Yesterday it rained and today the sky was heavy with dark clouds. People here in Metan, Salta say that it is a tremendous blessing when the sky is overcast since the temperature is mild. Pastor Andrés Marquez and I had specifically asked the Lord to hold off any plans to send rain around 5 to 7 PM today.
Well, when 5 PM came around the sky was darker than usual. Tiny droplets of mist were dropping on my windshield as I drove to the plaza to set up my guitar. I talked to the Lord a little bit while I was setting up my instrument. Water is not good for electronic Hawaiian guitars and accordions. I set up even though the tiny droplets showed up on my guitar. The chair I had set up to use was getting wet, but I deliberately sat in it anyway and started playing the instrument loud and clear. The threatening rainstorm never materialized. In fact no more tiny droplets were seen or felt the rest of the time.
The people came in spurts. A small group gathered at 5 PM (the announced time). The pastor wanted to wait for more people to show. But I am a stickler for starting whenever it was announced to start. So I requested permission to start with the little group. Felipe’s presence attracted quite a few more. He told a Bible story and sang a few songs. Felipe did not want to go back into the suitcase, but I promised him that I would get him out again later.
After a short break at 6:15 I did a second act, this time with a message of salvation for adults and youth. A high school had just let out the students and a dozen or so of them joined the group. Felipe told another Bible story and sang some stuff. Again I gave them all the message of the gospel of Jesus and prayed for them all.
At 7 PM the police band was setting up on our stage. We were packing up when I noticed a Bolivian lady sitting to one side who had just arrived with her two cute little kids, a boy and a girl. I spoke with her and found that they had not seen Felipe. So I pulled up a chair, sat down and did a third show. Again a crowd gathered around to share the action.
Parting is sometimes painful. Pastor Andrés grabbed me and held me tightly in his arms for a long time weeping. There on the street by my car, Andrés, his wife and I formed a tight circle and I prayed a blessing down on them. Andrés was saved in Plaza Constitución in Buenos Aires when some ladies from Pastor Antonio Regge’s church in Olivos preached… among them my daughter in law, Elisabet’s, mother, Nina. Andrés had been running with a bad crowd and had been attacked by robbers that smashed his skull with a crow bar leaving him partially paralyzed. He still has a huge dent in his head under thick black and slightly grey hair. His left arm is almost useless, but I would not have noticed if he had not told me.
This couple was very much in need of encouragement and some love. I left them a good dosage. They deserved it and a lot more.
Ralph
No comments:
Post a Comment