Fernando Fernandas has already been introduced to you. He is the one who shouts, “My brother” to Mike when he sees him in public. We regularly bump into him in the market place. We usually ending up strolling together and land back at our home for a time of fellowship and language study.
Yesterday evening wasn’t the normal stroll. It became obvious that Fernando wasn’t feeling well. He confessed to us that he had been up all night the previous three nights caring for his grandfather. Fernando’s grandfather is 110 years old and requires full-time care. Fernando has given up a life guard job in Acapulco to live in La Haucana the last four years to care for his aging grandfather. He works during the day preparing tacos and then he stays up every night helping his grandfather through hallucinations. Mike and I were both moved to take Fernando home to show him some much needed care.
It wasn’t long after we were home that we realized that Fernando didn’t know what we meant by “We would like to pray with you.” He kept changing the subject and was declaring how he prays all day long, every single day. Fernando is a man with a very grateful heart, thanking God for his hands, his eyes and the beautiful trees.
As we brought out our English Bible, his eyes lit up. He directed us to the Lord’s prayer and we read it to him in English. You could hear his spirit sing. Fernando very excitedly declared he would be coming over tomorrow to memorize the Lord’s prayer in English and that he wanted us to do the same in Spanish. Mike very quickly erased his name in his personal bible and signed it over to his friend.
Finally, we said again that we desire to pray for him and his grandfather’s needs. Turning to Matthew 18:19 & 20 , I read,
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am in their midst.
Fernando is a “free-spirit” here in La Haucana. He has many friends but it is doubtful that any of them are believers. He has made it clear to Mike and I that he has no interest in attending a church. He has no respect for the pastors in the local churches and states that “he has church every day in his heart”.
Our desire is to show Fernando what a blessing it is to be in fellowship with other believers. Last night we bowed our heads and each took a turn to pray for Fernando and his grandfather. Fernando, however, did not bow his head or close his eyes. Corporate prayer was nothing that he had ever experienced before.
Pray for us as we seek to show him the importance of being connected with a local body. We want him to experience the joy, the strength and growth that comes from Christian fellowship and studying God’s word corporately. Pray for us as we walk with Fernando as fellow believers these next few months. May he desire to have the richness of Christian relationships with other believers in the community after we return home.
Yesterday evening wasn’t the normal stroll. It became obvious that Fernando wasn’t feeling well. He confessed to us that he had been up all night the previous three nights caring for his grandfather. Fernando’s grandfather is 110 years old and requires full-time care. Fernando has given up a life guard job in Acapulco to live in La Haucana the last four years to care for his aging grandfather. He works during the day preparing tacos and then he stays up every night helping his grandfather through hallucinations. Mike and I were both moved to take Fernando home to show him some much needed care.
It wasn’t long after we were home that we realized that Fernando didn’t know what we meant by “We would like to pray with you.” He kept changing the subject and was declaring how he prays all day long, every single day. Fernando is a man with a very grateful heart, thanking God for his hands, his eyes and the beautiful trees.
As we brought out our English Bible, his eyes lit up. He directed us to the Lord’s prayer and we read it to him in English. You could hear his spirit sing. Fernando very excitedly declared he would be coming over tomorrow to memorize the Lord’s prayer in English and that he wanted us to do the same in Spanish. Mike very quickly erased his name in his personal bible and signed it over to his friend.
Finally, we said again that we desire to pray for him and his grandfather’s needs. Turning to Matthew 18:19 & 20 , I read,
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am in their midst.
Fernando is a “free-spirit” here in La Haucana. He has many friends but it is doubtful that any of them are believers. He has made it clear to Mike and I that he has no interest in attending a church. He has no respect for the pastors in the local churches and states that “he has church every day in his heart”.
Our desire is to show Fernando what a blessing it is to be in fellowship with other believers. Last night we bowed our heads and each took a turn to pray for Fernando and his grandfather. Fernando, however, did not bow his head or close his eyes. Corporate prayer was nothing that he had ever experienced before.
Pray for us as we seek to show him the importance of being connected with a local body. We want him to experience the joy, the strength and growth that comes from Christian fellowship and studying God’s word corporately. Pray for us as we walk with Fernando as fellow believers these next few months. May he desire to have the richness of Christian relationships with other believers in the community after we return home.
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