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December 07, 2006
ministry on it's head
This may be a little jumbled, so I'm sorry in advance. I'm trying to be brief, which may or may not be possible. We'll see.
For the last 4 years we have had a Mexican family next door to us. The parents speak very little English, but the girls are bilingual. The girls are the most social and welcoming little girls I have ever met. Anyone who has ever come to our house during daylight hours has probably been greeted by them, especially the yougest one. She literally says "Hi" until you look up, wave, and say "Hi" back. They love my children. If we go outside to play, we instantly have two more older playmates. I wish I could say that I was welcoming and that I saw this as a ministry opportunity, but I haven't been that godly about it. If the girls misbehaved and upset my kids, there was nothing I could do about it. I can't really communicate with their mom, although she and I have tried to talk many times. In short, for the last 4 years, I have seen them as a nuisance, which I'm sure they noticed from time to time. I'm embarrassed to say that, but it's true.
Matt, on the other hand, has been welcoming and conversant. He speaks pretty good Spanish and has spent some time talking with the parents and the girls. (I apologize for saying "the parents" and not names. It sounds impersonal, but I think it's better not to name names this time.) On top of my feelings, God has used Matt to push me into seeing the family next door as a possibility for ministry and friendship. So... over the past few years I have come to be pretty torn by the conflict between my feelings and my calling to be salt and light. Sometimes God used me despite my feelings, but always my heart was resentful and self-righteous.
Then... about a month ago, I came home from having coffee with some friends and I heard wailing on their porch. I saw the girls and their mom on the porch and their mom was wailing as if someone was dead. I walked up and asked the oldest if everything was okay. She said that the little 2-year-old boy they watched during the day was dead and she looked scared. I ran up to the porch and there he was, lying limp on her mom's lap. Her mom was on the phone with 911 and the lady on the phone couldn't understand her. I got on the phone and examined the little boy. He was breathing and there was an ambulance on the way. I sent the oldest girl to go get Matt, who translated for everyone involved. We prayed with her until the ambulance arrived, which didn't take long. The paramedics were incredibly rude, rough, and unprofessional and the whole experience was very upsetting. What we figured out later was that the little boy had had a febrile convulsion, due to his fever. There's a lot more to the story, but this is already a book, so ask me later if you want more details.
After the little boy went to the hospital and we said goodbye to the family, I was really shaken up. Throughout the entire episode, the mom kept saying "O Karen, Karen! Thank you!" and Matt thinks she said something like this (in Spanish), "You walk with God... I'm such a terrible person and that's why this is happening to me!" I didn't understand her, but I just hugged her and cried with her. To my shame, for the first time ever, she seemed like a real person to me. Here was a real, suffering, lost person right next door to me. Jesus' words to "Love your neighbor as yourself" began to really ring home. God was clearly bringing ministry to me, despite my bitter heart.
So... Matt and I prayed that we would find some way to reach out to them, even if it meant reprioritizing. We haven't seen them a whole lot since then, but the day before yesterday the girls and their mom came to my door and asked a favor. The mom had gotten a new job and she wanted to know if I could get her girls on the bus the next morning for her. They would show up at 6:30 and be on the bus by 6:55. Thinking it was a one-time thing, I agreed to it. She wanted to pay us, but we talked her out of it, thanks to Matt's Spanish. Yesterday was the day and it was a little bit of a disaster. I ended up driving them to school, because we missed the bus. Then, this morning I heard a knock at the door at 6:30. Evidently, the language barrier is bigger than we thought. We're committed for the long haul, not just yesterday. At first, I was a little upset. It's not exactly convenient and I don't get much sleep, but I would be blind not to see God's hand in this. Here is my chance to minister, even though it isn't what I usually consider ministry. God really does work in mysterious ways. He put our family in this place and at this time to accomplish His purposes, in spite of me and my weaknesses. Praise God.
| By Karen | 08:25 AM
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Comments
Wow. What an amazing story. It is always cool to see God's working in the lives around us. I'm feeling a little conviction coming on bc we have some people who live across the street who are not the sort of folks we usually hang out with. The mom has come over to use our phone a few times and borrow a battery charger. I helped, but not with the right attitude. Turns out at least one of the kids has been coming to my church for Wed night stuff. Anyway, I know that I haven't seen them as real people for me to show Christ too. I've been too quick to comment more about their station in life and how they're different from me (so of course I'm better than them!). I guess what I'm really trying to say is, thank you for being so honest. God has used your words to show me an area where I need to change. Now I just have to figure out exactly how!
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
Posted by: lizard at December 7, 2006 10:53 AM
Wow, what an incredible story and testimony of God's grace working in your life (and theirs). Thank you for sharing. I'll be praying for you and Matt. Is the boy alright?
Posted by: Scott at December 7, 2006 11:31 AM
The little boy is doing fine, although he stays home with his mom now, so we haven't seen him since then. Again, I hate not saying their names, because it sounds so cold, but I would also hate to embarrass anyone. Thanks for your prayers. We're definitely out of our (my) comfort zone.
Posted by: Karen Monahan at December 7, 2006 12:30 PM
Thanks for sharing your story. It's always good to hear how God is working in the lives of others. I can always appreciate just a real story about where someone is at in their life, even though it may not always look pretty and it shows some of the weaknesses in our character.
I think it's important to remember a few weeks or months from now when you're still hosting these girls in your home in the morning that God gave you this opportunity to bless someone else despite that fact that it puts you out a little. You recognize it now...just remember to keep the same attitude a couple of months from now when you're tired and still wish you were in bed!
Posted by: Anne at December 7, 2006 04:41 PM
Eeek! How scary!!
I'll pray that this time will be a blessing to both of your families. Thank you for sharing.
Hey, maybe your kids can learn a little Spanish out of the deal, too.
Posted by: Jeannette at December 7, 2006 09:08 PM
That's pretty intense Karen, thanks for sharing. I totally relate to all of your feelings about your neighbors, and the language barrier makes things rough. I'm so glad you could relate to the Mom with the communication that you both understand.
Posted by: katiek at December 8, 2006 11:21 PM