The most beautiful flower

I want to tell you about a Flower. Not a flower that grows in the ground but a lady named Flower that was planted in the slums of San Jose, bloomed in her faith and obedience in God, and has grown a “garden” of love, faith, and beauty.

 

One of the places that we serve at is a church/school. The lady who started this ministry is named Flower. Flower and her husband owned a shoe factory and were living pretty comfortably. One day the Lord told her to move her family to the slums and start a church. The slums were a mess when they arrived. It had trash everywhere including the river and an awful smell. She cleaned it all up. She bought a piece of land on a mountain and picked through the mountain everyday and night until finally being able to build walls and a kitchen. The locals living there didn’t like Flower and her family moving in because they thought she was a gringo because she had lighter skin. They would come up to her and say harsh words and even use witchcraft to cast spells on her and her family. The home her family was building didn’t have a roof for a while so people would throw dead animals in their house at night and sneak in and steal their food. Flower and her husband had to take turns at night sleeping so they could watch over the house. They were finally able to get a church built and people started showing up. Lots of kids come. She feeds them, checks their heads for lice, teaches them English and shares Jesus with them. She was always at the church taking care of these kids and her own kids started feeling like she cared more for the other kids than them. Eventually, one by one, Flower’s children left. Her husband didn’t have a strong faith like Flower and he became mentally ill from the awful things he saw in the slums. Drugs and violence are everywhere here. He would find dead bodies and deliver them to mass graves. Over time, his eyes seeing all that he did caused his mental illness. Today, Flower still isn’t in touch with her kids which is heartbreaking. She told us how she sees glimpses of their lives on social media; their marriages and her grandbabies. Her health is failing and her doctor keeps telling her to rest. She keeps asking the Lord if it’s time for her to rest and He keeps telling her no. That’s where my team gets to help. Her story of hard work, selflessness, and heartbreak is so encouraging to me. I am so honored to know this woman of great faith that sacrifices her own family and life for the less fortunate in obedience to God. She is now loved and respected by all that know her and her ministry. She has impacted such a dark area with her love for Jesus and it is a beautiful sight to not only witness but to take part in.