No Place to Lay His Head

Pastor Raburn has been my translator in clinic the majority of the time I have been here. I’ve really appreciated working with him because of the knowledge and wisdom he brings. I love working with the younger translators who are my age because we have become great friends and have fun together, but Pastor Raburn brings a lot of insight and wisdom to clinic everyday. At the end of each session with my patients, I ask my patients what I can pray for and then we pray. But sometimes, I know that Pastor translates more than what I say, and he goes off on his own compassionate tangents as he, too, shares Christ’s love. I really appreciate that. Sometimes though, he says something that really hits me and sticks with me.

Last week, I went to grab a ball from the floor to use for an exercise. As I picked it up, I innocently said to myself, “This ball is really dirty,” and I began to wipe the dust off on my dress.
“My sister Sarah,” Pastor Raburn began, “if this is dirty, what would you think of my house? What would you think of her house?” pointing to Passianna, my patient at the time. Stab in my chest. I fumbled over my words for a couple of seconds trying to explain what I “really” meant. But knowing nothing I could say would cover up what had been said, I apologized. “Pastor, you are right. I am sorry.”

This week in clinic, my patient Kesnel came in asking for medication because he had a headache and because he was not able to sleep. I was finishing up with a patient so Kesnel was waiting in my therapy room. A few minutes later I looked over at Kesnel who was sitting in a chair with his head against the wall asleep. I looked at Pastor and smiled and said, “Well, I guess he can sleep okay now.”

“You know why he can sleep? Because this room is the kind of place everyone should be able to sleep in. Quiet. Cool temperature. Safe. Clean.” The tents that many people, including himself, live in, don’t provide those things. “Oh my sister; we are human. We are not meant to live like this.”

Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:19-20