Jim
12/20/2009
Yesterday was the Angle Tree outreach 2009 for Word of Life Christian Center. We distributed over 500 gifts to over 200 families. A food basket was delivered to each family as and additions gesture of Christian love. There were 72 teams who delivered to 3 or 4 families each. Ana and I were given 4 Spanish speaking families in the central part of Denver.
This turned out to be a very busy day. Between the outreach we had the tires rotated, balanced, and the alignment corrected on my car. Yet God made it all happen within His timetable. It was after 7 when we got home.
The first part of the process was to go to WOL and help pack the food boxes. This was especially enjoyable for Ana. For over 14 years she has made 200+ trips to Mexico doing similar things. Many times they distributed food and yesterday brought back memories of some of those past exercises.
It was fun watching her help put in hams and pies and move the boxes into place. She is one not to sit back and watch the rest of the group do the work even though we were not part of the food packing team.
After we picked up the presents and food we were off after a short detour to move my car from the tire place to the alignment place.
Housing in this part of town is a bit small and not well marked. We stopped between two houses near that proper place and Ana called to find out which one to go to.
The first family consisted of a young man, a 10 year old boy and a 2 year old girl. Only the boy had presents so we think that he is from a different marriage where the father is still in prison. God knows but we do not care. We were there to minister to the people present at the time we arrive.
We were allowed to come right on in and to place the food box on the table. We gave the packages to the young boy, his eyes widely opened. Ana talked to the father for a bit and asked if we could pray for him. “Yes you can.” So we prayed for him and his family and his work.
Then Ana told him about the soon return of Jesus Christ, in Spanish of course. It is a marvelous thing to be with Ana as she witnesses to people, especially those from Mexico. The love she has for them pours out in rivers of living water. Such compassion and true love flows forth. Once inside of a family’s home she will not leave until they have been presented the opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ’s salvation.
A story unfolds twining together many experiences that I have been graced to witness with Ana. She tells of her past 14 years working throughout all of Mexico, I hear Durango, Juarez, Veracruz, Monterrey, and on. Then she relates the trip we made to Juarez last April in the midst of the drug lord war where we were surrounded by the Mexacili Federalies. This is where a vision from God about the Taliban wove into the story. This led us to a trip to Christians United for Israel in Washington D.C. Presented by John Hagee.
The point of this wonderful story is that we live in a perilous time. The return of Christ is just around the corner. There are satanic forces straining at the door ready to break down all restraints and unleash a terrible evil upon planet Earth. The radical Islamic nations desire to annihilate the nation of Israel. Ahmadinejad has Iran just a screwdriver away from having a nuclear bomb capable of destroying Israel. Next on his hit list will be the United States.
In the vision Ana had in Juarez, God told her that His people under the umbrella of His covering would be saved. Those outside of that covering would suffer greatly. God told Ana that she was to be the Jonathan and go forth and warn the people of this coming terror.
During her talking she tells how we, Ana and I, have an insurance policy that will take us to heaven when we die. She then asks them if they would like to receive that same policy. It is free just for the asking. The people almost always agree. Why would they not. It is free. It protects from the coming fracas.
We stand and hold hands. Ana prays a sinners prayer and has them repeat out loud along with her. This is when we often see tears of repentance and joy stream down their faces. God does his miracle and the Blood of Jesus cleanses them from their sins. A new creation is unveiled where there previously stood a defiant rebellious person.
Then Ana often tells them that right now the Angles in Heaven are writing your names in God’s book of life. That when you die and go to meet the Father that He will open that book, see your name inscribed within and bid you enter in my faithful friend.
I often snap a picture so we have something to pray over and to share with others.
Well, this is just what happened at Family #164. As Ana spoke I prayed and agreed in the Spirit to all she was saying. I watched the young man as she spoke. His eyes never wavered from soaking in all that was said. You can tell when a person is interested or not. They either are interested and pay attention, or are not and look to and fro and downward to advert eye contact.
He prayed the sinner’s prayer and accepted Christ into his heart. We gave him a New Testament with some scriptures underlined in it for him to start reading. We told him about the Iglesia De Cristo El Shaddai church on Alameda. He was sort of interested but said that he would rather come to our church. So someday we may see him standing up as a new visitor. Praise the Lord.
