The Way Maker Does It Again – Bona
Bona became a part of the Vine family about 16 years ago when he had to flee for his life from Togo due to political unrest and violence. He has been living as an asylum seeker in Hong Kong since then, which means that he has been unable to work and provide for his family. He has had to trust the Lord to make a way where there seemed to be no way.
Being unable to work did not mean Bona just sat around doing nothing. On the contrary, he got involved at The Vine, faithfully attending ARISE Fellowship and Sunday Services and serving wherever he could, especially in the Cleansing Stream Ministry and French Alpha. He also found a beautiful new wife, Collette, since his first wife had sadly passed away before he left Togo.
Over the years Bona witnessed the Lord make a way for many other asylum seekers to be resettled in a new country and begin the next chapter of their lives, including his brother Wolali who came to Hong Kong with him. Many times he prayed, “when is it my turn, Lord?” Well, God has made away for Bona now, and how He did it proves that nothing is impossible for Him.
In December 2015 Bona was at Central Star Ferry waiting to cross to TST when he noticed a couple who looked a little lost. He politely asked if he could help them. This started a conversation in which the couple asked Bona what kind of work he does. Of course, he had to reply that he cannot work in Hong Kong because he is an asylum seeker, and he briefly shared his story with them. When they reached the other side, they exchanged contact info and went their separate ways.b The next day the couple contacted Bona and asked if they could meet up again. They were intrigued with his story and wanted to find out more. A few days later they returned home to Europe. Time went by and then, out of the blue, Bona heard from them.
They told him that they had been looking for ways to get him and his family resettled in another country. There did not seem to be any opportunities in Europe, so now they were looking to other parts of the world and Canada looked promising.
Sometime later they wrote again. They had found an organisation in Canada who had the connections and licensing in place to receive asylum seekers but did not have the funding. The couple were unable to convince the organisation to accept Bona and his family over the phone, so they flew to Canada to speak to them in person. Needless to say, the organisation agreed to help Bona and his family resettle in Canada. But the story does not end there – the Lord removed one more impossibility.
When Bona was having his interview at the Canadian consulate in Hong Kong, the interviewer asked about his daughter and son who he had to leave behind in Togo. Unfortunately, since they were both older than eighteen now, they would have to apply separately for their own. As she was saying this, the interviewer almost stopped herself mid-sentence and said to Bona, “I was wondering how we could get you and your kids to Canada on the same visa and at the same time, then I remembered that I have authority to make exceptions in extraordinary cases like this.” Then she said, “Just a minute!”, and got up and left the room.
A few minutes later she came back with a form for Bona to fill out. The end result is that Bona, Collette, and the two children are now all on the same visa and arrangements have been made for them meet up in Canada.
Bona has not seen his kids in person or given them a hug since he left Togo. But, praise the Lord, He has made a way for them to be together again, and in a few weeks they will be reunited.
