Update on where we are: The Rodeo is in Nairobi. We’ve said our goodbyes to Kiminini and are now in Kenya’s capital for squad debrief (time for worship, renewal, and solid teaching by our squad leaders plus some talk about future plans post-Race).
Before I close out blogs on Kenya … I have some more stories to share from Cambodia. April was a month full of meeting people who made a profound impact on my life. The next few blogs will feature them. The young man I’d like you to meet today has been one of the most influential people I’ve met on the Race. His name is Diamond.
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Not much separates a diamond from a piece of coal. The two are basically the same substance – carbon, arranged differently. Only after time and pressure can a piece of coal become a diamond.
It is after much time and much excruciating pressure that this Diamond shines so spectacularly. None but Jesus could do this polishing work.
When I first met Diamond, I didn’t know what to do. Look away quickly? Attempt to hide my shock and look him in the eye? I could hardly believe such a tiny creature could exist let alone walk and talk.
He looked like a burned, brittle twig a snap away from death. His skin was like coal. And then he smiled!
What a smile! And what humor and wit! He was singing and dancing and popping jokes left and right – he had us rolling in seconds.
As I watched him look up at Randy with an incredible grin, I wondered, how could anyone in such condition have so much joy. He didn’t complain. He didn’t pity himself. He didn’t look at what he could not do. He looked at what he could do. Jesus, You are incredible. You’ve given him such joy and hope.
Randy (director of Water of Life) told us about a visiting Australian enamored by Diamond. (Apparently so enamored, he let down all manners as well.)
“What happened to you? Did you get burned?” he asked Diamond.
Randy quickly came to his side and enveloped Diamond in a big hug. “Diamond has a rare skin condition that he doesn’t really understand. So Diamond doesn’t really know what he has or what he is but we know he is full of joy!”
Diamond’s chin lifted and a smile spread across his cheeks. “That’s right!”
When they took all the boys to the beach for the Khmer New Year, Diamond could only go in a few inches before it was too painful for his skin, the salt water eating away at it. “Diamond, you’re gonna watch that water and this shore for us! This is gonna be the safest shoreline in Cambodia because of Diamond.” “That’s right!”
We asked him when he returned from the ocean if he had fun. He smiled real big. “My heart,” he pounded his chest, “is fun!”
We went with the boys to the opening night of a park, and I followed Diamond in a hedge maze. We’d pass people along the path and they’d pause and gawk, I could tell they were turning behind us to stare. I wanted to be defensive. Don’t pity him, envy him. He has something you want but you just don’t know it.
The Water of Life crew at the park. Diamond is on the far left in front of Jake.
Both of his brothers with the same condition died as infants. Only his sister seemed to have escaped the genetic code for the disease. The Australian doctor down the street has never seen anyone live this long with this disease. He’s 15. Diamond is in constant pain, his skin always hurts especially in private areas. He has no epidermis layer of skin and so he can’t gain weight because all of his energy goes to keeping his outer layer of skin on to his body. A 6am complete lotion application is a daily requirement.
Randy told us about a day, Diamond showed up to take a visiting team to the Killing Fields and S21. He had a patch of cotton on his head.
“Diamond, come here,” Randy called. “What happened to your head?”
The night before a rat had chewed through Diamond’s mosquito net and ate a hole in his head. He doesn’t have much feeling and didn’t discover it until morning. So he patched it up best he could and went to take the group out.
Oh no! Randy and two other men who were part of the visiting team insisted they take him to the emergency room to get it cleaned and bandaged properly. A couple hours later, Diamond was back. The one thing on his mind: did the group already go to the Killing Fields? He wanted to serve.
Randy told us several stories of this young man’s heart of service and selflessness. Once a boy in the home had fallen and broken his leg. Randy was running late to an important meeting and Diamond insisted that he would be the one to take the boy to the hospital. So sure enough, little Diamond, took the boy for help.
Insurmountable odds.
None but Jesus.
Not all refiners’ fires look so apparent on the outside. But I think Diamond is a living example of what our hearts look like when we really let Jesus have it all. All of us are really coal, being refined into diamonds. When Jesus gets a hold of our hearts, praise and service are the sparkling evidences of a transformed lump of coal to a brilliant diamond.
Thank you Diamond for showing me what true worship, true joy looks like. You are indeed a precious treasure – a piece of coal turned into a remarkable jewel.