Our next stop was just a half mile away. A 13 year old let us into the house where a 30 year old father was laying on the couch with a 9 month old baby who had breathing problems and was on oxygen. Almost immediately Ana started praying for the baby and laid hands on it for Jesus to dynamically heal the child.
This led to a long conversation with the father. He was very interested in what Ana was telling him. His gaze never went far from the words pouring out of her mouth. When Ana got to the point of asking him if he would like to accept Jesus as his personal savior he said that he would rather have us return at 5 PM when his wife was off work. He wanted us to share with his wife what we had been sharing with him.
We left there praising God for the chance to witness to even more people when we returned later in the day. As we were driving off we discussed the smell of leaking natural gas in the apartment. I had worked for a gas service company in Kansas and am painfully aware of the smell of gas. We thought that this may be what is causing the child’s illness.
We made a mental note to have the family call the gas service company to have their house checked out. A slow leak can go unnoticed to the inhabitants and be potentially hazardous to their health. It can also cause a big bang.
Many years ago as I was walking to the Kansas State fair through an alleyway I smelt natural Gas. This was not too common in those days and I thought nothing about it. Two days later the very house I walked past blew off the face of the earth. The owners were on vacation and a gas leak filled the house with fumes which eventually ignited into a massive explosion totally destroying the house.
So Yes, we will tell the family to have the gas service company come and check out their house for leaks.
Now we were off for family #3 which was 10 or so miles to the East in the Aurora area. The GPS took us right to a bunch of apartments. Like most complexes, the numbering scheme is confusing to say the least. There must be a universal law that states that the actual street address and building numbers must be partially hidden from common view. And of course stopping a resident to ask directions led to total confusion. Father, forgive me for my grumbling and murmured words.
In the process Ana called the telephone number on the bag of gifts. Evidentially this person was at work and her niece was home tending to the children. She asked if we could just leave the packages inside of the door downstairs doors so that she could pick them up later. We at least got the correct building directions from her and headed that way.
When we got inside we noticed that the building had security doors requiring a code to gain entrance. Ana had been praying that God would open our way to finding the apartment. Just then a lady was exiting the building. Ana asked if she could let us in to deliver some Christmas gifts and a box of food. She gracefully entered the code to let us in. It was like an angle was sent to make the way open up for us.
When we got to the apartment we knocked at the door and there was total silence. No on seemed to be home. Ana again called and this time got the answering service. She left a voice mail stating that this was Angel Tree and we were standing outside her door with some presence for her children.
A little more waiting; some discussing what to do; then another phone call. This one was answered. Lo and behold the lady was actually home and opened the door for us. “Merry Christmas” shouted Ana as she pushed the bags of presents through the door. They were afraid and were hesitant to answer our knocking.
Once inside we found a very warm friendly and open family of six. Ana had a joyous time talking with them. I played on the floor with one of the boys. One small girl was shy and would not come out of her room to see us. We found their Christmas tree well decorated and full of presents. The ones we brought rounded out their hoard, hopefully making for a beautiful Christmas time.
Ana found that they wanted prayer for their work situation and their green card status. The lady was a professor at a university in Mexico but is unable to translate that into a job here. The lived a meager life and found their home to be their refuge. It felt like the middle of Mexico in their home. It was hot! Although it was cold outside, the man had on a T-shirt and flip flops. I was sweating inside of my winter coat.
We prayed together, me in English and Ana in Spanish, as the whole family (less the shy little girl) held hands with us. As Ana prayed I watched the man’s eyes. They never left watching the words Ana was praying. His attention was on the words of wisdom being proclaimed. He was taking God’s revelation to them deep within his heart. The mother was also riveted on each word being proclaimed.
So there was no resistance when Ana asked if they wanted to pray to receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Openly they accepted His salvation. Openly they committed their lives, as a family unit, to the Saving Grace of Jesus. What a wonderful time for Ana and I, to see this beautiful little family totally surrender their hearts and lives to Jesus at this special time of the year.
Ana talked with them for quite some time. We learned that they were from Juarez. Ana told of all the work she had done there. We discussed where Pastor Enrique’s church was. They knew the place well and mentioned some orphanages they knew about, quite possibly the ones Ana had worked with. What a marvelous time of reflection.
