Our Grads...Part 2

Well, we've just about made it through the first week without our students around.  In some ways it almost feels like a distant memory already but we definitely miss seeing them around, especially not knowing when or if we will see some of them again, this side of eternity!

That's especially the case with about half of them who came from different parts of Mexico and it may include a 14 hour bus ride to get to them (or 35 hours in the case of Sergio who came from the distant city of Puebla!)  I'd like to highlight the remaining "out of towners," those who came from the furthest, sharing a little about them and how I saw God at work in them over the past months.

Joel

I'll start with Joel.  He's got a neat testimony, having become a Christian early on in life but later on he got caught up in a lifestyle of drugs.  He came to the point, though, where he was tired of that lifestyle.  Hearing a message on the Prodigal Son, he identified himself with the son, recognizing the emptiness of his life and how it was only God who could truly fill him.  Deciding at that point to follow Him wholeheartedly, he's been passionately serving the Lord, with a particular desire to minister to those who are caught up in a lifestyle similar to what he had experienced.  If there's one word to describe him it would be evangelist!  He's a guy with no fear, without thinking twice, he would be out there sharing the Gospel with someone or preaching it on a street corner.

But perhaps what touched my heart the most in Joel was his tender heart towards the Lord.  We could see this grow throughout his time here in the hours spent in God's Word.  Joel was always passionate, often being the first one to speak up and pray in a group setting, and doing so passionately.  Two memories stick out and both came on the final day.  In the morning of the last day we went out into the desert, staff and students, and had a time of communion together, the final time we would do so as a group.  Towards the close of the time Joel lead us in a prayer, thanking Jesus for His broken body and shed blood.  It wasn't just the prayer he had but the tears and the passion which accompanied his prayer.  His love for the Lord and the intimacy of his relationship was so evident, and so neat to see.  The second memory was during the evening (I think I mentioned this in passing on the last post) towards the end of the graduation ceremony as the students were singing a song Heme Aquí, Here I Am, and Joel was one of those singing his heart out with tears rolling down his face.  You didn't have to spend a lot of time with him to see this passion and his love for the Lord flow out of him.

Luciana & Roberto

Luciana and Roberto

Their daughters Melody and Priscila

The oldest students this year, both around 27, the two couldn't have been more opposite in many ways.  Luciana is a very outgoing, vocal person, always ready to share what's on her heart and has a deep passion for the Lord.  Roberto on the other hand, especially in the beginning was quite quiet and reserved, especially when it came to matters of sharing what's on his heart and sharing about his faith, even in a group of believers.  He came being at a very base level in his Christian walk, having recently come to know the Lord.  Luciana had a huge heart for ministry and especially for children.  Roberto would help out where he could but didn't come with any particular passion to serve the Lord.

Like Joel, Luciana had a real sensitive heart towards the Lord and would quickly come to tears when sharing her burden for the lost and her desire to share the Lord with them.  I remember many times throughout the school term being struck by this burden which she had and couldn't help but see the Lord's heart through her, how He must be burdened and weep for those who don't know Him and don't want to have anything to do with them.  Leaving, she was very excited to be heading back with a newfound desire to share the Lord with those around her who didn't know Him.

Roberto really came out of his shell throughout the semester and there were two particular memories I have of him that really showed how far he came through the year.  One of them happened a couple of weeks ago when the students were out during Semana Santa, the Easter Holy Week where thousands of people come to San Carlos for what is pretty much a week long party.  The students when out handing tracts to people and the Gospel.  Luciana and Roberto headed out together and Luciana came back saddened in particular by one person who would not even take a tract, refusing to having anything to do with God.  Roberto on the other hand came back so pumped at going out and sharing the Gospel, something that he had been very afraid to do but with his confident wife at his side, was super excited at having taken a hold of the opportunity.  I think he had done something he had never had the courage to do before and it was exciting to get out there and just do it.

The other memory came on the final day, at the graduation ceremony.  Each of the students had to share a verse from about 40 passages they had memorized throughout the semester.  Roberto was terrified at the thought of it, as public speaking of any sort was not something he enjoyed in any form whatsoever.  He shared with us after the ceremony how just before he was to do it he was feeling weak and even a little sick in his stomach but he prayed to God, knowing that God would give him the strength to do it and sure enough he made it through!  Perhaps for some this may not be a big deal but for him it was a huge challenge overcome, relying on God's strength!

Well, this post is already getting long so I think I'll leave it at that and share about some more of the students in a later post.  It's a joy to look back and not just remember them but see how God in fact worked in their lives during our short but intense time with them.  We keep praying for them as they are settling back into their lives and invite you to do so as well whenever you think of them.  Check back for Part 3 soon!