On Wednesday night we packed into the bed of a truck and headed out for Agua Panela. When Pastor Douglas first arrived in Medellin, this city was overrun with violence. The homeless would congregate in the middle of the city to watch out for one another in the night, and this is where Pastor Douglas met them. He would bring warm sugar water (agua panela) and bread and listen to their stories as He shared the Gospel. He fed them physically and spiritually. Ciudad Refugio has grown exponentially, but every Wednesday a faithful group brings the love of Jesus to a group of people overlooked by society.
It only took us 15 minutes to get there, but I felt like we had entered an entirely different world. The people were waiting for us. They were lining up before the truck even came to a stop.
As we started to walk around, you could just feel the spirit of bondage that ruled over this place. The smell alone would knock most people off of their feet. The filth and the brokenness were overwhelming. I don’t even have words to describe it. It was like nothing I have ever seen. At first I wasn’t sure what to do. I asked the Lord to give me His heart for these people, to take away my fear and to see them through the eyes of the Father.
Then we met Daisy. We only spoke for a moment, but I will never forget the look in her eyes–hopelessness. She was empty. There was nothing behind those beautiful big brown eyes. She stood there swaying as we tried to talk to her. She was so thin I was convinced a slight breeze would knock her over. Despite her current state, there was a tenderness to her. I watched her gently place a blanket over her friend sleeping on the street. There was something in that moment that showed me there was more to her.
The end of this story isn’t miraculous. Our interaction was brief, and I’m not even positive she will remember meeting me. We said “caio,” and went our separate ways. We met more people that night, and had seemingly more meaningful conversations and were even able to pray over one of them. But Daisy, she has stuck with me. My heart was broken for her.
I hope I have the opportunity to see her again. I want her to know that she is loved by the Father. I want her to know that there is hope. I want her to know that she was created with purpose and that God is not finished with her yet.
Pray for Daisy. Pray for her chains to be broken. Pray for her safety. Pray she knows the love of the Father.
