**I wrote this blog in Colombia during our break between ministry in Colombia and our trek to Ecuador. Thomas’s story deserves to be told and he needs to be prayed for!**
11 things I know to be true about Thomas:
- He is from Denmark
- He is probably close to 7 feet tall
- He thinks Americans are gullible
- He is a seriously intellectual human being
- He believes that conversation is the most beautiful thing about this world
- He smokes like a chimney
- He has more love to give than most people I have ever met
- He has a strong aversion to religion
- He has experienced a lot of hate from people who identify as Christians
- He, like most of us, is no stranger to suffering
- He does not have the hope of Jesus or the love of the Father
My squad and I spent 4 days all back together in Medellin, Colombia (possibly my new favorite city in the world?) for a debrief*. The first night we arrived, a group of us went out to explore the city and see the way in which this part of town came to life at night. Due to my extreme need for sleep and my grandma-like tendencies to go to bed early, a group of 5 of us headed back to the hostel where we are staying with the intentions to head directly to bed.
Thomas, the night manager, greeted us at the door.
Within minutes we were enveloped in a deep conversation about religion, love, suffering, science, politics, greed…
In this conversation Thomas looked at us, in a serious and sincere tone, and asked…
“Would you rather be here talking to me right now if I was a Christian?”
This question left me speechless. This kind, intelligent, genuine human thought that we did not want to be there, talking to him, because he isn’t a Christian and we are.
Where did he get this idea? What Christians has he met that have told him these lies? And what people have made those “Christians” feel that way? Where did the lies begin and how can we end them?
In this conversation I learned the 11 things I mentioned above about Thomas. The most important being that He needs the hope of Jesus in his life. I did not expect to meet Thomas and I did not know that he would come to our worship sessions, that we would spend many hours discussing the things of life, or that I would be able to pray for him to know the Lord.
We are here to plant seeds and I am expectant that God will make them grow.
You are magnificently loved,
Sara
*a debrief is a period of 4-5 days where my whole squad of 54 come together to talk about how the month went and how we can go into next month better and more equipped to serve the Lord.
