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| The Ruiz family |
Taste and
see that the Lord is good... drink, yes drink deeply, O my beloved.
One evening
last week, I took a walk on the beach and met Jesus. He was about 33 years old
and he was a Mexican, he also spoke some English. Then he introduced me to his
father, who was standing nearby, and he name was Jesus also. Their last name was Ruiz.
(This had to be another one of those Divine appointments.) His wife, Griselda and
his daughter, Sara Eunice were also with him standing near the surf. I told them
who I was and why I was in Mexico. They were Christians and loved God very much
and invited me to come to their house in Hemosillo to visit them someday. After
we talked some more I was then asked to have a meal with them at their small
bus which just happened to be parked about twenty feet from my van. However,
Jesus Ruiz Jr. informed me that the bus would not start so they decided to spend
the night there. We sat and ate ham sandwiches, chips, cookies and an orange
drink at a small card table. After the meal, I thanked them and then took a
walk to give them a little time by themselves.
When I came
back, it was almost dark, and they had put out a cot for the grandfather and a
large blanket for the rest of the family to lie on. As I watched the
grandfather on the cot, he had his hands raised and singing a worship song. So I decided to spend the night there too and join them in worship. So I backed my van a little closer and then I opened my doors and played beautiful
worship music from two CD’s that were given to me by the Lopez family, they
were in Spanish. The Jesus Ruiz family loved the songs and so we all worshiped
God for over an hour on the beach, while other people nearby could also hear
the music. But they didn’t seem to mind, because no one left. After the music
stopped, the Ruiz’s family slept and I took a walk. Finally, I went back to my
van to go to sleep, I left the windows and the side door open, because it was a
warm and humid night. Yet the presence of God was still there and it was a
wonderful night
.
The next morning,
Jesus Jr. asked if I had jumper cables and I did. So I gave them a jump-start
and got the motor running. They asked me to have breakfast with them at a restaurant,
but I had already eaten and thanked them just the same. We said our goodbyes
and the two Jesus’ were gone for now.
God keeps giving these unique situations. This one reminded me of Jesus
high priestly prayer where it says, “...I come to You, Holy Father, keep them in your name, the name which you have
given Me, that they may be one even as we are one.”(If the full revelation of that scripture verse was
truly understood and lived out this world would be a lot different.)
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| Narirado's wife, Evon and his eight month old daughter. His the one I'm helping to learn English better. |
A few days
later, I had left the beach to go in town and grab a bite to eat. When I came
back a white car had parked near where I had been parked with a man standing
next to it. As I pulled in, I also notice a young girl down near the water edge,
with another man. She looked like she was about sixteen years old, and she was
wearing a small bikini top and just a thong down below. Then she came dancing
over to my van with a big smile on her face and giving me a good look at
basically her slender naked body. I wondered what was going on. The man
next to the white car, then came over to me, while I was still sitting in the driver
seat, and asked me what I thought of the girl. I was kind and said she was very
pretty. However, the man was very drunk as he held his can of
beer. He asked my name and told me his, but I could hardly understand his slurred
speech. He also kept repeating that he wanted to be my friend, but he spoke
very little English. After a while I finally understand what he was suggesting as
the young girl continued to prance back and forth from the water where the other big Spanish man waiting, and my van. However, I told man next to me that I was
not interested and got out and retreated to the other-side of my van to talk to
another older man. He was parked on the other side of my van and had been
watching all this before I arrived. He had taken some pictures of her, and I
asked him what was going on. He said the men were offering her to have sex with
anyone for a $100 or 1200 pesos. I wasn't surprised, but I felt sorry and grieved for her, so I prayed
that God would set her free. (I was just finishing the novel, Redeeming Love, by Francine River, which I had read before. It’s a great
story about a man named Michael Hosea who marries a young prostitute, Angel.)
Finally,
there were no takers on their offer so the pretty young prostitute put on
a large pullover shirt that covered most of her and got in the white car to
leave. But before they left, I when over to her and held out my hand as to
greet her. However, when she took my hand, I gently held it, looked into
her eyes and told her God loved her. She said, “What?” I repeated it again, “God
loves you.” She then realized that she had heard me correct the first time. With
a questioning expression on her face; maybe wondering who I was, she smiled and
thanked me. But in that brief moment, I could also see the look of shame she must of felt for what she had been doing. Then I told the two men that God loved
them also. They didn’t know how to respond, and then I left them to think about
it. As they started to pull away, she smiled and blew kisses out the window to
everyone. That day at the beach, she got more than she expected; God’s love
and forgiveness.
This is the lost
generation the Father is reaching out to, and we are to be his hands extended. I could
have taken a photographed of her too, but I chose to clothe her in God’s love,
grace and mercy. I also prayed for the two men with her.
“Father,
forgive them for they know not what that do.”