Ana later related the days experience almost as if she was in Mexico; from the packing of the food boxes to meeting this beautiful, obviously very Mexican, family. It was a flash back of previous enjoyable times. Our hearts are in Mexico and for the Mexican people. Today was just a glimpse of what God has in store for our continued work for His Kingdom.
The activities of the day brought back memories of another time for me which left a great impression on my memory. My wife went to be with the Lord on the morning I was to start a new job taking kid’s pictures. I delayed the start of the job for two weeks.
The company I started working with marketed a free 8×10 portrait, mostly to the poor Mexican people in this same area of town. The Mexican’s are very proud of their family and plaster their walls with pictures of them which they hold very near to their hearts, and were the only ones who would take such a free offer.
I visited 8 to 10 such families each day, finding my way through the apartment complexes much as we did today. I often entered into a complex and was transformed into the heart of lil’ Mexico. One place there were people cooking on the ground floor, washed cloths hanging from lines strung across the atrium, kids running around shouting and playing, and loud Mexican music streaming so that all could hear. This was before I had ever gone to Mexico.
One day I want to take Ana to the 6th and Peoria area in Aurora to do some outreach. When I was shooting pictures in the area it seemed that even the street advertisements were all in Spanish. Ana mentioned today that she felt like she was back in Mexico. I believe a trip witnessing to people on the streets in this area will take her back in memory for a short time.
When I took pictures of babies for these poor people I produced great photographs. But I did not have the killer sales instinct like the person who trained me. One such time I took several gorgeous pictures of a new born. The mother was in tears when her husband told her that she could not buy any. My heart was sore.
God be blessed that now I am offering something to these same people which they can afford because it is totally free. The Free Gift from God of His Beloved Son Jesus Christ. Wow! What a difference there is in marketing the correct product to the correct people.
The third family we visited today came to America drawn by the dream of riches that would await them. When you are only making $3 or less an hour, the vision of making $11 seems like utopia. I have seen how they live in Mexico. When we were in Puerto Vallarta in October we found that we could rent a nice apartment for $300 a month. Yes they can make $11 an hour here, but it costs $12 an hour to survive.
They have not improved their lives. They have only made it worse by leaving all behind to live illegally in America trying desperately to survive in a foreign environment. I believe that this is what makes the Mexican immigrants so receptive to the Gospel. They have lost all meaning for their lives and are searching for answers. Plus the fact that most of them are catholic. At least they do believe in a supreme and benevolent God.
So when Ana and I go to them and offer them Salvation from Christ they accept it with open arms. Finally they have found something to grasp hold of and believe in. Isn’t God great! He allows Ana and I to present the Free gift of Jesus to the lost and receptive people.
We spent the day reaping where we did not sow. Just as pastor mentioned, this is a time of harvest and not sowing. The fields are indeed ripe for the harvest. Lord, take Ana and me into more fertile grounds to continue doing what You have called us to do.
I work on West Colfax Avenue. In the mornings as I come off C470 onto I-70 we go down the hill and most of Denver lies within view. The sky is dark and the millions of lights in the city are shinning brightly. Off to the East the sun is breaking through in all of it glory. What a sight to behold! I often muse about the millions of souls spread out just before me. What a rich and fertile harvest field this presents.
This takes us to family #4, the last one for the day. After a false trip to an industrial area, gotta put the right city in the GPS (a flaw in the programming – correct one was in Aurora and not Denver – right where the two cities meet), Ana called and found the correct area to go to.
The mom was home alone. We took the gifts and box of food in telling her where they came from. She was appreciative. She seemed a bit cold but soon warmed up when Ana asked her what we could pray for. Her husband was in prison and she wanted prayer for her and her children.
Ana had just started praying for her when she broke out in big running tears. She threw her arms around Ana as she led her through the sinner’s prayer. Hugs and kisses and tears and the outpouring of Gods presence fill the room. Ana broke out in a burst of tongues as the Spirit moved heavily.
This ladies husband had accepted Christ while in prison. She said that he often called her and spoke such beautiful words to her as he related his salvation and the words he had been reading in his new Bible. We were there just for such a moment as this. The entire day was orchestrated for that very instant. Her life was placed totally in God’s hands. Ana later said that she felt virtue flow from her to the woman when she prayed.
