My hotel room is smaller than a single car garage; it smells stuffy since it has no windows except the transit over the door which opens to the dark lobby; the paint on the wall is cracked and peeling off in places; the plumbing leaks water onto the bathroom floor constantly; each time you flush the toilet you have to lift the lid on the tank and reach down into the water to raise the float that sticks and floods the floor; as is common in many older hotels here, the shower rains down on the whole little bathroom soaking everything; the pillow on the narrow bed is a stiff, hard bolster; I had to request towels and soap since none were in the room; the situation is not ideal. But here I am… hardly able to see the computer screen for tears of joy!
Today is Tuesday November 15. I rose at 5 AM for the two hour drive from Tucuman to Metan. My first ministry opportunity this morning was at 9 AM to more than 300 excited children K through 7th grade in a public school. This was followed by a short TV interview with Felipe. From there at 11 AM to another public school to minister just to the fourth graders… about 60 of them.
Had lunch with two pastors and a 45 minute rest and back at 3 PM for the afternoon student body of about 300 students in the first public school and at 5 PM 300 more in the other school . At 6 PM I was taken to a juvenile retention center to minister to three teenage boys. Rodolfo is a clean, sharp looking 14 year old, Domingo is 17 and looks like he might have had a rough life. Faustino is also 17. None of the three smiled much. All three listened intently to Felipe’s Bible story. Then I ministered to them in an informal way, finally leading the three of them and their two police guards in the sinner’s prayer.
I went back out to my car along with the two pastors that accompanied me and opened the trunk to put Felipe and my accordion back in. Suddenly I found myself bent over the open trunk sobbing… unable to see clearly for my tears. My heart breaks for those 3 teenage boys. Pastor Carlos, who ministers there weekly, has promised me that he will give them each a copy of Nicky Cruz’s book “Run Baby Run” in Spanish this weekend. I took no pictures of these boys, but their faces are imprinted on my heart.
So what makes me weep for joy while sitting here at the computer? It is simply the privilege God is giving me to touch so many young lives with the message of Christ’s love and hope for a brand new start.
I must leave now for the evening service…
Today four exciting school events, one TV interview, the Juvenile Detention Center and finally the church service. Almost non-stop 5 AM till midnight. A great day! So rejoice with me!
Ralph
