Before I start, I have to come clean with you guys. Blogging is not my favorite thing to do and for most of us it is difficult to set time apart to write our stories. Even though it is an amazing way to glorify God and include all of you guys in our journey, we like to spend most of our free time just hanging out with each other and resting. Specially now that we are already heading into month 10, our energy levels are not the same as they were in month 1.
Having said that, many blog contests are designed to motivate us to keep on blogging and I have to admit that the prize in the end is motivation enough to make the extra effort. A lot of what I’ve written I’ve done so beacuse of this reason. So now you know.
For the blog contest we are currently on, we get assigned extra points if we, as a team, complete a list of 25 topics that were given to us. One of the topics on the list is The Story of a Man and as I read it, I felt in my heart I had to write not about any one man during the journey of the World Race but about my grandfather. Why? I don’t know. So here I am, writing, still with not much idea of what will come out but moving out of obedience knowing that it will be good (hence the long introduction haha).
My grandfather’s name is Carlos Rodolfo Saborío Alvarado, he’s 83 years old, and I love him. If I know him well he, most likely than not, ignores the extent unto which his life has blessed so many people directly and indirectly.
Although I am not able to share all of his life details because I myself don’t know them, I do know that he is the eldest brother of four and was raised up in a home of good values. As the oldest brother, all of his life he carried a special burden or responsability of looking out for his brothers and sisters which he exceeded in doing so. He always fought for what he thought was right and was the best for everyone, regardless of the cost. Many times he did so at his own expense.
His family and childhood were not short of problems and hardship, as any other normal family and childhood would, but he grew up with many opportunities in his horizon which he pursued with passion and excellence. Some of the greatest achievements in his life were to be part of the Board of Directors that built our country’s Children’s Hospital which is one of the crown jewels of our country’s social healthcare system. Following his passion for computers and technology, he developed one of the first successful computers distributor and support company in the country. Oh, and he also loved to fly his cesna plane. A passion he cherishes even to this day.
He left, as well, a beautiful legacy of four succesful children (one of which is my amazing mother) and seven wonderful grandchildren (one of which is myself). All of which have the priviledge to benefit from all of his accomplishments. I also of course give credit to my grandmother that built all of this beside him, but this blog is not about her. I hope she doesn’t get jealous.
Although many of the battles he won, some of them he lost. And he bares the battle scars to prove it. Thirty two years into his marriage, it fell apart; claiming a devastating blow to his heart. He went through hard trials of loneliness and questioning of himself which for the most part he kept hidden from those around him. Depression and alcohol grabbed a hold of him but he never gave up. We never gave up. We fought through in love as a family and now we get to see the fruit of it. Love never fails. God has turned everything, even the hard times, for our ultimate good.
Now that he is in his elder years, he has started to face the final challenge of slowly loosing his strength and body functions. Some days his mind is clearer than others, but for the most part he seems at peace. He seems at peace with what his life has been and he seems extremely happy with having all of his family around him supporting and loving him in this last leg of his journey.
God loves him so much, not for what he has done or for what he failed to do but because he is His son. He doesn’t care of all of the good works nor all of the mistakes that he has done in his life. He only cares about the love that He, His Son and His Spirit have for Him.
Soon, he will be going home to the Father where he will spend the rest of eternity in His presence. Filled with joy and peace and freedom and love and childlike wonder, he will be waiting for us until the day comes for all of us to be reunited with Pappa. In His arms he will become like a child again. His worries will desolve and he will become truly carefree. Free from the fear of death and the consequences of sin for they no longer exist where he will be. I can’t help to feel a little bit jealous of him but I’m patient, knowing that my day too will come.
Writing this I realize that the Spirit is inside of me to prophesy the last bit of faith and assurance needed into the heart of my grandfather so that he can conclude his journey into salvation and later on into Heaven. What a wonderful thing it is to see how God pursues His children even unto our last breath. He will not let any of us go that easy. I can’t wait to see the final outcome but I am certain it will be worthy of a gracious and loving God.
P.S.: this is the first blog I’ve cried while in the writing and I am glad it is so. That was my story of a man.
