The Day That Almost Wasn't

I know that sounds like a strange title but let me explain. When we began preparing in January we were orginally scheduled to leave Mexico on Monday Morning. Later, the team decided they really wanted to stay an extra day so we added Monday to the calendar and pushed off our exit until Tuesday. Somehow that seemed to make a difference to God because some incredible things happened on our last day there.

Monday morning we finished painting the dorm building and cleaning up the grounds. We had an early lunch then drove about 45 minutes to the jail we had visited a couple of days earlier. We were able to meet with the prisoners (about a dozen) in a small room where Enrique shared the gospel and then we handed out Bibles. Eleven of the twelve wanted to be prayed for and at least two of them prayed a salvation prayer. Another of the 12, Francisco, shared with Meghan and me that he had only eight days left and then would be released to go home. He was hesitant however because there is a lot of domestic tensions at home with several family members, so Meghan and I prayed specifically for Him.

While one group was at the prison the rest of our team was in a park. While there Carol and a few of the girls witnessed to a woman. She did not make a faith committment but asked for a Bible. As our van pulled away from the park we saw the woman already reading her new bible.

We then drove a few blocks to the home of the woman who worked in the prison administration building whom Carol and Sheri had prayed for on our first visit. This woman had shared some great needs with Carol and Sheri and dad prayed to receive Christ. They promised to bring her a meal and pray again for her when we returned, which Carol did. Then the woman asked us to go visit her brother who is living with mom. This time Enrique, Scott, Kyle and Travis went in. After some conversation about this man's life and needs, both the of them prayed a salvation prayer.

On our way back to the orphanage we stopped to help out some people who had car trouble. While a few of us were helping with the car Carol was sharing the gospel with a man and a woman who were part of the group traveling in the broken car. Both of these people responded by saying "yes" they wanted to pray for God's salvation.

As we talked together about these things on our drive home, Enrique reminded us that only God knows for sure the sincerity of those who prayed to receive Christ. We can't save anybosy, that is God's job, but we can help people understand God's love for them and invite them to trust Christ alone for salvation and forgiveness of sin.

So you see, God blessed this day...the day that almost wasn't.

Pastor Scott on behalf of the team!