Challenges in the Diaspora – PART I

Naomi in the Moab Diaspora – Book of Ruth

My spouse. About eight years ago, I lost my spouse. The story of Naomi in the Bible bridges some connections to my own life. Naomi’s husband and two sons died in the diaspora. I would like to share those relations today. Naomi lived in Moab, diaspora with her two married sons and their wives. Alone, she was to make and execute major decisions for all her family as her late spouse, Elimelech did. Naomi had concern for her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, who survived their husbands (Naomi and Elimelech two sons). I share the same synopsis, deaths, mixed marriage, and lifestyle in my family. Naomi felt her daughters-in-law should return to their parents, for me it was a little different. Fortunately, all my children and grandkids remained with me in Atlanta, Georgia. My family came from Kenya to the US in search of further education, and the number of people in the family increased from a half dozen to one-and-half dozen. I took the lead in almost everything my late husband, Jotham Gatungo Wandu did. The load I would have to bear in returning to my country was too heavy for me to carry, unlike Naomi who was single and childless. So rather than returning to my country, I opt to remain in the US. Ultimately, down the road (in God’s timing) I remarried.

Naomi Returns home. The bible records Naomi in that after she returned to her country with Ruth, Ruth married Boaz and Naomi became the mother-in-law to Ruth and Boaz. Ruth and Boaz bore a son, Obed and Naomi became the grandmother to the grandchild, Obed. Naomi chose to return to her country of Bethlehem, Judah and taking Ruth with her Ruth met Boaz. a relative of Naomi, and she married him. Ultimately leading Naomi counted in the lineage of King David and Jesus Christ. Because of the birth of her grandchild, Obed, son to Ruth and Boaz and Obed became the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of King David.

Naomi and her family had left Bethlehem, Judah and headed to Moab in search of food. The story of Naomi’s family in the book of Ruth depicts her home country of Judah in a state of chaos and famine and characterizes the country of Moab, a diaspora, as the solution in time of need. The family consisted of four people Naomi, her husband Elimelech, their first son Mahlon, and second son Chilion. The road of life had many detours. The Moab, a diaspora provided some necessities, however not without the family facing other life trials. The food was adequate in Moab, and it is plausible to imagine that the family experienced cultural shock, such as accent, mixed marriages, giving no birth, religions, sickness, and death, and missing relatives’ hugs in the far distance. 

Coming to the US. The Bible does not say the preparation Naomi went through before  her family moved to Moab. But my family journey to  the US required a lot of preparations for the student to be meeting the University admissions requirements, travel documents that involved lots of finances for passport,  visa, airticket, and living expenses  It took about five years to get a visa. We had passports already that we got when we had our church visiting Alexandria, Egypt, though I missed the chance since the expectant mother was not allowed to enter. I had the opportunity of having a passport. 

The Jomokenyatta  international airport was far from  our home and impossible to see big airplanes fly above our roof or hear the big noise of the flying jets. Yet the well wishers our  neighbors had some insights to offer us such as, once inside the plane, it would turn and you would  turn upside down and other things. Once in the US you will live in the highest building and you never see dirt again. It would be wise if we could carry a little dirt to remind yourselves how it looked. Others would say once you are there you will walk on money and all you need would be bend down and pick much you want.

The great day.  On Wednesday, December 28, 1983,  one minute after midnight, the journey to the US started at Jomo Kenyatta airport via Amsterdam to Atlanta, Georgia. We arrived on the same day at 6:00 pm for we followed the sun from east to west. It was the winter season.