For us the story continues!

Leopold in better days...

The good, the bad, and the ugly…
Love tends to include pain. Today we heard devastating news from Leopold. Via WhatsApp we listened to his somber halting voice as he told us that his precious son Emmanuel had been killed in Burkina Faso.

Leopold was our housekeeper / cook and mentor & uncle to our small children. He and his family truly became family to us. Emmanuel was the same age as Anna. They played together. Leopold made huge financial sacrifices to allow Manuel to graduate with a master’s degree in engineering. Manuel was married and his wife is pregnant with their first baby. After graduating, he had taken a three-month contract in Burkina Faso - a country that is being overrun by terrorists. Last Wednesday was the last day of his contract. He was shot by terrorists the following day. Circumstances are still blurry.

Aside from deeply grieving with Leopold and his family, we also struggle with survivor’s guilt. We left those who had become dear to us in places that have become increasingly dangerous to live in. Some of their children have begged us to help them come to Canada. However, we are simply unable to help them overcome the prejudice of the Canadian government against African want-to-be immigrants who don’t have fat bank accounts. On top of that, the unwanted actions of terrorists in their countries smears our innocent friends and family with an additional negative label that they ‘come from a terrorist country’ making it even harder to be eligible for immigration.

I may have published a book about the lighter side of our life in Niger. However, for us this is a book without ending. The darker side of our experience includes the fact that we had the means and privilege to escape the increasing danger that we left our dear friends to endure. They go to church with the chance that a group of extremists will come to kill all worshippers in the building.
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It is at times like this that we have hard questions for God. Questions that we don’t always get an immediate response to. All we can hold on to is that God cries when we cry. So, let us take some time to cry with God. In support of the grieving hearts of Leopold and his wife, please join us in prayer for their peace. 

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Emmanuel Rest In Peace!