Be Prepared in Season and Out

I haven’t been as faithful writing as much is happening within my family at this time which wouldn’t be appropriate to share publically.   We did have an amazing experience while on holiday earlier this month that I would like to share.

We were in Spain in the Costa Blanca region for a beach holiday on the Mediterranean Sea.  We stayed in a town about 5km from the beach, and along our route to the beach we saw these teenage girls standing on this one roundabout (or under the bridge during the heat of the day) signalling for a ride.  As we drove different routes, we didn’t see anyone doing this anywhere else, and soon realized these were young prostitutes waiting for men to sell their bodies for money.

Our hearts went out to them.  They were about the same age as our daughters.  I’m sure they hadn’t grown up expecting to be doing this to survive at this time of their life.  But we are on vacation in a strange country and don’t speaking the language.  What can we do?  We prayed and God reminded me that giving someone a cup of water in His name is like giving it to God Himself.  We also asked friends on Facebook for suggestions. 

Some suggested getting plugged into the local church and getting tracks of the gospel to give these girls, which were great ideas, had we gone there with the intent to do this.  But we didn’t have the time or resource available, and a cup of cold water to these girls waiting in the hot sun to sell their bodies, tough simple, was very meaningful. 

Some suggested flowers to make them feel special with a note.  And my cousin wrote a note for me in Spanish saying, “This is a gift from God for you.  God loves you.” So we made up simple gift packs, a bottle of cold water, an apple, small loaf of bread, a flower, and the note, handwritten and decorated by my talented daughter.  We went out to the roundabout several times over the next 2 days handing these out to as many different girls as we could.

We hardly said a word, other than, ‘These are for you, and God loves you!’  The girls were puzzled that we didn’t want something in return and at least one had tears well up in her eyes. 

It didn’t stop them from doing what they we doing.  We weren’t trying to.  We only wanted to plant the seed that God loved them, and could provide food, water, and a sense of self worth, that they can’t find anywhere else.  The ancient manuscripts say the word of God doesn’t return void.  This act and these words will haunt these girls, and we pray one day the Holy Spirit will bring them to a place of the knowledge of Him and freedom from the bondage they are in.

I don’t write this to say, ‘Yeah, us, look at what we did,’ but rather to encourage you to be prepared whenever the Holy Spirit moves on you or burdens you to bless someone else, no matter who they are, or where, or what else is going on around you.  Be prepared in season and out!  Only in heaven will we know the true impact that kind act or word, done in the love and name of God. 

PS Don’t think you are not qualified.  If you know God and He burdens your heart or prompts you to do something, you are qualified!