Ok, another late blog once again 🙂
Ok, so being Rememberance day a couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about how we take the time to have a moment of silence and pay tribute to the fathers and sons who fought for us in the line of duty. Then it hit me, I was thinking that day, “ God what if the church, what if everyone took countless moments each day of silence to pray for the broken families, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters who may feel abandoned, alone, or have no one left in this world close to them any more?" IThere are so many that are hurting and alone in front of our eyes that are here today and yet how am I or we remembering them or better yet loving them?
A couple of weekends ago me and the squad went on a retreat to Granada, Nicarauga for some Jesus time, some relaxation from ministry through the week. Coming into Granada, I felt an uneasiness already, a brokenness and just so much hurt. I learned of traveler hostels, where a bunch of strangers can come together from different parts of the world and have one big orgy. Thats what these hostels seemed like to me. The kids are out of school and used by pimps or their own fathers and mothers to sell goods to tourists to bring in money and the kids are so used to this lifestyle that they are neglecting their education.It just sucks because they are being robbed fom God's promises because a bunch of grown ups can't get their crap together. I guess I have to realize that this is a spiritual battle like the Word says and some just don’t know better. Anyway the list could go on.
Granada Nicaragua
With all the distractions, uneasiness and the struggles I soon learned I was going to face this weekend, I wasn’t going to allow there to be a set back: No language barrier, no scheme, no lie, I was going forward to seize every soul and share the love of Jesus.
So that brings me to a man and his son. As I walking down with my team mates Noah and Clark, I noticed a young man and laying by him a homeless old man who could barely move or sit up and looked like he hadn't eaten a meal in awhile. I walked up and talked with the son as best I could and with what Spanish I knew. I could feel the heartache and the burden the son was carrying for his father. I immediately asked If I could pray. We prayed, but after I looked at Noah and Clark and they looked at me,we knew God wanted to do more.
Luke 14:12-14
then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
I feel so conflicted sometimes because I lack so much Spanish and I really wanted to give my all to them and just yap away about how much Jesus loves them and wants to heal you today and care for you. We decided to buy both of them a meal , sit down and converse with them. From our conversation, we learned that his father had made poor choices, some drug and alcohol problems. As his son was speaking and weeping for his father I looked at him , rubbing his back, encouraging him the only way I know how to sometimes and letting him know in Spanish “Jesus loves you." I couldn’t take it any more, my heart was hurting for him. I prayed , he rested his head on my shoulder and I rested my head on his shoulder as we cried together. This is all the family he had left in his life, and I feel for him because I have lost two close people in my life. I could feel and understand his pain and yet I can’t because I have so much family in my life still today but it still hurts so much that I lost two people close to me.
I guess what comes to mind is that there was a period in my life where I felt so alone and abandoned. I remember having a conversation with my mentor Cathy…She shared a story about how God comforted her when she felt like all those close to her were gone. She said "God I don't I have my mom and dad, i feel like i have lost all those close to me." God comforted her with the scripture Psalms 68:5 and told her " I am the Father to the fatherless." That scripture and story brings me great comfort to this day when I have those moments of feeling fatherless. I am reminded that I have a big God who is my Father and very present who helps me in time of need. I think I just need to remember to be thankful for those I have here today, my mom, brothers and sisters, cousins,friends, the church, my team sweet aroma, my squad and countless others.
Psalms 68:5
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
The father I had the honour to pray for
