On a bitterly cold Sunday morning in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, I noticed a young married couple sitting on a stone wall outside the local church. They were shivering, huddled together for warmth, seemingly invisible to the steady stream of people passing by, their eyes fixed straight ahead. Something about the scene stopped me in my tracks.
Curious, I approached them and asked what they were doing there. The young man looked up and replied, “We’re waiting for the service to start.” Despite the biting cold, his voice carried a quiet dignity.
“Where do you live?” I asked.
“About 25 kilometres away,” the woman responded softly but steadily. She mentioned Trenance, a suburb far from the church—especially on foot.
“You walked all that way?”
“Yes,” they replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Before I could ask more, the church bell rang, signalling the start of the service. I watched as they rose, walked inside, and settled quietly in the back pew. Something about their determination stuck with me. There was a story here—one that begged to be uncovered.
A Simple Meal, A Profound Revelation
After the service, I found them sipping tea and nibbling on the simple biscuits offered to everyone. Unable to hold back, I asked, “When was the last time you had a proper meal?”
“Three days ago,” the young man replied without a hint of self-pity. His wife nodded in agreement.
That was it. “You’re coming home with me,” I said, leaving no room for debate.
They hesitated but eventually agreed. At my home, I opened a can of baked beans and handed them a loaf of bread to butter while I prepared the meal. By the time I turned back, half the loaf was already gone.
They were hungry—not the fleeting hunger many of us feel but the kind that lives in your bones. Watching them eat was both humbling and heartbreaking.
As they finished, the young man leaned back, a small smile spreading across his face. I couldn’t resist asking, “How do you wake up every day and live like this?”
His response has stayed with me ever since: “I always put Jesus Christ out in front of me.”
Lessons in Resilience and Faith
That simple yet profound statement hit me like a wave. Here was a man with so little—no car, no steady meals, no escape from the cold—yet he carried something far greater. His focus wasn’t on what he lacked but on the faith that sustained him.
This moment made me reflect on my own life. How often do we, in the comforts of Western living, take our blessings for granted? We have warm homes, full pantries, and conveniences we rarely notice, yet we often lose sight of what truly matters—our faith, our families, our health, and our communities.
The young man’s quiet strength reminded me that life’s most profound sustenance doesn’t come from material things but from the deeper connections to what we hold sacred. His unwavering faith in Zimbabwe, despite unimaginable hardships, was a testament to the power of perspective and resilience.
A Question Worth Pondering
Since that day, I’ve tried to live by his words. They serve as a reminder to ask myself: Where is my focus? What carries me through the challenges of life?
It’s worth asking yourself the same. What do you put out in front of you?
This couple’s story has forever changed the way I view faith and resilience. Their unwavering determination and belief have inspired me to cherish what truly matters in life.
Let their story inspire you, too. Faith, hope, and love aren’t just ideals—they are the cornerstones of a life well-lived.
