Carlos

I briefly mentioned Carlos here, but wanted to share more of his story.  He was truly one of my favorites and I think about him a good bit.

I met Carlos at a feeding program and quickly liked him.  He
helped me find my way to a latrine one day* and the next day he got me
set up with a place to hand out eyeglasses.  He was fun and easy to be
around.  The last day we worked a feeding program, He was with Drew
and I distributing glasses.  While I thought he was 34ish, he is just
28.  He told me he was married and had 2 kids.  The glasses station
moved mid day and he shared more of his story with me.

He grew up in Managua (I think) and then his mom died when he was
little.  The family fell apart and he ended up being homeless for 5
years.  A family ended up taking him in and he is still very close
with them.  Then he ended up moving to the "trash dump neighborhood"
and has lived there ever since.  I was shocked to believe that he
still lived there -- this man that I'd connected with so much lived in
a house with a dirt floor, tin walls, shower curtain doors, and the
constant smell of trash.  It was almost too much for me to grasp but I
wanted to hear the rest of his story and powered on with dry eyes.

He was at a feeding program when he 1. was fed 2. met the woman he
would later marry and 3. heard about Jesus.  He became a Christian and
three months later, the woman did as well.  They have been married for
10 years, have sons 9 and 4 years old.  He's had 2 years of education
in engineering and 5 years ago he went through a really hard time.
He'd been given the opportunity to work for a private engineering firm
or work for Pastor Osvaldo -- in his neighborhood.  It was a difficult
decision, but he ended up going with Osvaldo and has been in ministry
ever since.

Praise the Lord someone walked up that needed glasses because I needed
to turn my back and grasp what I'd just heard, as well as shed a few
tears.  Rennie challenged me to see his circumstance through spiritual
eyes -- in those I saw the Lord redeeming his life and using Carlos in
ways he could only be used in and admist people of the trash dump.

It was hard to hear, yet so cool!  Not only has the Lord used him
greatly, but Carlos was a 17 year old kid getting food in a food
program.  He was fed physically and spiritually.  It gave me such hope
for the hundreds of children (and adults) that we fed.
Vegetable and chicken foot soup, coupled with sharing the Gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ really can be used to change lives!  Thankful
for Carlos and all that the Lord taught me through him.


*I went to him the day we were in his neighborhood and told him I needed to find a bathroom; did he know of one I could use?  He took me to the house next door and we winded through the open rooms/space held together by threads.  We went to the back yard and towards the latrine.  Carlos stopped, looked at me, and asked, "is this ok for you to use?"  "Yes!  I'll go anywhere!  I just need to go."  He looked at my still a bit nervous and asked again, "really?"  "Yes, Carlos!"  I knew in the moment I could read his questions one of two ways: either he thought I would think I was too good to use a latrine OR it was a question out of honor.  I'm not sure which it was in his head, but I'm going with the latter.  I don't know...maybe there aren't too many white girls busting in homes and using latrines?