumpled and she burst into tears. I pulled her into my arms murmuring “Chi?” (What?) She finally got out a few words and through her sobs I caught the word “Baba” or father. I then knew that her husband was missing. She is the second woman in three days to come in crying because her husband is gone. The first woman’s husband is in jail – for expired papers. This woman’s husband went out to make a phone call and never came back. Without a man these women and their children are left without protection or support. They come to us because in a dark city we are sometimes the only ray of hope they have found. The only word I knew to say was “Babakshid” (I’m sorry) and it didn’t seem like enough. But then I remembered another word.

The gospel of John tells us in Chapter 1 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. If Jesus is the Word then what was He saying? As I hugged her I realized Jesus was whispering “You’re not alone”.

Could it be that maybe, just maybe God didn’t need MY words in order to speak? As I thought about it, I looked back over the last few weeks.

When a woman showed me her cracked and bleeding lips and I gave her a packet of antibiotic ointment – God was saying “I care”.

When a child, who lives in an abusive home, came and climbed onto my lap and I cuddled them in my arms – God was saying “You’re safe”.

When a group of refugee men came to dinner and I set the table with my best dishes and lit candles – God was saying “You’re special”.

When a child brought me the craft they'd just made and I gave them a hug and hung it on the bulletin board – God was saying “Well done”.

On the wall in my dining room, I have a scripture which says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations”. God doesn’t need me to speak. I can hold someone’s hand, give them a hug or wipe away their tears. God’s message of Love will come through loud and clear.

Serving Him Together,
Kent and Myrna Morley
Tripoleos 76
Elliniko 16777
Athens Greece
011 30 210 96 38 625
backhoeboy1@juno.com
http://kent-uniquelymorley.blogspot.com
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