Glimpses of grandeur

Derek and Jane Waller, recently returned from Madagascar, reflect on how the baobab tree can point us to God.

GRANDEUR

Whether looming up by the roadside, glimpsed from a plane as you come into land or when wandering through the famous Avenue de Baobabs, these are magnificent trees. Some soar upwards, dwarfing the surrounding trees and reaching 100 feet; others are so wide you could drive a bus through their trunks. And some are ancient. There is a tree in Madagascar, known locally as Grandmother, which is 1,600 years old.

When we see baobabs, we glimpse the grandeur of God. They remind us of the greatness and majesty of the eternal God and put our lives into perspective. We need a big God to face a big crisis. We found that our God is big enough to hold us through many ups and downs of our times in South Sudan and Madagascar. He is big enough to hold his people in Toliara, Yei and Britain through these tough days.

Many in Britain have rediscovered the grandeur of creation during lockdown. Can we look beyond creation and point others to the God who created all things?

THE UPSIDE-DOWN TREE

Once its leaves have dropped, the branches of a baobab look rather like roots; hence the nickname the upside-down tree. The upside-down tree speaks of the upside-down Kingdom of God. God’s ways are often surprising. When we set out in January 2015 for South Sudan, we never imagined that we would be leaving 18 months later. But out of our heartbreak, the Lord gave us the opportunity to serve in Madagascar. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8).

In Yei, those most eager to learn and grow were often the young with no status, the humble in heart. In Toliara, our discipleship work has taught us that God’s Kingdom work starts small and grows slowly. Forming Christ in his people cannot be rushed.

The COVID-19 crisis has been terrifying but also clarifying. Have you noticed how the humble have come to the fore in this crisis? The carers, the nurses, those who have kept our world going, even at some risk to themselves? Here is surely a sign of God’s upside-down Kingdom.

None of this should surprise us. Christmas shouted to us of the humility of our God who rejected the way of power and, in Christ, embraced the path of love.

FRUITFULNESS

The baobab is also known as the tree of life. Why? Because it is amazingly fruitful, especially in the dry season. The baobab fruit is rich in minerals, vitamins and energy and is turned into a juice which the Malagasy love to drink. The leaves can be eaten as a vegetable, the seed oil used for cosmetics, the bark turned into rope and cloth. What an abundant harvest from one tree!

We have seen amazing fruitfulness in people’s lives. We recall the joy of worship at Bishop Allison Theological College in Yei and the faith of the South Sudanese through long years of exile in Uganda. We remember the young mother, Rofiny, attending Jane’s literacy class week after week with little progress – then suddenly it clicked and she could begin to read. Then there was Rafael, who found the Bible verses he had just learned on the Rooted in Jesus course bringing him such comfort when his daughter died. And Zafy and Saintia, who have put past failures behind them and are growing into mature Christian disciples and leaders.