I'll start out by saying that I'm not a Bible puncher or a very religious person at all. I believe in God and fear his wrath. I don’t go out of my way for any sort of Biblical reasoning. However, My church "Metro Community Church" does a lot of missionary work. Several members travel to Guatemala a couple of times a year to help out the community. This past Sunday my Church invited the Pastor and his wife from Guatemala to visit ours. We paid for their travel and everything else. Some of the members took them shopping at our expense. New clothes and stuff like that. Anyways out Pastor "Paul" had grew up in the South America. His parents were missionaries and so Paul speaks Spanish very well. He introduced the pair and acted as an Interpreter. It was a very touching event for us to listen to the hardship these two had endured to just open a church and spread the word of Christ. I must say I’m a hard one to crack, but when the wife started talking about the Sunday school and the abuse these children endure I freaking lost it. But nothing was more heart breaking or hope filled then the message that they presented us at the end of the sermon. The husband pulled out an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Paul. Paul was a little shocked and they insisted that he open it right away. I've never seen a grown man drop to his knees and weep like this over anything other than bad news. None of us knew what was going on, as the three hugged and Paul tried to give whatever it was back to them they just shuck their heads and kept saying no no no. After a little while Paul said that the couple and the community had been saving money for the last 2 years and that everyone gave. They wanted to help us help someone in our community for once. What took them over 2 years to save was $400. Needless to say, this brought the entire church to tears and applause. I can honestly say that God touched us all that day. I then realized that even when we are faced with our silly little dilemma’s day to day we can think about these people and what they go through and realize that it’s not that bad what we are facing. God bless us all.
You witnessed what happens when people realize it is not about religion. The world is full of religious people. Wars are fought over religion. People hate each other over religion. You witnessed what happens when people begin to understand that loving God is best demonstrated by "truly" loving others and giving until it hurts. You have been blessed, I am glad you didn't miss it. Mark12:41-44 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Amen to that! Makes me sad that there are people that never get to experience the joy of faith. Great posts from both of you guys.
Great post, and sounds like a great moment. Glad to hear stories like these amongst all the bad things in the world that make the news.
Yeah, I still can't get over the sight of Paul dropping to his knees shaking like he did. It was and will be the most memorable biblical experience that I’ve ever witnessed. I applaud my wife for asking me to go.
So what's next? I mean do you forget such an experience over time or is there something more happening?
My wife and are purchasing a clean water dispenser for a family. they are $100 each and a $100 well spent.
Are you interested in going to South America to help drill water wells on a mission trip? I can arrange it.
Yeah I'd love that but my wife and I are going to start trying to have our 2nd and I won't be able to afford the extra time off of work. I love the heat and am more active when it's 100+ so I'd be in heaven minus the negative factors.
