“Sista” and God’s Love

 “Sista” and God’s love...For those of you who are not familiar with me, or where I am, and what I am doing, my name is John Michael Stainsby. I am a missionary in Ghana, West Africa. I am on site working with a team to establish an orphanage in the small village/town of Abuakwa Canna, outside the city of Kumasi. The orphanage name is Step By Step Children’s Orphanage.

                                 
 When I first moved into the “neighborhood” where we are establishing our inaugural orphanage, I was greeted with a mixture of Ghanaian hospitality, curiosity and acceptance. You see, I am the only "Oburoni" or white person, in this area of Abuakwa. But within a short period of time, the residents of this tightly knit community made this "Oburoni" one of their own and now I am home here. Most of the local children quickly embraced me and the ones in our immediate area, about twenty or so, would seek me out daily so they could spend time with me. I am "Papa John" to them. They could see and unreservedly accept the love I had for them; that limitless love Jesus has implanted in my heart for children. When they saw me walking or coming from the orphanage grounds, the children would run to me, the three year olds up to early teens...…except one little 7 yr. old girl named "Sista". This is a story of Sista and God's love.

                                       

 Whenever she saw me she would run for the hills! I never saw anyone run so fast in flip-flops! The other children thought it was funny. She had this look of fear in her eyes every time she saw me. Even a few times, the children would “catch” her and try to force her to come to me. She would overcome their grasp and escape! As I came to find out, she was terrified by my "goatee" of all things. Oh, and I was white...forgot about that...Sista had a misperception of me.

 Sista would evade me whenever she saw me coming. Sometimes she would run through the gates of the local school yard and hide in one of the buildings. I even brought her little gifts to show her I cared for her. I held onto one gift for a full five weeks just so I could give it to her in person. I loved her even when she wrongly feared and rejected me. 

“We love Him because He loved us first.”  1 John 4:19

 I pursued her with love. It took two months, but one day I came home and she was there at my door waiting for me. She came up to me and wrapped her little arms around me and just held on. Sista had made a decision. She finally understood how much I loved her and she came to me. Now she loves me. She is now very close to me. The misperceptions are gone. Love took care of that. She loves me because I loved her first. And I pursued her with that love. It's all about God's love. “Let him love you” the children told her. Those little evangelists!!! J

                                              

 God is always pursuing us with His perfect love. He is out to capture us with that love. Now Sista comes to church with us and piles into the car with the others, including her little sister Madua! We serve a great and wonderful and loving God! - Papa John