April 2007 E-Update

Angie Velasco

It was a long hard Festival de Vida week March 20-25, 2007. I had been interpreting every day for the medical team from 10 am to 4 pm and serving as a counselor in the evenings for those who responded to the altar calls. After one week of packed activities, heat (90ºF – 100ºF), dust, seeing 300-400 patients a day, I was ready to go back to Cuernavaca (CV).

I boarded Mexicana Airlines flying to Mexico City on Monday March 26 and was not in any mood to talk to anyone. I found my seat and the woman in my row asked if I was traveling alone. I said, ¨Yes¨. She then started talking about herself, her family, where she’s going and what she is doing in Mexico City. To myself, I thought… ¨that is really nice; you are very friendly” and I did not say a word. She went on and on for about 30-45 minutes. I just listened, prayed for grace to listen, realizing, she was probably lonely and did not have anyone to talk to. It was about an hour and 15 minute flight from Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas to Mexico City. Finally, she asked, ¨What did you do in Tuxtla? ¨

Suddenly, I forgot how anxious I was to be back in CV. I had been given permission to talk about myself after listening to her for about 30 minutes. I saw the door the Lord was opening for me and started telling Gloria about what I did in Tuxtla. I explained to her that I had interpreted for the medical team that was part of the Festival de Vida and that for the last three evenings I had been at the soccer stadium counseling people who wanted to become Christians. For the next 15 minutes Gloria listened to the gospel presentation. As a widow, she admitted that she has this emptiness life sometimes brings. I asked her if she was ready to pray with me to receive Christ and she said no. I gave her a Bible and encouraged her to check all the verses I mentioned to her. She thanked me for sharing and asked if there is a church in Mexico she can go to. I directed her to the Calvary Chapel in Mexico City. Before we landed Gloria started sharing something hard that impacted her life. She was in Rome a few years ago with her husband and he had a heart attack in the hotel and died. With tears in her eyes she said, ¨I had to make all the arrangements for him to come home in a casket. I have been a widow now for years but still remember the reaction of everyone in my family when I came home alive and my husband in a casket¨. I listened and watched her dry her eyes.

Our plane finally landed. I introduced Gloria to one of the guys from my church who was on my plane and gave her my contact information. Walking to pick my luggage, I prayed…¨Dear God, Thank you for giving me the grace to listen to Gloria. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share the gospel with her…¨

The events of Festival de Vida ended on March 25, 2006 but the Lord had just started convicting me to grab any opportunity He gives me to share the gospel despite how I feel physically. Am I glad He is an understanding and patient God?

Thank you for your love, prayers and support.

P.S. Please check out www.horizonsd.org for more information on Festival de Vida in Chiapas.