Proverbs 19:21.."Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
We got to our barrio this morning and got off to a great start. This was an extremely poor barrio. But... as is the norm...these were some of the most welcoming, loving people we've met. They had nothing, but offered everything they had to make us comfortable...unbelievably humbling. The message of Jesus resonates with them, and offers them hope and peace that they long for in their lives. But it isn't that what we all long for?
We only visited a few houses before lunch, but spent quality time with each family and was able to really solidify their decision to follow Christ. They took us to their "mother church" for lunch since there was more space, it was cooler, etc...While there, the rains came! This would have been no big deal (we went out in the rain yesterday), except the gangs in the neighborhood choose to fight when it rains. The pastor recommended that we not go back to the barrio we were in that morning because of the gang issue. Well.... God had that all orchestrated.
We went out into the neighborhood of the "mother church" and quickly figured out that was exactly where God wanted us to be. My group went to one house after the rains stopped. When I told the mom of the house that we were not even supposed to be there, but the rain kept us from being where we were originally planning to be. She said to me....."you're here because me and my family need to hear what you have to say." And she was exactly right. She told us about her kids... all 5 of them. Her three girls, and her homosexual son were there. Her other son was not there. We spent almost an hour with her, praying for her family, and leading her to faith in Christ. One of the nationals, a young man, struck up a conversation with the homosexual son. He found out that the kid had been raped at age 7 (he's 20 now). That experience caused him to think that he was gay, so he just "became" homosexual. The national told me this as were were leaving the house, walking down the street.
We stopped, I sent our two girls with the other group and he and I , and Beaux headed back. We found Jorge in his room and begin talking with him. He told us that he did not like who he was; did not believe it was who God intended him to be; and wanted to change. He is a noted drug dealer (he was selling his last two bags of marijuana when we found him), gang banger, and homosexual/transvestite. As we talked to him of God's love for him, he began to weep. As we spoke to him, several other kids showed up to listen in to what was going on. After 30-40 minutes of talking with Jorge, he gave his life to Christ with his mom standing there with us praying with him.
God wanted us there today.... no doubt. I've got some other things that God is revealing to me on this trip. I'll share those at another time... maybe tomorrow. For now....
I'm out.
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