In the early 1990s, my mother’s younger brother left home to seek greener pastures abroad. The condition in our country then was not so good so he made an attempt to build a better future for himself. Almost 30 years later, when the family had almost given up on ever hearing from him, we suddenly woke up one morning to be told that my uncle had called home. It was such a surreal experience. Any time a situation interrupts the general stability and well-being of a nation or city, some people relocate to other countries or cities until the time that returning back home is appropriate. There are a number of examples in scripture about returning home. In Genesis 31:3, God told Jacob to return home to his own people. In Exodus 4, God told Moses to return to Egypt and rescue the Israelites. In Matthew 2:19-20, the angel of the Lord told Joseph to return home and leave Egypt because the person who was seeking to harm Jesus had died. Luke 15:11-32, reports the story of the prodigal son and his final return home when things went bad in the foreign land. Many other people, especially immigrants from West Africa (from my experience) migrate to the western world and spend years living and raising their families. But, when they retire from active work and they are too old to take care of themselves, they return to their home countries to live in their own properties so that their families can take care of them. On a few occasions, other people are forced to return home because things are not working out for them in their new homes or if they are unfortunately deported for lack of adequate documentation. In any of these scenarios, returning home could bring missed feelings. When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.. (Ruth 1:6) Our discussion on Naomi has shown that she left Bethlehem (Israel) in full but after living in Moab for a while, she lost everyone. Her husband and children all died and were buried in Moab. Left with only her daughters-in-law, Naomi made the ultimate decision to go back home. Naomi would have been quite old at this time and she would have missed her home country. Going back was definitely needed. Naomi and her family left their home country because of the famine, but the condition in Bethlehem changed. “When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.” (Ruth 1:6-7) Ruth and Orpah, Naomi’s daughters-in-law, were determined to return with Naomi. They loved their mother-in-law and were willing to return to live with her people. While on the way, “Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud” (Ruth 1:8-9). Naomi was concerned about the future of her daughters-in-law. She wanted them to return to their own families and find new husbands. She told Ruth and Orpah, “Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” (Ruth 1:12-13 NIV). After much persuasion, Orpah returned to her people but Ruth wouldn’t return to Moab. Naomi and Ruth continued the journey to Bethlehem. Returning home after a failure and loss could be difficult. “What would be the reaction of people when they see me?” is a question anyone in such a situation might have. The fear of being rejected, ridiculed, and abandoned by friends and family for returning with empty hands can cause people to dread going back. But, in most cases, those who return and are met with loving family and friends are able to bounce back on their feet in no time. It is difficult to bear another person’s burden if you are not in the position to take care of them. However, if we can make room to welcome such people, we would be glad we did. If things are not working out in a strange land, sit down, ponder, pray, and reconsider if returning home will be a good option. May God guide us to where we will thrive. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” (Genesis 31:3)
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