A Praying Friend

This is Gina. She is the pastor's wife of a church we are working with, La Iglesia Que Te Ama. The church that loves you:) Ever since the first time I met her a couple of months ago she has made me feel at home with her family and the church members.

Maybe it is my fatigue....or the not knowing of what is going on with my health but for whatever reason I have that feeling like I need a hug...all the time. Living here is hard, we are in a new place with really no friends (yet) and I am a people person. I crave relationships! You're probably thinking, "Go and make some friends for heaven's sakes!" I want to...I really do! I crave it and pray for it all the time. Not just for my Spanish but for companionship. It seemed easier in Puebla because the work schedules were so different, here they leave for work at 6am and come home at 10pm so on the weekends they are all about family. Which is what they should be focusing on:)

I know God knows what He has planned for me even when I constantly ask him "What do you want from me??"  There is no place we enter that God is not there, He was there before we even arrived. I know He is in total control of all of our circumstances here and I know we are supposed to be here but I'm not gonna lie...it's hard. I'm not whining, my life is so much better than millions of other people's lives but still....it's different living in a foreign country. No one said it would be easy and I'm certain that most missionaries have felt this at the beginning of their career. I'm not trying to sound pitiful and I'm not asking for sympathy...I knew this about this type of work.

So today.....God sent me someone.

It was a specific message.

He has been listening to my cries.

And He has answered my prayers. 

Before church began today, sweet Gina walked up to me and grabbed me and embraced me with every muscle in her body...I could barely breathe. She began praying in my ear and saying the most beautiful words. I began crying. God was speaking through her. God was telling me that no matter what is wrong with my health...even if it is just stress....it is for a reason and He will be glorified. God was telling me that He did send me a friend to share sisterhood with...Gina. He was showing me that my "living situation" has changed and yes we have lived in 5 different places in the last two and a half years....but His Word never changes. He was telling me that I am not here alone that He is my rock and my strength and I am to rest under His wings.  God was showing me how much He loved me....through her.

I am so blessed.

Then the service began. I noticed a young man standing in front of me...he was alone. During the sermon I was looking at him and he had a banged up eye like he was hit...really hard. He had many scars all over his arms, face and neck. I could hardly focus on the girls or the sermon...yes I can multi-task! I kept wondering what his life has been like so far, he couldn't have been more than 19 or 20 years old. It has been a hard life for sure. After the sermon, he seemed to have trouble finding the song in the songbook. I helped him find the first song and then the next but still he wasn't singing. I was wondering if he could even read? It is certainly a possibility that he never learned to read. But he seemed uncomfortable....I really wanted to talk with him but I know here...in this country...it would not be appropriate to approach a man by myself. Greg was beside me but he was worshiping in song. All of the sudden, Gina came out of nowhere, put her arm around his back...showed him what song we were singing and kept her finger on the page so he could follow. He seemed to relax and I just closed my eyes and began praying during the rest of the songs for the Holy Spirit to fill his heart so this child of God could feel my Father's love for him. He looked like no one had ever shown him love....he looked hardened but at the same time he looked like a scared little boy.

You see....Gina is a pastor's wife....I had that role for almost eight years. I remember doing that with a young man who had a troubled life in our congregation as well. God showed me more than just a friend in Gina today, He showed me that I still have that role and I must fulfill it without fear. Jesus wasn't afraid to step out of the boundaries of culture and look inappropriate. He just loved them. He met them wherever they were and showed His Father's love.

You see.....I realized today....my role is still the same. I was thinking of this job as being different but it's just the same. I am just supposed to touch their lives with the love of Jesus.

What an amazing day:)