Sunday, March 7, 2010

The rest of the true story

I was on the way to Krakow with my sweet husband just four days ago for another business trip. We were driving down the road talking and enjoying the drive. Our cell phone rang and Daniel, one of our volunteers in Poznan, told me that a man from Kenya was trying to get hold of us on the phone. I asked if he knew who it was and he said that he had tried to give our cell phone number but the phone kept disconnecting. He never got a name.

My husband and I tried to figure out who might be calling. Most of the people we knew there did not have access to call us, and it would be very expensive. In the back of my mind I remembered the blog about Jackson. Maybe he had read the story and decided to contact us. It has been many years since we were able to talk to Jackson. He had no computer and no phone. Our contact had been mainly through other missionaries and friends in Nairobi.

It was after dark, we were still on the road and the phone rang. It was a 254# and we recognized that it was from Kenya. However, when I answered the call was lost. So, I decided to send a text in case the person was using a cell phone. I said "Please try again, we lost your call...who is this please?"

Minutes passed as we waited to see if there would be a response. My phone sounded the alarm that there was a new text message. I looked and the message read:

It is ur son Jackson Tustin. I found you on the internet and saw pictures of my sisters, they are so big now! I also saw pictures of mum and she is beautiful.

I sobbed as I read the message. While we have been telling Jackson's story for many years we have not been able to talk to him for so long. There was a piece of my heart that came back to me on that cold drive to Krakow. I remembered taking Jackson out to dinner one of last nights in Kenya. We had ordered dinner and we told Jackson that our time in Nairobi was almost over. We told him we would have to leave in two weeks. Though he knew it was coming this was a shock to Jackson. He laid his head on the table and wept. We tried consoling him but he was grieving. Leaving him was one of the most difficult things we ever had to do.

Later that night, when we arrived in Krakow, we were able to call Jackson and I heard his voice after so long. He is indeed a man now. He coaches soccer for kids and works as a guard, still living in Kibera. I am also a grandmother of a bright, beautiful young man who is 8 years old, my Kenyan grandson.

Jackson said to me "Mom, do you remember the time I got the shoes?" I asked Jackson if he had read the blog, because I had written about this story on my blog. He said no. He told me that though he had given his heart to Christ it was when God gave him those shoes was when he knew God loved him. He told me that today he still remembers that and he loves God. My mother's heart was full.

Jackson still has a very difficult life. I think it did his heart good to know that we missed him as much as he had missed us. We laughed and cried together. When we said goodbye we promised that we would not lose contact.

I guess I wanted to share the rest of this story with you because I feel so blessed. Many times people ask us what happened to Jackson and it felt so bad to have to say that we had not been in touch with him for so long. I even wondered if he remembered us, but now I know. What God starts He is FAITHFUL to and He will FINISH!

God loves us...Oh Happy Day! :)

10 comments:

HelKa said...

THANK YOU MAMA, FOR SHARING! It is amazing!!!!

Anonymous said...

Being God's child is the biggest blessing that exist!! Jackson could be one of the characters in Biblical parables! Have a great Sunday.
Hania

Farmgirl Paints said...

What an absolutely precious story. I'm so glad you were able to reconnect with this man. Isn't God faithful!! My heart is so full for you.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful heart felt ending to such a touching story. My heart is filled with joy that you were able to reconnect with your son Jackson. He is faithful indeed and someday you will be reunited forever. It doesn't get any better than that.

Hugs ~Andrea~

Tina @ Girl Meets Globe said...

How absolutely precious to have those words with him!! I got chills just reading!!

City Girl Turns Country said...

How blessed you and Jackson are....

Farmgirl Paints said...

Oh Miss Rhonda...please don't ever stop commenting. You are one of my very favorite one's to hear from! I have missed you and thought maybe you were taking a break for awhile.

What you said is 100% true. Blogging is very much how you described and it's my heart's desire to go deeper than that. I hope that comes across.

What a blessing to have seen those joyful faces. I'm sure you carry them with you every day. It's my heart's desire to someday go to those places and to see first hand what I've heard about. I know it would change me and my family forever.

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

I don't know this whole story, but just what I read brings tears to my eyes. What a blessing for you all!

Beth said...

Oh... what a wonderful story! Thanks for posting this. I am so happy for your family. You are BLESSED!!
Sending hugs!!

Beth

Free Art Printables said...

That is such a wonderful story. You really told it well and it made my heart give a little tug. Such a blessing!