A Chosen Disciple

Their home is dark because the electricity is turned off; this is common here.
Dishes of warm food cover the table however, this is not common here.
A candle is lit and placed on a saucer.....it's light is appreciated more than before.
Droplets of rain hit the tin roof...tap...tap tap.....a roof that was once eaten by rust and mother nature.
The rain comes down harder and he laughs. He used to sit in his home; wet.
The sound of rain is soothing.....he is dry.....the candle burns.

We gather around the table and eat the meal his mother prepared; it's delicious.
She spoon feeds him and he agrees.....it's delicious.
His story is a sad one; with twists and turns, with pride he shares anyway.....the good.....the bad.
He's familiar with suffering and poverty, but he prays for Americans who have far more than he ever will.
His speech is slurred and his education minimal.....he teaches intelectuals lessons about life.
A kitten plays around the table.....we lean in close and listen to his praise for God.....the candle burns.

He cannot hold a pencil; his hands are uncoordinated, but he writes songs.
Despite his circumstances he loves God wholeheartedly, and for God only.....he writes songs.
Cerebral palsy has crippled him physically, but his spirit is unrestrained.
He sits in a wheelchair; his legs and feet crooked and weak, but he stands taller than I do.
Humiliy creeps into the room unannounced, leaving it's mark on those who have ears to hear.
He is a vessel.....God gives him purpose.....he is Melvin.

Conversation is good.....hearts are changed.....his light shines.

In the Moment...

• The other day I played ball with children in a shanty town. Though my heart ached for the brokeness of the community I saw beauty in the childrens' laughter.
• While in Jarabacoa, I witnessed a man without legs dragging himself along the sidewalk. I was overwhelmed with sadness and compassion. I know that I cannot heal all the suffering or injustice in this world, but I can pray.....I can serve.....I can love.
• A new friend of mine made himself vulnerable and opended up to me about the things in his life that are heavy on his heart. I was reminded how human we all are; and that through vulnerability we build deeper relationships and have the opportunity to lift one another up.
• Last week I bottle fed a ten year old boy who suffers from severe facial paralysis. As I craddled him like an infant I was humbled to the point of feeling foolish. I dislike that feeling, but it was worth the lesson learned.
• I was privelaged to meet Melvin, a young man that suffers from severe cerebral palsy. His feet were dirty, his wheelchair old, and his speech slured, but he praised and glorified God wholeheartedly. Sometimes Jesus doesn't walk into the room; he sits there.
• Went to a music outreach in Los Higos and saw Araceli worshiping there. Last summer she tried to commit suicide because of her advanced multiple sclerosis. God is working in her life.....God is answering prayer.
• Almost daily I hike up the hill behind the base and get to look out over all of Jarabacoa. As I stand there I am reminded that this is God's city and greater things have yet to come...greater things are still to be done here. I'm blessed to be here for the time being.
• I strive to live in the moment, appreciate each day for what it is, and learn the lessons that God lays before me. Eyes open...ears open...heart open.....I'm living.