Just got back home from having a coffee with a friend and his cousin. My friend has been chatting with his cousin about Jesus for a long time and his cousin is on a journey of questioning and searching. We had a great time chatting and then waited with him for his bus.
Afterwards, my friend and I were waiting for the bus on the other side of the street when a young woman selling tamales (umm... a corn/wheat thing) came and offered us tamales. We started chatting with her and she asked me for how many days I was here. The math was too difficult to work out on the spot, so I told her I was here for two years and she asked me if I was studying or working. I explained that I was working with the Christian community here, particularly with young people. We got to chatting about the church community that we are a part of and she started explaining how difficult life is and that she has lots of challenges in her life. She was interested in coming along to experience church with us so we wrote down the church's details for her and invited her along on Sunday. She said she hoped the 10% tithe wasn't too much there and we chatted about our belief that what we give as an offering to God is voluntary and an act of thanks and worship to God - not an obligation. She seemed pretty relieved.
Hmm... it reminds me that people all around are searching. Searching for meaning to their exisitence, and help in their tough times. I regret now not buying a tamale from Jessica, really, I just wasn't hungry! But I pray that the conversations that God brings my way, the kindness I am able to show, reflect Jesus Christ to the world that really needs His love.
God is huge in his grace and provision... and he has allowed me to buy a HUGE car to get around and to carry the young people for activities and after our student group. I bought a 9 seater, Chevrolet Suburban 1997 with my savings and it is BIG! I have been super-excited to have it, but it also needs a few repairs which have been a bit of a stress... it has something going on with the transmission that we didn't find before I bought it (I had a mechanic mate check it over) that is costing me a bit to repair.
As they say in Mexico... mi Suburban es tu Suburban! (hehe well actually, it's "mi casa es tu casa", but you could sleep in this baby!)
