Tuesday, January 8, 2013

God Breathes...


God’s breathing dreams and fruitfulness into lives! Enrique is a great example, and his story parallels the lives of many we impact. 

Signs of Love found Enrique when he was 7 years old.  He had no language, and was painstakingly timid.  Enrique spent two weeks with us shortly after meeting him.  In those two weeks he opened up and – because he had no language – acted out the physical abuse he was receiving from his father.  It was heartbreaking.  After the two weeks were finished, we brought him back to his mud-hut home, and asked his mother about the abuse.  With tears streaming down her face she sorrowfully admitted to the abuse his father would give him, and she said, “I don’t do anything about it because he only treats Enrique like that.  I’m afraid if I say something to him, he’ll start being mean to all five of my children.”    That day before we left Enrique in his home, we encircled him and simply prayed for him.  His father was sitting against the wall glaring at what was happening.  The next month when we picked Enrique up for our monthly ‘language program,’ he jumped into the van and, with a face bursting with a smile, shared how his father hadn’t abused him since we last saw him.  His father never again abused him. 

Another time shortly after this, we felt an urging to diverge from our plans and checkup on Enrique.  As we pulled up to his home, he came running out, and with his rudimentary signs communicated, “My mother, my mother, she is close to death!”  We went into her home and the other villagers were paying their final respects to her.  She had a severe infection, and because she didn’t have the $3.00 needed to go to the clinic in the next town, she went to her village’s witch doctor.  He gave her a vile of special potion (water), and sent her home to die.  We showed up just in time.  Enrique didn’t have many signs in this early stage of knowing him.  But he did see us talking to his mother – he saw us use our cellphone and talk to someone – he saw us leave and come back with a box filled with food and medicine – he saw us lay hands on his mother and pray for her, which was the same thing we did for him just a month or so earlier – he saw a doctor show up at his house a few hours later giving his mother shots and medicine – he saw his mother’s relief and he saw her get better. 

God showed us this day that He doesn’t need words to speak to people – language begins with the eyes and communicates directly to the heart.  The words just follow.    Enrique and his mother continued in our monthly language programs.  Over the years, Enrique learned Honduran Sign Language. 

One of our volunteers was so impressed by this boy’s story and his desire to learn that he wrote a children’s book about Enrique.  The title of the book is Enrique Speaks With His Hands.  It is sold at Barnes & Noble and many fine bookstores.  During the writing of this book Enrique’s mother shared with me one day that her prayer for Enrique was that he would be used in others’ lives like Signs of Love was used in his life.  Little did she know that her son would be used in countless lives as he was being immortalized in a children’s book!   The day we had the unveiling of the book when the author got to place a copy of this book in her hands was a day to be celebrated!  God not only answers prayers but He makes our dreams come true!  

Enrique was always the boy to be pitied in his village.  Now he’s the young man to be honored and respected.  He’s been the breadwinner for his family because of his artisan work with Signs of Love; and because of that job his mother now has a cement block kitchen instead of a dilapidated one made of mud.   Enrique knows he is loved by God and that his life has value…great value.  

God indeed breathes dreams into lives and lets them come true.  What’s He doing in your heart?  If it seems beyond what you can do, be assured that’s when the greatest dreams will come true.  Onward, beloved, with perseverance and expectation!  Happy New Year.  

Enrique and His Artisan Work

Remember...love can be heard by all. 

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