Admittedly, I'm a storyteller. I love having a serendipitous moment and then verbally weaving a portrait to recount it, or painting with keystrokes to document something otherwise fleeting — it's absolutely glorious.
Things come to life for me through words. I'm hardpressed to take pictures on most occasions, but I'm always up for a good story. Real stories. True stories. Jesus stories.
I'm learning that often times the greatest gesture we can make to celebrate life in Christ is to listen to someone's story. And then we bring God honor by re-telling these testimonies.
So I met Blessie while in the Philippines. There I was sitting on the courtside watching a basketball tournament, when along came Blessie. She was suited up in her volleyball outfit and speckled with mud. She sat next to me and then asked if she could see my bible.
Without hesitating, she opened it up and shared a word with me. She smiled. It was exactly what I needed to hear! We got through the introduction and handshake quickly, before she asked me for prayer. Next thing you know, we're singing worship together and letting tears flow.
This is how our friendship began, and how she began to share her story.
I want you to know how much I love Blessie and how much I treasured our moments together.
I'm compelled to give you the opportunity to fall in love with her too.
This is her story. She wanted me to share it. She wants you to know how Jesus changed her life.
She begins by telling me this:
"My favorite verse in the bible is Ephesians 6:1 — because these past years when I was a gangster, I didn't really honor my parents. Now I'm thankful that this verse gives me the command to obey my parents again."
I'm a little stumped by the way she starts off telling her story. I don't think I've ever met a youth whose favorite bible verse is Ephesians 6:1! I'm starting to wonder if she's for real at this point as I hear her story…
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
[Ephesians 6:1]
…but she goes on.
"A problem that I've had in my life is that I entered a gang and then I wanted to get out — but I didn't. I couldn't. Because if I leave the gang they will punish me."
I'm not lying when I say that my heart was breaking for Blessie as I looked at her sweet face and listened. She explained that by the age of 10 she was running the streets and getting drunk. Blessie was known for fighting and being tough. In reality, she was broken from being fatherless and rebelling against a mother who had more than she could handle on her hands while trying to make ends meet.
Blessie has two older brothers, and her father died when she was a baby.
She showed me her hand and arm, pointing out cigarette burn scars that left her marred as she continued her testimony.
"One night I prayed to Jesus. I wanted to go back to Him, because He is the one who is perfect and really helps me. So I asked Him to help me. He did. When I left the gang my punishment was to be burned with cigarettes on my hand and on my arm. 3 on my arm, 4 on my fingers. 7 burns total. But I was also beaten and I was ashamed to go home for days because I didn't want to show my face. But I sacrificed this pain to get out and go back to the Lord.
I'm HAPPY because I got out of the gang and I feel that I am free!"
Blessie is relentless in her pursuit of God now. I could tell she was clinging to Jesus for her life. She now actively evangelizes all who are willing to listen at her school. Additionally, she has come around more and more to participate in taking the Gospel to the more remote jungle surrounding her village. As a matter of fact, she just posted on Facebook about how pumped up she is to go out and share the Good News each Saturday!
Here is this beautiful young believer who lives a life many of us in the United States will never experience.
Her day-to-day consists of waking up at 5am, fixing her bed, taking a cold bucket shower to get ready for school, cook breakfast and lunch for her older brother. She stresses that she cooks plenty of vegetables. She's in charge of the food budget and meal planning for her family.
Her house was dilapidated while I was still there in Malaybalay. She had a dirt floor and the basic framing of her house stood crookedly on a muddy hill, but all the wall panels were rotted away. As humble as it is, it's her home. Praise God that local missionaries are going to help her fix it up so she'll be safe and sound.
Blessie wants the youth back home to know this:
"Being a Christian to me means to be a servant of the LORD — forever. It looks like being happy because I get to serve God and God will never fail me. I share the Gospel at our school and other places. And I try always to pray for my enemies that some day they will believe in our Lord Jesus Christ — our Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins."
This is her urgent message to the youth of America:
"Don't enter a gang! Because it's hard to get out! Always serve the Lord and always go to church.
Choose carefully who your friends are. And always remember that God is always with you.
I love you guys! I hope that someday I will be able to visit your church!"
Please continue to pray for the youth of the world. Please pray for Blessie.