With the first two families we had copies of the New Testament to leave with them. We had no spare Bible to leave with this woman. As Ana was praying I looked down to the small Spanish Bible she was reading from and knew that she would present it to the lady. This Ana did. As she handed it over Ana felt power as a spark leave her hand and go into the woman’s hand. Wow! What a blessing.
We need to lay in a supply of Spanish Bible to be given out. I found some for $3 to $5 each but feel that we should spend more. A cheap Bible has the same words but does not carry the same love as one costing more. The one Ana presented today cost $25, maybe not quite that much. The previous Spanish Bible that Ana owned was given to Pastor Enrique when he lost his at the bus terminal picking us up in Mexico City.
More prayers were offered to God for this lady and her family. Ana instructed her to read her new Bible and relate what she is reading to her husband; two new recently converted souls sharing the Word of God. What a beautiful gesture. We had brought some oil with us. Ana anointed her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. We gave her the little vial to anoint her children and her husband when she next meet him.
This was the crowing joy of the entire day. This is why we were doing what we were appointed to do. This one meeting made the whole day worthwhile. But wait! The day is not over. We promised to return to family #3 after 5 to talk with the wife. God has more still to unveil to us and through us. The time clock is always on time and beating strongly. Listen! Can you hear it? Tick, tick, tick.
We took a short reprieve from our outreach. We had time to spend until the 5 o’clock hour arrived. We visited one of Ana’s closets friends. We went to Santiago’s for lunch/dinner. I had never been but was promised that it would be fantastic. I ordered a smothered burrito HOT. WOW! That was the hottest green chili I have ever eaten. Almost didn’t eat it, BUT I am Santiago myself and I gulped it down. Boy it was hot.
It was now time to go revisit family #3. We got there and the basement apartment was dark. We knocked several times but no answer. So we went upstairs and found the lady there. Ana introduced us and said that we were that afternoon and he husband wanted us to return and talk with her.
We went downstairs and she called her husband to join us. The baby was asleep in the little swinging chair with his oxygen tubes still on.
Ana explained what we had talked and prayed about earlier. Her husband confirmed what was said. The lady could speak English so Ana continued so that I could understand. There was nothing earth shattering that was said. Ana just unveiled the terror that is in the world; the plight and hardship people experience in life; the fate of their little child.
It was at this time that we mentioned to them about the smell of leaking natural gat that we could smell. They were oblivious to it. They promised to follow up by calling the gas service company to have it checked out. We firmly believe that this could be the reason for the babies breathing problems.
I was intently taking in what Ana was saying and how she presented the Gospel to this family. I consider myself in training as a servant of God to take His message to others. The presentation was simple and non intrusive. Not a threatening speech but rather a story about how life is and how we react to it.
When asked if there was any reason that they could not ask Jesus into their lives, the lady asked what it would involve. I think she though we would require some payment or commitment or joining some church. No said Ana. All you have to do I ask Jesus into you heart.
This we did as we all held hands. The light of the World flowed freely into that dimly lit basement and the glow of Christ soon became upon their faces. Look at the picture I took; such radiance to behold.
I prayed for the healing of the baby once again. Laying my hands on his forehead and asking that the stripes of Jesus would pour out healing and blessings upon his little body.
We left filled with the beauty and presence of God. What a full day this had been. A short detour to pick up my car from the alignment place and we arrived home by 7 PM.
Thank You Lord for allowing Ana and me to experience such a beautiful day witnessing to so many lost souls. Thank You for bringing them all in to Your fold, from the youngest to the oldest.
Ana and I want to do more witnessing in the Denver area. There is such a ripe harvest right at our door steps. Our hearts still long to live in Mexico for an extended period of time. The warm splashing surf of Puerto Vallarta calls to us as the days grow colder in the Front Range. It’s going to be 25 degrees on Christmas day! Yikes!
Father, open the doors for us to be involved in more outreaches through WOLCC. We see a need for the members being involved on a more frequent basis by placing their Faith on the line before the lost people of Denver. Amen.
For thin be the Glory for ever and ever. You are God Almighty. Creator of the Universe. Savior of all mankind. Fill us Lord, with You presence.
P.S. Happy Birthday Jesus.
Thanks for the gift of life.
Your servants,
Jim and Ana
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