Friday, May 23, 2014

The Portrait

The service was ended.  Felipe had done his thing, the kids and adults alike had been delighted.  I had finished my message and the time of prayer around the altar had ended.  People were greeting one another.  Someone pushed this little girl’s wheelchair to the front.  With a big smile she handed me a little folded paper.  I glanced at it, gave her a kiss on the cheek, thanked her and posed for this picture with her.
                                                                            

After I got back to my hotel I pulled the folded paper out of my pocket again and looked more closely at her work of art.  Suddenly I realized that this was a portrait of me holding Felipe in my right arm. 
                                                
I can clearly make out Felipe’s two eyes and his mouth in a big smile.  My face is not so detailed, but I do have two obvious feet.  Felipe has his two legs too.

A moment ago I called Pastor Esteban Morales to inquire about her.  Her name is Iriel.  Her brain was starved for oxygen at birth.  She speaks some and apparently has limited understanding.  But Jesus loves her just as much as He loves me or any of us and one day in His heaven she will walk and talk and probably sing in God’s choir. 

“Thank you, Darling Iriel, for this portrait of me and Felipe.  I shall cherish it.”

Grandpa Rafael