An Angel?
I met God yesterday. Well, I had an experience that was definitely God-like and the man was sent from God.
I hadn't been to zumba in a long time. I was excited. The "pre game" music was pumpin' in the gym, I was hopping and pretending that I looked Latina as I pathetically passed off my footwork as zumba-ish. Then I was told a man was at the gym doors, looking for a pastor...barely speaking English.
I'm a little unsure of what to do at first. All of the pastors were gone. My Spanish equivalency is about as fluent as Dora's. So, I called my husband, who just happened to be working in the church's garage....which is odd, and a God thing...who also had my son with him.
What I gathered from the man was that he lost his job in Chicago because he hurt himself. He had gashes on his face and his hand was wrapped in a brace. His cousin lived in Lancaster, MN so he was going up there to live with them because his wife could get a job cleaning. On his way there, his tire blew on his car, and they fixed it, but now have no money. Then he said, "we're hungry."
I thought about all the TV shows that I have seen where there are starving kids in Africa, and the money that we raised for the earthquake in Haiti. While all of those things are legitimate and completely necessary to help and take care of... we have hunger issues literally on our doorsteps.
I'm gullible. I'm a sucker. I can have the wool pulled over my eyes and someone can take my last dollar and it would be me that gave it to them. But something, or Someone, told me that this story was legit. I looked at Rich and I said, we have to help him. He said, what did he say? ;)
Rich said, call Pastor Hernandez and see if there's anything else that he needs; if there's a baby involved, whatever. So, while I was looking for a directory, I found a stash of candy bars, like 20. I took five and gave them to Dale and said, go give them to him. At least it's something until we figure out what to do. So, sorry to the teen/person/pastor who I stole from. It went to a good cause.
When we gave it to him, it was like Christmas. So sad to me.
The Hispanic Pastor's wife, Isabelle, told us that they needed instant type food because they would need to heat it up in microwaves at rest stops or eat it in their car. So we loaded them up from the church pantry. Gave them paper towels and sanitizer, juice and water too. As I helped him to his car, he told me, "people in there (zumba) so happy. I can't be happy now." Broke. My. Heart. I told him, "I know it's hard right now, but it WILL get better. God will bring you through this."
His wife had been waiting in the car. It was an old, rusted, broken down car. He was embarrassed. He commented on how nice the vehicles were in the parking lot compared to his. I told him, it didn't matter as long as it got him from point A to point B. His wife had to sit in the back seat of the Jimmy and prop the front seat forward because it was broke. The air didn't work and only pushed out hot air...and the window didn't roll down. His wife's leg was hurt in someway...I didn't understand how. My heart went out to them. I had nothing to give. So I asked if I could pray with them. She smiled and held out her hand. My son had been with me the whole time. He put his hand on the man's shoulder. We had church for a few minutes. =) I don't know how much they understood of my prayer, but the Holy Spirit did.
He said they only had a little gas, so Rich took them over and filled them up. He got tears in his eyes and looked up to the sky and said, "Gloria a Dios! Gracias! I pray for church." And pointed at our church.
Maybe it was a scam for free food and free gas. Maybe Rich and I are fools. But maybe, he really was a man in need. Hmm. Imagine that the church really helped a hungry and needy soul. Imagine if it were you and you needed help.
The Bible says to "do unto the least of these." (Matt 25:40) It warns us to help because if we do, it's like we're helping Jesus. Or just maybe if we help a stranger, "we could be entertaining angels unaware." (Heb 13:2) Yesterday, it honestly didn't enter my mind that I was helping Jesus. I was just trying to do the right thing to people in need.
Although as Dale and I were cleaning up, I was telling him, just when you think you have it bad, someone always has it worse. He said, I know. I was just waiting for John Quinones to come out (from What Would You Do?). =)
I don't know who this man was. Never caught his name. Doubt I'll ever see him again. Yet he gave me a gift; he showed me how lucky I am. I caught the last zumba song. My steps were a little higher...perhaps a little less awkward? Maybe? After all, I did shake an angel's hand.
Thank you, Lord, for your provision. For my husband who provides for us...that you have given him the knowledge to work on our vehicles so we don't have to pay a mechanic. Thank you for giving Rich and Dale a tender heart. They were as willing as I was to help this couple. I am blessed. Thank you for the man and his wife yesterday. For allowing us to bless them in some very small way. May you provide for them in the rest of their journey, and bless them 100 fold in their life.
