Testimony 1
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It was a late August night at Chicago O'Hare airport. We were one of three families who, along with a translator, had gathered to welcome a young refugee family from Bosnia - a widowed mom and her two children.
The father had been taken from their home, beaten and returned to the home to die when the youngest was under a year old.
The family's home had also been bombed -- twice. The second time, the mom was thrown across a room. She was rendered unconscious, and she severely injured her back.
When she was released from the hospital, she was homeless and the family had to live in the fields. Often there was no food or milk. Little wonder they were deemed refugees.
Coming from the fields of Bosnia and arriving in O'Hare was a shock to the kids. They didn't speak any English. Upon arrival, they wouldn't even pay attention to the birthday cake and song we were singing for the mom who had just turned 29 the day before.
Struck with fear, the six year old girl and four year old boy clung to their mom's legs and they struggled to make their way to the airport garage.
Once at the garage, I presented the boy with a bicycle my 4 year old son had donated to the family. I asked the translator to tell the boy that the bike was for him, and that there were two more bikes at home for his mom and sister. The boy, who couldn't look at us when they first arrived, was now beaming.
Four years later, when we got together again, we reminisced about their arrival. When it came to the part about presenting the bike in the airport garage, the mom told us the rest of the story. It was a story she couldn't tell us back then as she couldn't speak English.
When in Bosnia, she frequently comforted the kids by telling them, "Maybe when we get to America, I can get you a bike." And she prayed to God, "Lord, when I get to America, could you please help me get bikes for the kids."
As soon as she arrived, they had their bicycles. God is so faithful.
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