Nothing Like His Love

One afternoon my new brother Henri and I (above) were walking through the crazy Antigua market Asking The Lord to lead us to the people He wants us to truly see.  Who is in need of the Father’s love for this day?  Who is desperate to hear the good news about Jesus?  Who needs discipling in their spiritual journey?

Before long we came across three teenage boys from an indigenous culture named Kaqchikel; they are one of the indigenous Mayan peoples of the midwestern highlands in Guatemala.  These three boys do not go to school but come from afar to shine shoes every day for only 2 Quetzals (26 Cents USD) per pair.

Henri and I brought pizza and sodas to them to sit with them on the curb to share life and the Lord with them.  We sensed from The Lord that they needed food, and so they scarfed down the pizza instantaneously.  Shortly after, they wanted to shine my boots and make them “brillante como nunca antes” (shiny like never before)!  At first I didn’t want them to labor over my dirty boots, but they insisted at their service and started before I could say no.  The Father displayed His love through them and a friendship was born.

“For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.”  -Psalm 9:18

Another time walking through the market with Noe and Henri, we were led to the lovely family above.  Maria and her two neices (Ingrid and Blanca) come to the market to sell pottery, baskets, and the like for a living, and buisiness is slow and can be discouraging.  The first time we met them we knew this was a special family that the Father wanted us to start a relationship with.

“Que traer un pastel la próxima vez” (bring a cake next time), Ingrid said.

The next time we visited we brought a cake for them, telling them we wanted nothing in return.  They were stunned, and wanted us to eat it with them in complete happiness.  After great conversation and as we were about to leave, something happened that was pure and true from The Lord.

Maria gave us all gifts and said “Dios te bendiga” (God bless you).  We were then led to think of the Father’s love as in the poor widow who gave out of her poverty.

‘Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”  -Mark 12:43-44

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”  -James 1:27

Have you ever had so much fun that you just didn’t want that time to end?  Or felt a strong bond that goofiness just poured out?  That’s what it was like on our trip to My Special girls’ orphanage.

When we first arrived, Spanish and English worship inevitably broke out.  As the girls praised the Lord with heads high and eyes closed, they showed a path to us that led deeper into who God is, and what a redeemer He is, despite the suffering some of these precious girls have been through.  The whole time was amazing, and His presence was made clear, and His love did not cease to be displayed through the least of these sisters of ours.

”Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.’”  -Matthew 25:34-40