Somewhere between soccer courts and serving in His court.

In the last few days I have been going through Numbers and it has taught me a lot about my attitude when I am obeying the Lord despite how uncomfortable certain things and situations may be. I’ve truly accepted the fact that I would much rather be in the Lord’s perfect will in uncomfortable situations, rather than in the Lord’s permissive will for my life where everything is comfortable and I acknowledge I would be in His permissive will is not exactly a comfortable thing to have in mind or recognize. I’ve realized how much more I cannot get Peru out of my head or just the confidence and the guidance the Lord has given me when I am here in Peru is unlike any other peace I’ve ever had. Just the many lives that I get to be a part of and the many relationships I’ve been able to pour into with the Word of God has been nothing but a true blessing and God given gift, just the stewardship itself is a blessing as it is.


Since being here I’ve been able to appreciate the little things the Lord shows me in everyday life especially in the street life; like just walking down the street and see Peruvians in their everyday lives. For example, this morning (March 19th, 2010) I was walking down the street to buy some pens for my Systematic Theology class when I saw a mother was stopped by her pre-school son who stopped walking and the first words out of her mouth were: “Ahora, que?” translated; ‘Now, what?’ I think of my relationship with the Lord as He is always leading me to a place of instruction and when I stop or stop and think about something I know He doesn’t ask ‘Now, what?’ and sighs, but I know He asks me what’s going on, so that I may confess and be open to Him. He asks me to be open to enjoy that communion I am able to have with Him, so that I may be reminded to abide in Him and in His Word.

Today (March 20th, 2010), as I was in San Juan de Lurigancho my heart was convicted. Convicted to do more when I’m there, so I decided to pick up a soccer ball with a friend of mine who is an American and there is a concrete soccer court that is usually packed with people, but today it wasn’t the local bodegas (corner store/liquor store) was swamped with people enjoying a beer or two and listening to techno and cumbia music. My friend and I left to go to the soccer court which in my opinion I thought; ‘If we stay here long enough the Americans we were some of the kids from the church will come out and get tons of kids out and play and we can invite them to the church and develop friendships with them’. After about ten minutes I hear, “Oye, Los hermanos de la iglesia!” Sure enough, we knew we were in business 2 kids came then a few minutes later 5 kids followed, then later we had at least a 5 vs 5 or 6 vs 6 game going on and the court was ours until we had to bring in all the kids for their group study. Christ calls His children to be fishers of men and well, we have a fishing spot. Meeting people where they meet and interact particularly we would run into a lot of guys who I know are hurting from many things in San Juan that many young guys get caught up in. Little did I know that later on I would meet someone exactly where they were in their life and that was where they met temptation but found his way back to the church.

Stumbling his way down the street in front of children, men, and women it became a sad scene. I have never encountered a drunk before in a way like this before, this guy was part of the church in San Juan de Lurigancho and many were wondering where he had been lately and sure enough he was not far from us. As the tears fell along with the bottle of beer, a change of his typical routine began and as the smell of overwhelming amount of alcohol and my title of ‘American’ or ‘gringo’ changed to ‘the one guy who prayed over a drunk’ probably in thoughts of the on-looking neighborhood inhabitants as I was accompanied by my fellow brothers in the Lord I remembered what it was like to find myself at cross-roads when life came at me fast and hit me in the face and it was a decision even as a Believer for four years to think of either make one of two decisions because life was pretty crummy and that was either, seep back into the sinful life I was in and which leads nowhere, but death or continue to seek the Lord where I find eternal life and restoration. I didn’t pray over this gentleman for a parade, but I was reminded by God where I was some time ago and I took God’s challenge of ministering to people right where they are and sharing more of Christ’s love. I wonder if we ever are willing to love those that are destroying themselves and are willing to step in and help no matter what it takes, step in and show them Jesus not for condemnation, but to show them that there is freedom from sin and that is only in life driven to make Christ the center of their life and they have turned away from their sins.

Today, was no ordinary day, because I was reminded where I once was and I remember how much I desperately needed someone with Christ’s love abiding in them to help me get up on my feet. Most will read this and say, ‘But he was a drunk, he didn’t know what he was doing. We can’t say if he’ll ever remember what he was doing or what he did.’ I can say this that this moment will never be taken lightly because this caught the attention of the whole block, imagine how much more our church in San Juan is concerned for this guy as this day will be on the thoughts and comments and conversations of the children and youth we minister to. Today, I wept in a way that I never imagined I could weep, I wept like a brother was watching his brother fall apart and wanted to be there every moment to help him, but it was followed by a smile because I’ve seen God’s power and way in situations like these and how He uses them and sometimes they may turn out in a manner that I may not agree to or may not fully understand I know that God’s way and manner is SO much greater than that of my finite understanding and ‘better’ plan.

More to come...off to Iquitos, Peru in a week.
 
-Danielito