Visitors from home and our new friend Miguel
10 Comments Published by Boys Town on Monday, February 26, 2007 at 7:14 PM.
It was awesome having people from my home church, Believers Church in Tulsa, OK, here again! This time, we didn't stop at haircuts, manicures, and pedicures - we also brought a team of one doctor and several nurses, with lots of medications to give away. We had enough people to set up in two different bars - El Paris and La Paloma hosted my English-speaking friends as they served my Spanish-speaking friends - it was a beautiful few days for me. Outside the walls of BT, a team of daring builders constructed a house for a family in just 3 days! It was amazing to see it all come together.
As I floated in between our two "salons" one afternoon, I came upon Dr. Truett talking with Ruben and Miguel. When Miguel was done translating for the doctor, he told us that his friend, also named Miguel, was in a lot of pain and couldn't walk to us. So, Dr. Truett, my good friend Jed who is trained in dressing wounds, and myself all headed to a bar I'd never been in before. We walked in to La Victoria to find Miguel working behind the bar on his 24-hour shift. He was rather heavy and had quite a limp. He began to share with us some of physical struggles - pain in his knees, ulcers on his legs. We stepped back in his room as Jed and Dr. Truett began to care for this man's wounds that literally went to the bone. While they worked on his wounds, I began to talk with Miguel, as an attempt to get both of our minds off of what was happening.
Miguel's story unfolded over the next hour or so that we spent with him - he used to be married with children. Today, he is alone in BT, the place that has been his home for the last 21 years. It has been an especially difficult couple of years, and he really felt the weight of it just days before we met him. One day, a customer who could see that he was feeling down told him to read Psalm 70 and 72. Miguel asked if we had a Bible because he just wanted to read these psalms again. By the time I found one for him and brought it to his room, he had already borrowed one from someone else in BT. He told me that just the night before he prayed Psalm 70:1 and Psalm 72:12 while he was in his bed. He had a fever, a lot of pain, and he couldn't sleep. "Then, you showed up today!" He was in seeming disbelief as he told me this. When I went home that evening, I decided to look up these verses that Miguel had cried out to God just the night before:
"Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me." Ps 70:1
"He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them." Ps 72:12
I don't think we fixed his leg that day, but Miguel's faith in God was certainly brought to a new level. I know that my faith to believe that God hears our prayers was brought to a new level that day.
The next day we went back to check on him, as well as offer him a haircut by our pro stylist, Sarah. Miguel shared more of his story, of how he had spent time in the United States many years ago. He suffered a great deal - he was beaten, thrown in prison; his "American dream" was quickly shattered. The worst part was that he ran to a church for safety when people were chasing him one day - the church closed its doors and he was severely beaten. He said that he had always hated Americans - until the day we showed up. Healing was taking place on a really deep level for Miguel, and I'm grateful to have seen with my own eyes the work of Jesus.
Many other things happened in those few days, too many to tell.
Thank you, God, that you hear the cries of the poor and the oppressed, and that you use our lives to answer them. Don't ever stop. Amen.
Wow! God does so much that we are not aware of and so often we just stumble apon it. We just don't know whose prayers we are answering just by loving. Even if it's a small thing like listening to someone's story. As always an inspiration Miss Greene. Keep going!
I'm continually inspired by your blog. Thanks so much.
I miss my friends at Believer's too. We have a great church out here now, but BC is pretty special. I was there last month when we (Triibe) played there for service. It was powerful.
Gyle and Bob said we may try to bring Triibe to you and BT sometime. I would love that.
Kelly. You are truly amazing. I wanted to say thanks for the book. I have read a bit but I need to finish another that I had already started. I am praying for you and God's work in BT. Blessings and strength to you.
Hi Kelly, as Shane Claiborne said on page 77 describing Andy, "I finally met a Christian". That's how I feel when I read your blog. What an inspiration you are!
KEEHHHLLLLEEEEEEE!!!!!It's me Sarita from B.C. I'm still digesting from our recent trip to boystown....Wow. Need to spend time asking you all kinds of ? about how things went.I know you a little bit Keehhllleee so I know that God is ABSOLUETLY with you 100% Don't ever forget that!!Have given out your blog address to many of my clients.I will be praying for those "out in center field" moments at Boystown.I think that last week was probably a homerun right:):)Ta Ta Kelly you are my Dear friend that God loves.Sister Sarah of the Haircutting Order:):)
Hi Kelly,
I'm so happy to have found you through Gayla's blog. I've spent the evening reading your blog and getting a glimpse into your life in Mexico. You describe things so well; I feel that your friends are mine as I read. I have so much more I want to say; just know that your ministry touches me deeply. I will pray for you and what you're doing in Boys' Town.
Love, Debbie (Fremer)
I'll never forget our fun in Honduras in our casts!
hey hey kelly,
what a friend we have in Jesus! how simple and how powerful a truth. kelly, you are a friend to the friendless. i feel we will be friends till Jesus comes back for us. my girl, elizabeth, is thinking about coming to Reynosa with a friend in the spring/summer 2007. she'll be a great servant and friend to you and Jo,and the girls @ BT. it has not been a great re-entry for me, but i count it all joy!!!XXOO mary beth green
Kelly, keep the fire lit, you are doing great, thanks for these encouraging stories.
wow - you write so well, I love reading your posts. I know it is SO DUMB of me to say this - but, I am so proud of you. I OFTEN think of our months together - such a great friend in so many ways,so many times. I TOTALLY knew what I was doing when I picked you as my "confidant" - and here you are, still standing, believing and loving people one at a time. AND - providing the opportunity for others to love others as well.
Sorry for the length - I love you!
I'm so blown away by the testimonies that came out of this trip (and are still coming). I'm game back from BT totally changed too. I always loved hearing stories from you about the people there but now it's so real to me. I can't wait to go again. You truely are a friend to the people of BT. Thanks for the opportunity to be a small part for a short time.