This past Wednesday was our second time going out to give the homeless Aguapanela which is a warm sugar water drink and bread. A part of me dreaded it only because it’s not for the faint of heart but the other part of me thought I know what to “expect ” now and Gods got this anyways. It’s all good! I believe my whole team felt that way.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8
We all piled into a truck that had the back open but a tarp covering the top with two wooden doors that had slits in them so we could see out. When I say ALL I mean maybe 20 people got into the front and back (I lost count) of the truck. It was raining outside and cold. As we got to the area where we set up, I said to myself I’m not going out into the streets this time, I’m going to hand out the cups to people on line. As I started handing out the cups I looked into the eyes of the people who were waiting in line, with drug induced hopeless stares. I start saying silent prayers for hope because in their eyes there’s no sign of it. I think to myself with frustration I’m just standing here “not doing anything ” but in reality I know just being there means the world to broken-hearted children of Christ.
Myself, my teammate Paxtyn and a woman visiting from New Jersey named Evelyn, who speaks Spanish start talking to people in line. All of a sudden I feel someone behind me so I turn around and see a small frail woman maybe in her late 20’s in a tiny dress with a small sweater hanging off her one shoulder shaking from the cold rain. She says “Fria” to me which means cold in Spanish and I search for something to say in Spanish but all I could say was I’m sorry in English. I hand her a cup and tell her to stand in line so she can get the warm Aguapanela and bread. She limps over to the line like something is wrong with her leg. I turn my attention back to Paxtyn and Evelyn who were talking with a woman who had lost her husband and had been on the streets about a year. As I’m trying to listen I feel someone looking at me I see the same woman who said “Fria” to me looking at me with the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen. I said to myself duh Monica you know how to ask what is your name in Spanish. So I go over and ask “Cómo te llamas?” she then replies Mary.
Then it hit me, Flashback about 3 months ago I was sitting in my backyard in New Jersey praying and I asked the Lord to give me a name of someone who needed prayer. I got the name Mary. Then I asked what does Mary need prayer for he told me her leg. I tried asking those around me if they knew anyone named Mary who had a problem with their leg. Everyone said no and time moved on.
Flash forward to a few nights before Aguapanela my team and I were worshipping to listening prayer which is where you sit in silence and ask the Lord questions. During listening prayer I got the name Mary and Angel. I asked the Lord what Mary needed and he said that I would be her shoulder to cry on and ears to listen. I started to freak out and grab Evelyn to translate that the Lord had given me her name. She translated to Mary that I had received her name twice in prayer. More people came to talk to Evelyn and I wanted to pray for Mary but I was hesitant because I don’t speak Spanish. Then I remembered someone say during prayer. To not worry about the language barrier and the Lord will translate. Well, he did just that! As I’m praying for her, tears start pouring down her face. I tell her she’s loved, valued and beautiful in not just my eyes but Jesus Christs. After I prayed Evelyn came back over and talked with her about coming to the foundation when she’s ready, she said she would. We encouraged her to get the Aguapanela because she had gotten out of line. So off she went and I thought she’d go off her own way. But, she came back to us and talked with us till the time we left.
I ask for prayers for Mary to get the strength to get herself clean not just for herself but for her three children. To know she is valued , loved and special. My prayers are I get to see her beautiful face before I leave Colombia in two weeks time.
??-Monica
