Santiago is a strong, stocky Mexican man, but he's a man with a heart that is softened towards the plight of his friend Andreas. He picks up his friend with seeming ease as he puts him into the truck. With never a complaint, he cares for his friend. Santiago came along and translated Andreas story for all of us listening. And then he added some of his own thoughts ... this is what he said.
"I'm not a church person ... I'm a street person ... and I'm still a gang member. I like it there, it's where I'm comfortable ... it's where my friends are. I'm not like you guys ... you church guys ... but I know something that's true. I know that He ... he points upward ... that Jesus loves us guys on the streets. I know He came for us guys, guys like us who don't have anything, for guys who have a lot of bad stuff in our hearts, but I know He loves us, I know He cares. Maybe some day I'll understand more like the rest of you ... I'm not saying I want to be a church person ... no, I'll always be a street person ... but maybe some day I'll be more like my brother Andreas. Maybe I'll have more of Jesus in me."
With tears rolling down his cheeks, completely open and vulnerable before a room of mostly strangers, he looked around at us and continued.
"What you guys are doing is so good, it's so important to us people. Many of us can never build these houses for ourselves ... we're poor and much of life is hopeless. It's that hopelessness that drives us into drugs, to hide from the reality that we can't live out the dream ... the dream of getting out of here, the dream of something better. So we get lost for a few hours each day in another world where we don't have to think about lost dreams, about impossible ambitions, about disappointment. And soon it becomes a lifestyle. And we become trapped in it.
But you come and put roofs over people, so they can stay dry, so their children can stay dry. You share of what you have to those of us who don't have ... and you share the love of Him up there ... he again points upward .. You come down here for just one week, but what you do changes our lives forever. You'll never know how much you have helped the people in this community, you'll never really understand the differences you make ... but let me tell you ... what you are doing changes people. Please don't stop giving ... don't stop helping. Thank you for helping my friend Andreas, for making his dream a reality. God bless you guys."
We had a time of prayer around Andreas and Santiago, lifting them up to the Lord in prayer. When asked what he wanted us to pray for, Santiago said, "More than anything, I want to see my family again. I haven't seen them in a lot of years, but they are in the States and I can't go back there. I just wish I could see them again."
Stuff doesn't matter, things don't matter ... but relationships do. Relationships are the only thing that counts ... with each other ... but more importantly ... with God, our Heavenly Father.
Sometimes we wonder why we're here, but it's in these moments ... these times when we connect with people like Andreas and Santiago ... we know why we are here. We know why He called us to this place. If for no other reason, it's to show us the important things of life. Please continue to pray for Santiago ... he's a man searching for truth ... for that which is real. Andreas wants to go to Bible School this coming fall. Please pray that this dream of his will become a reality.
This group from Greendale, BC that heard Andreas' testimony that night, came up with more than $400 from their own spending money to help towards Andreas' medical expenses. Another group from Northview MB church in Abbotsford, BC contributed another $500 that same night. Both Andreas & Santiago were in tears as they were told of these groups generosity! Thank you, Jesus!
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