PREFACE
I’m always torn when it comes to blogging about things like this. It’s probably my parent’s fault because every generous thing that God leads them to do, they do in secret. They do it in the name of Matthew 6 – wanting to help and give to people who need it yet honoring what Jesus has to say about it all. I say that like it’s a bad thing and well, it’s not. But because of it, I feel funny blogging about God using us to give to others.
However, I’d rather you think I’m bragging than give the Kingdom of Darkness one more day of me not sharing stories about what God’s doing here. And perhaps when I’m finished you’ll happen to see His glory in it all.
Background Information
In our hotel there was an Internet cafe that would exchange US dollars for quetzals (Guatemalan currency). One day my dad changed money there and the lady working accidentally shorted him. After going back to his hotel room and several minutes went by, he realized it and went back to her tell her the problem. She was very apologetic and gave him the money she owed him without asking questions or seeming suspicious. This struck all of us because in the States it would not have been that easy.
The Story
The day started with my right ear giving me problems. At the time I thought it was closed due to traveling through mountains but every time I tried to “pop” it open, nothing happened. So I went on about my day hoping it would open up on it’s own later.
During one of the sessions at PVT’13, our leadership talked to us about doing an ATL activity. ATL stands for “ask the Lord” and it simply refers to spending a little time in prayer and asking God where He wants to send you that day and what He wants you to do there. God may give you words, visions, scriptures, etc. to guide your path. It was a little awkward at first because, obviously, none of the parents had ever done this before and it was up to us racers to lead them in this. The interesting part was that the AIM (Adventures in Missions) staff leading PVT gave each family unit 20 quetzals and told us to ATL what to do with it, who to give it to.
So we set off, my parents and I, down the streets of Antigua, silently asking Jesus to lead us to someone who needed the money. My dad’s back had been hurting him pretty bad that day and with my ear being all psycho, we decided to go straight to the pharmacy. After getting medicine we went back to the hostel to put drops in my ear and let my mom play nurse. As she was “fixing me up,” my dad walked out to the courtyard and reflected on the day. Sitting there, God told him to give the currency lady the 100 q’s she has shorted him. Although it was more than the 20 q’s we were supposed to be giving away, Dad gave to the woman what God said. In his broken Spanish, he told her that he wanted to give it back to her as a gift from him. She was so excited and thanked him several times.
Later that evening we met back together as a big group to share stories about what God had done with everyone during ATL. I told my group the story and shared with them about how cool it was to see God work through what seemed like our distractions of ear and back aches. Because if it had not been for me needing medicine, then Dad may not have had time to walk out to the courtyard and sit in solitude for a few minutes. But it was in that short time that He heard from the Father and was obedient.
But the Story Doesn’t End There
After the evening session was over, everyone was going out for dinner but my parents and me weren’t very hungry so we decided to walk around for a while until we were ready to eat. As we were walking through the streets a little boy named Samuel happened to be walking next to me carrying his shoe shining kit. I began a conversation with him in Spanish and found out a little about him. During the walk, he said he was hungry so I offered to buy him food. He wanted Pollo Compero (typical chicken fast food in Antigua) so we had to turn around and go the other way. When we passed the central market, he stopped to tell his mom where he was going and that we were buying him food so we invited her as well. Across the street was his father, also trying to make a living by shining shoes in the park, and he came with us as well.
My little buddy, Samuel.
Before it was all said and done, our 20 q’s (plus a little more) fed their family of four at Pollo Compero. Once again, God chose to use us to bless His children. And for that I am so thankful.
So that’s how an ATL adventure and 20 quetzals turned into a fun night with some Guatemalan friends!
