Isn't this just the cutest little guy ever? As soon as we arrived in Stara Zagora, he was there to greet us. Adorable and cleaver. We were told that many of the street kids and elderly begging usually had a pimp of some sort around the next corner, taking what they were given. They get somewhat of a high off the excitement of meeting new people and receiving gifts and thus would continue on the street if we fed into the problem. But, we couldn't help but love him.
Almost everyday he was there to greet us with this little grin. Some times with his friend, some days with a smoke, one day even being literally kicked out as a stray animal.
Somehow he started calling Nick monkey man complete with the sounds and gestures of a monkey... that one still stumps me, I think I missed something. For a week he wore a stinky sweater in 90 degree weather, covering the cigarette burns on his young skin.
The back of our hotel had couch like chairs and a restaurant outside. Here we would meet to talk, pray, do devotions, and he would stand next to us through it all. He spoke a little English, including "thank you" very clearly. We tried to share Jesus with him through our touch, our actions, and did a rather bad drawing of the resurrection.
But mainly we just prayed. Each time that we gave him five, or touched his matty hair, we prayed for his life, that God would orchestrate his days. That he would know how loved he is. That he would be a man that stood firmly on truth, that he would really know Jesus, that He would recognize His voice from an early age and follow it passionately. That He would be a fire for his generation. Perhaps someday coming to our country sharing the love of his savior.
We as humans want to measure. Measure the success of a missions trip, of a service, of the numbers that laid their life before Christ, the numbers that were healed, or filled with the Spirit. But so much is left unseen. In the unmeasurable we find eternal, seeds that only Christ can mature, and so is my prayer for this incredible little man.
10 comments:
You're so right...much of it is unseen.
Your prayers for that sweet little guy may changes his life in unimaginable ways, and you won't even know...until Heaven :)
breaks my heart....
Some days with a smoke? As in a cigarette? Wow - he's so little. His smile is contageous. :)
Melanie! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your Bulgaria posts! Man I wish I would have been able to hear the presentation at church. I was there but had to leave town to head to Des Moines.
I just now realized that you tagged me for that meme and I never did it. That will give me something to blog about since I've been such a slacker.
I loved reading about your experiences and next time I'm in town, I will make a point to stop by and say hello!!
Christ's love crosses cultural boundaries.
Christ's love crosses cultural boundaries.
oops. I didn't think it went through three times. such a loser.
delete the first two please. :)
Heartbreaking. But awesome that you guys could show him true love. It is amazing to read the stories behind the photos.
I pray that he always remembers you and the very different love he felt from your group. I pray that it will be the drawing force that brings him to finding the Savior.
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