Have you ever had one of those days where you know God set it up to show you his glory? I had one not too long ago. The random series of events could only have been configured by the hands of the divine one himself.
At the start of month ten U Squad spent a week in Playa del Tunco, El Salvador before heading to our ministry in Honduras. The week was to be spent doing ATL (or ask the Lord). Our mornings were spent in prayer, and our days were spent however we wanted them. We looked for opportunities to share the love of God with whoever crossed our path. It was a week of relaxing, recovering, and some beautiful divine appointments.
The fourth day in paradise I spent the morning with my friend, Jenny. We caught up on each other’s lives with the taste of coffee on our lips and the ocean breeze blowing through our hair. It was one of those days. One of those days when God’s presence seems to be everywhere. Of course, it’s always everywhere, but that day we were acutely aware of it.
As we left the beachside coffee bar I was struck with a sudden craving for pizza, and Jenny knew a place. We decided to eat there and continue our wonderful conversation. We had just started our meal when an older man walked by and said, “buen provecho.” Here in Central America, it’s a common saying offered to complete strangers meaning good appetite. We thanked him and dug into the cheesy delicacy in front of us.
At the end of our meal he walked by again. On the second pass he stopped to speak with us. We learned his name was Mito, he was from El Salvador, he had just learned English, and he had met the Lord just over a year ago. We talked about why we were in El Salvador, and he told us how the Lord changed his life. Jenny asked him if we could pray for him. We prayed there in the restaurant, but the Lord wasn’t finished yet.
He thanked us for the prayer, but it seemed as if something was still on his mind. Out of the blue he mentioned that he cannot receive communion because he hasn’t been baptized. We asked him why not. He said his church requires him to take a course before he can be baptized, but he didn’t understand why.
Jenny and I told him all he needs is to believe! I felt overcome by the Spirit, and I asked him outright, “Mito, do you want to be baptized right now?” He showed us the goosebumps ascending his arms, and said, “Yes!” We said, “Okay, let’s go!” With an air of divine urgency we got up and headed to the beach.
On the way we ran into our friend, Kacy, and she said she had been wandering around because she knew God wanted her to do something important with her day. She greeted Mito with a hug and expressed her excitement about his baptism as she walked along with us.
Mito called his friends and we met on the beach. As two of them walked up they were holding a bottle of alcohol, immediately they were ashamed they walked into a baptism semi-sober. But Kacy, always ready to love, jumped right in and told them Jesus takes them just as they are. I believe they were as touched by the love of Christ as Mito.
We stood together as a group, praying for Mito as our toes sunk deeper into the black sand. As we finished, Jenny and I walked out into the ocean alongside Mito with excitement in our hearts. I told him today is the day he will be made new. He smiled from ear to ear as the tears in his eyes threatened to overflow. We stood together in the Pacific Ocean soaking in the moment, and then we baptized him en el nombre del Padre, el Hijo, y el Espíritu Santo.
As Mito reemerged from the ocean, salty tears mixed with salty water as the joy of the Lord overcame him. He smiled and hugged us, as he exclaimed that this day was ordained by God himself. He walked back to the beach a new man, cleansed in flesh and renewed in Spirit.
He could hardly contain his joy as he told us he was going to go take communion for the first time. He thanked us over and over. We mentioned our squad was having an Easter service on the beach on Sunday, and that he is welcome to come. He said he would, and he did.
As we parted ways, I could not believe that the Lord had chosen me to bring his son into his kingdom. Mito told us what a blessing we were, but truly, he was the blessing. I didn’t do anything to “deserve” such a high honor. Neither did Jenny. God chose to bless us. Why? Simply because he loves.
We had no idea God would turn eating pizza into a baptism. All we were told to do was be interruptible and leave room for the Holy Spirit to move. We did, and he did. I pray to live every day giving God the space he needs to set up divine appointments. He blesses us to bless others. It truly is something beautiful.
