“…..Uwrap him and let him loose”. John 11:44 ( The Message version)
After my two years of serving as a global mission fellow, I was deeply convinced that I wanted to continue serving God. Not anywhere else but in the United Methodist Church. For your information, I was not born a United Methodist, you may wonder why I had this deep conviction.
In 2006 when my family was forcefully moved from our rural home in Busia to Nairobi, my schooling was cut short because my younger siblings and I had been chased away from school too. I was in grade 8 and my education continuity highly depended on this year. But here I was, forced to leave because of what my father believed in. He had become a “Metho-nerd.” While he had changed from being a pastor of an Anglican Church to a UMC, my mother and us (children) were still Anglican. But by the virtue of his change, we became the victims of denial and rejection of the extended family who saw UMC as a devil-worshiping church. To summarize my long life experience, we were evicted from home; that led to our house being burned down.
The United Methodist Church in Kayole Nairobi, became our only hope. A shelter when we needed one.. As a teenager who saw her academic life strangled, I questioned God why this had to happen. But it is during this time of brokenness that I developed a personal intimate relationship with God. It is during this time that I had a sacred voice calling me into the work of love and justice. In finding spiritual peace, I saw the need for social peace. Therefore, my presence at the General Conference from May 20th 2024, cemented my conviction that I have always had. To serve as a Deaconess in the UMC.
Leah Wandera
MFSA Photo
While I was present physically at GC and virtually present for the last 3 days, I witnessed divine transformation in the UMC, that for long we have prayed for. While I witnessed this, I couldn’t help asking myself, why do we have some actions pending? Why is ratification to be done again? Who will ensure all this work being sent back to our annual conferences is done?
While I traveled back home to Omaha with these questions, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the sacred text from John 11-1-44, about the resurrection of Lazarus. I have heard the sermon from this text several times. However, at this time, my attention was brought to the final statement of verse 44, where Jesus invited those present to unwrap Lazarus and let him loose. So much is happening in this text that reminded me of our UMC. From being ill, to losing his life, and to getting his life back. This past General Conference was a resurrection. A restoration. A divine work of God. Jesus just turned and invited us United Methodists to participate in completing this divine obligation.
But where are we? Are we still running away? Are we afraid of touching him? Are we thinking of how he should be cleansed before being welcomed back because where I come from that would be a discussion! Are we still folding our hands not ready to embrace him? Are we still in denial that Lazarus is still not alive and so feeling hesitant to unwrap him?
I think of what our annual conferences have been tasked with. The divine obligation to bring spiritual and social holiness. I also admit that I need the intervention of grace and love to do this. And my hope lies in Jesus inviting me and you to complete the divine task.
We haven’t invited ourselves, because by our own powers we cannot. But by the power invested in us by God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we can unwrap the outcomes of the General Conference, let it loose, love another other, connect and keep the mission spirit alive.
Deaconess Leah Wandera is a member of the Methodist Federation for Social Action Board of Directors and the Co-Convener of the MFSA Program Council. This post is republished from MFSA Voices.