Yesterday, Aubrey & I did a few house visits in Los Pinos. Our host introduced us to a man named Johnny who hangs out around the soccer field by the church where we sleep. We had seen Johnny around and had gathered that he sometimes attends church, is involved in some gang related activity, and is watching out for us while we are here. Yesterday, he was sitting in some shade wearing a black CrossFit t-shirt and a baseball cap. He had a tattoo on his left forearm of a lit stick of dynamite with his mother’s name written underneath. Around the stick of dynamite were a few stars. A little higher on his arm, the name “Angie” was tattooed in cursive; his daughters name. He wore two rings on his left ring finger, but wasn’t married; he wore them as a reminder of his daughter.
Our host made conversation with Johnny as Aubrey & I stood nearby. We couldn’t understand much of what they were saying, but were happy to be around. Aubrey felt the Holy Spirit telling her to ask Johnny if he prayed at all anymore. His response was a shy, “sometimes”. “I feel the Holy Spirit is telling me to ask you to pray for Brittany’s brother. Would you be willing to do that?” Aubrey asked. Johnny replied that he wasn’t comfortable with praying in that moment, but that he would pray later. He asked my brother’s name and, when I told him, informed us that he had a brother named Alex as well (Aubrey got super giddy).
We parted ways with Johnny and moved onto a house up the road. Our host had promised us last week that we would get some baby holding time in, so he was taking us around to houses with infants. We were led up the mountain and then down some stairs to the home of a 2 month old. During the standard introductions, we were told the baby’s name was Brittany (Aubrey & I both got super giddy). The mom was gleaming and holding onto her daughter as if she had just been handed her child for the first time. This was her second child, but the first, we learned, had died just weeks after being born. The father of the family struggles with a heart condition, which had been passed onto the first born, causing his/her passing. As I held Brittany in my arms, we prayed a blanket of protection and improved health over the entire family.
As I get to know more and more people here and all over the world, I cannot help but think back on opportunities I have missed in the past. People are worth getting to know, letting in, and taking the time to invest in. Everyone has a story, prayer request, and lesson to teach. We were made to live in community, to live with and learn from each other. It’s about time we start doing that.
I challenge you to sit down with someone new this week. Take someone to lunch or to get a coffee and just BE with them. Strike up a conversation with the guy you ask for help from in Walmart. Most of us hardly know our neighbors, we just live next to each other and exchange the casual greetings. Get uncomfortable and stretch yourself to know people more. Not just to know more people, but to really KNOW people more. Accept the challenge, readers- you won’t regret it. Feel free to tell me all about it; I’ll be waiting!
