You never know.
You might turn a corner and run right into an opportunity that God has ordained for you to be used by Him. These opportunities might seem very few and far between in our daily lives, but I’m beginning to see that they are usually much closer and occur more often than we might think.
Let me give you an example of one of these opportunities I believe God planned out perfectly and put me in the right place and the right time for it to occur. This encounter took place on our second day in Antigua, Guatemala. About 6 of us decided we needed to explore this beautiful city and maybe do a little shopping. So we all leave our hostel and walk towards a large yellow catholic church. It has been a great point of reference for us this month! Anyways, after looking through some shops and touring streets filled with beautifully colored storefronts, Chelsey is in need of a restroom. So Chelsey and I break from the group in search of a place she can…relieve herself.
Chelsey and I on the streets of Antigua
After the restroom, we try to find the rest of our team and are unsuccessful. So Chelsey and I decide to just walk around wherever our hearts desire. We take a few turns and end up running into an American from Texas. His name is Sean and he tells us he has just arrived in Antigua and Guatemala for that matter. He tells us he will be in Antigua for a few days and that he would love to have coffee with us some day if we are interested. He walk away feeling different about this encounter than most we have with random strangers. In my heart I have already decided that I will make every effort to have coffee with Sean the next morning. We exchange emails throughout the day and agree to meet.
The next morning I invite some teammates to join our coffee date. In total there are 7 of us that met with Sean. Right before leaving our hostel I write in my journal and ask God to show up in a big way and that He would speak through us to bless Sean. I really believed that God wanted to do something great that day.
We pick a coffee shop named Café Bourbon. We all start with normal introductions and explaining what the World Race is. Sean says that he has just graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He explains how he has a little free time between graduation and starting his job. He asks each one of us about how and why we made the decision to go on the World Race. One by one we pour our hearts out about the things God has been doing in and through us in the past couple of years, months, and days. Sean tells us that he has been hurt by some people and situations surrounding his faith. He explains how he has had a hard time trusting God, but as we talk, his guard begins to come down. Sean tells us that there have been parts of each of our own testimonies that speak to things he has been dealing with.
After a couple of hours, many words, and even tears we all stand up and begin praying for Sean. We pray as God leads us and it was AWESOME! I truly can’t remember all the things that we said but I do know that God gave wisdom. The things that were prayed broke down some walls that had been built around his heart for many years. God was speaking! That’s really all I can say about it! It was soooo evident and I was just in awe that God ordained all this. That a stranger from Texas would book a trip to Guatemala, bring our team to the same city at the same time, and that we would run into him on street is so cool.
I shared two verses passages with Sean before we prayed with him. The first is found in Luke chapter 15.
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Secondly I reminded him of the prodigal son which is also found in Luke 15. After the son leaves home and loses all he has, he comes home to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. ”
He was that sheep/son that the Father in Heaven searched for and loved when Sean wanted to come “back home.” It was so great to be a part of that process. To see him come back into a relationship with God was a blessing to all of us who were there that day.
Since that day at the coffee shop Sean has spent a lot of time with our team. He climbed a volcano with us, moved into our hostel, and went to ministry with us a few times.
Thanks tons for hangin in there with this story. The final thing I wanted to say was what I started this blog with. That you never know! I thought that the ministry that God had us here for was the native people of Guatemala. And yes that has been true, but He also brings unexpected opportunities into our lives. I’m learning to ask God, “What are you wanting to do today or in this moment.” Even though the moment might seem unimportant to us, God might have something big up his sleeve!
Picture of Sean with some people from our squad. Sean is third from the left.
