We are
standing around a swimming pool looking on as new brothers and sisters are
being baptized. “Buried in death with Christ; raised to walk in newness of life
with Him.” Almost 2 weeks later I find myself thinking back about that phrase
“raised to walk in newness of life with Him.” What does it mean to walk in
newness of life? What does it mean to be a new creation when things get
difficult?
Last
Thursday afternoon our house was robbed. We were in Leon with Tommy and Diego
when we received a phone call saying that two boys from the community had
broken into our home in the clinic and had stolen some of our things. My video
camera and ipod, Krystle’s camera and money for the month, and our team cell
phone were all stolen. To read the full story, click here.
Now
we are left with the dilemma of how to balance justice and grace. We need to
seek justice in this situation because these boys have been continually
stealing from the community. Their actions affect the entire town, not just us.
While we know that justice must be sought, as daughters of a loving God, we
long to extend grace to these boys.
Marlyn,
the boy in the blue shirt and red hat, is the younger of the two boys who broke
into our home. He is only 13. I was asking Diego (one of the long-term missionaries
here in Candelaria) more about his story. Marlyn was physically abused and
repeatedly raped by his father. He has never known true, unconditional love. He
went searching for some sense of family and belonging; he eventually joined a
gang in Candelaria. Instead of the love and safety that his heart was longing
for, he ended up with an addiction to drugs and a threat to his life if he
didn’t obey all that they asked. This has led him to steal. He steals to feed
his drug addiction and he steals to protect his own life. My heart breaks for
him.
How
do we extend grace to Marlyn and others like him? How does a community seek
justice and extend grace? Where does that balance lie?
Right
now I really have no answers, only questions. We are waiting until the police
have captured both boys (right now Marlyn is still in hiding). Then we have
asked for the opportunity to speak with them. We want them to know that we
forgive them. We want them to know that the Lord loves them unconditionally. We
long to communicate that He is waiting with open arms to embrace them if they
will turn towards Him. Join us in praying for their repentance and restoration.
Pray for Marlyn that he will meet the Living God and for the first time know
that he is loved. Pray for us as we learn to walk in newness of life with
Christ, as ministers of His reconciliation and grace.