I met God yesterday. Well, I had an experience that was definitely God-like and the man was sent from God.
I hadn't been to zumba in a long time. I was excited. The "pre game" music was pumpin' in the gym, I was hopping and pretending that I looked Latina as I pathetically passed off my footwork as zumba-ish. Then I was told a man was at the gym doors, looking for a pastor...barely speaking English.
I'm a little unsure of what to do at first. All of the pastors were gone. My Spanish equivalency is about as fluent as Dora's. So, I called my husband, who just happened to be working in the church's garage....which is odd, and a God thing...who also had my son with him.
What I gathered from the man was that he lost his job in Chicago because he hurt himself. He had gashes on his face and his hand was wrapped in a brace. His cousin lived in Lancaster, MN so he was going up there to live with them because his wife could get a job cleaning. On his way there, his tire blew on his car, and they fixed it, but now have no money. Then he said, "we're hungry."
I thought about all the TV shows that I have seen where there are starving kids in Africa, and the money that we raised for the earthquake in Haiti. While all of those things are legitimate and completely necessary to help and take care of... we have hunger issues literally on our doorsteps.
I'm gullible. I'm a sucker. I can have the wool pulled over my eyes and someone can take my last dollar and it would be me that gave it to them. But something, or Someone, told me that this story was legit. I looked at Rich and I said, we have to help him. He said, what did he say? ;)
Rich said, call Pastor Hernandez and see if there's anything else that he needs; if there's a baby involved, whatever. So, while I was looking for a directory, I found a stash of candy bars, like 20. I took five and gave them to Dale and said, go give them to him. At least it's something until we figure out what to do. So, sorry to the teen/person/pastor who I stole from. It went to a good cause.
When we gave it to him, it was like Christmas. So sad to me.
The Hispanic Pastor's wife, Isabelle, told us that they needed instant type food because they would need to heat it up in microwaves at rest stops or eat it in their car. So we loaded them up from the church pantry. Gave them paper towels and sanitizer, juice and water too. As I helped him to his car, he told me, "people in there (zumba) so happy. I can't be happy now." Broke. My. Heart. I told him, "I know it's hard right now, but it WILL get better. God will bring you through this."
His wife had been waiting in the car. It was an old, rusted, broken down car. He was embarrassed. He commented on how nice the vehicles were in the parking lot compared to his. I told him, it didn't matter as long as it got him from point A to point B. His wife had to sit in the back seat of the Jimmy and prop the front seat forward because it was broke. The air didn't work and only pushed out hot air...and the window didn't roll down. His wife's leg was hurt in someway...I didn't understand how. My heart went out to them. I had nothing to give. So I asked if I could pray with them. She smiled and held out her hand. My son had been with me the whole time. He put his hand on the man's shoulder. We had church for a few minutes. =) I don't know how much they understood of my prayer, but the Holy Spirit did.
He said they only had a little gas, so Rich took them over and filled them up. He got tears in his eyes and looked up to the sky and said, "Gloria a Dios! Gracias! I pray for church." And pointed at our church.
Maybe it was a scam for free food and free gas. Maybe Rich and I are fools. But maybe, he really was a man in need. Hmm. Imagine that the church really helped a hungry and needy soul. Imagine if it were you and you needed help.
The Bible says to "do unto the least of these." (Matt 25:40) It warns us to help because if we do, it's like we're helping Jesus. Or just maybe if we help a stranger, "we could be entertaining angels unaware." (Heb 13:2) Yesterday, it honestly didn't enter my mind that I was helping Jesus. I was just trying to do the right thing to people in need.
Although as Dale and I were cleaning up, I was telling him, just when you think you have it bad, someone always has it worse. He said, I know. I was just waiting for John Quinones to come out (from What Would You Do?). =)
I don't know who this man was. Never caught his name. Doubt I'll ever see him again. Yet he gave me a gift; he showed me how lucky I am. I caught the last zumba song. My steps were a little higher...perhaps a little less awkward? Maybe? After all, I did shake an angel's hand.
Thank you, Lord, for your provision. For my husband who provides for us...that you have given him the knowledge to work on our vehicles so we don't have to pay a mechanic. Thank you for giving Rich and Dale a tender heart. They were as willing as I was to help this couple. I am blessed. Thank you for the man and his wife yesterday. For allowing us to bless them in some very small way. May you provide for them in the rest of their journey, and bless them 100 fold in their life.
