26 Oct 2016 – 6:00pm(ish) || Undisclosed Gypsy Village Church || Bulgaria
I noticed him the moment I walked in, kind of hard not to when he’s seated in a wheelchair by the door, inches from where I stood.
His hair was ratted, and the bits he had left were piled on top of his head and sticking out in every which way. When he smiled, you got a full view of his chipped teeth and the gaping holes between them. A small metal hoop hung through his ear, and he wore a thick dark coat, covering what appeared to be a pair of flimsy pajamas. His fragile legs hung limply over the edge of the chair, as his feet dangled beneath him. He wore no shoes, and after months of dragging across the ground, his socks were well passed “worn out”.
As I took my seat, only inches away, I couldn’t help but stare and wonder how he managed to keep warm with all the holes in his clothes. I remember deciding that he probably wasn’t warm, but at least the holes were in different places and the layers probably helped cover them. At least I hoped they did.
The service soon started and once again, I found myself looking in his direction. With a smile on his face, he loudly (and quite enthusiastically) proclaimed the goodness of our Father in worship. When a little boy began fussing to get off his Mother’s lap, the man smiled at him and gave a high five as the boy stepped outside. When the teenagers snuck in late, he once again smiled and welcomed them in. As Clare and I shared our testimonies, he looked on with curiosity and listened to our every word, shaking his head in agreement.
But all of this, that’s not what really grabbed my attention. At the end of the service, they had us all rise to read the word of God, and to pray before everyone left. I stood, bowed my head and closed my eyes. A few seconds later, and I’m peeking out at him. Curious. That’s what I chalked it up to, I was curious, no harm in that.
What I saw, caught me by surprise. I had imagined the man just sitting there, eyes closed, hands clasped, praying along with us. Instead I opened my eyes to see him standing. He had pushed himself up on his hands and was praying.
Here he is, confined to a wheelchair, most likely paralyzed from the waist down, and yet he still finds the strength and courage to stand up and honor the Lord. He didn’t have to, no one would have blamed him for sitting through the prayer. But he still chose to stand, because he desired to honor the Lord no matter what life threw at him.
Walking into that night, I didn’t know what to expect. But that night, I was reminded of the Father’s heart. I was reminded of the joy and peace that Jesus brings with him everywhere he goes. I was reminded of his patience. I was reminded of his overwhelming love. I was reminded of his desire to honor his Father, no matter what circumstances he found himself in.
That night, in a tiny unknown village in Bulgaria, I found Jesus in a wheelchair. And it gave me courage, hope, and a night I’ll never forget.
**UPDATE** We’re in month 4 right now, which sounds crazy. But what’s even crazier is that in just a few short weeks I’ll be flying to Africa!
THANK YOU to everyone who has donated and prayed for me and my team in the last 4 months. I appreciate every single one of you more than you’ll ever realize. Without your support, I would not be here right now. Because of your help, I’ve been allowed to continue on this journey.
However, I’m not done yet. Currently, we’ve raised a total of $12,100 (Thank you Jesus!). The final deadline is at the end of this month, and that means we need to raise $4,461 in 21 days.
If you would have asked me 6 months ago if I ever thought I’d reach this point, I would have laughed nervously and tried not to admit that I struggled to believe. But now, I do. God’s really grown my faith in the last few months, and after seeing him bring in thousands of dollars in a single week, I know the remaining $4.4k isn’t impossible.
BONUS #1: As part of a personal challenge between myself and God, I’ve agreed to shave my entire head if all the funds come in by midnight on the 30th. Want to see what I’d look like? Just want to watch me shave my head? Go ahead and donate, even if it’s $5, every bit counts. Click the donate button above.
BONUS #2: ALL donations through the WR are tax-deductible. Which means, you still have time to get some tax-deductible donations in before the year ends 🙂
