That They May Know Him

It's not often that a photograph will bring me to tears. But the little group of faces I saw staring at me from my Mother's refrigerator did just that this afternoon. They caught be off guard as I did not know they were hung there and I'm not exactly sure why I suddenly found myself crying, but I was. These were the faces I found staring back at me today and they bring me to where I left off my story...
Little Cesar, abandoned by his Mom and living at the orphanage with his two brothers.
Rudy, who lay in his hospital bed writhing in pain, made the effort to smile for me when I took his photo. Weeks earlier, he had been in a coma and one week after this photo was taken, he was walking in the halls looking much happier and obviously feeling better, though that doesn't take away the fact that he has kidney failure.
Geraldine also has kidney failure. She was shy and sweet and we called her "bonita," as she was very beautiful.
And then there is Charley. We only met him briefly, but he will always stick out to me as a character I wish I had met sooner. He was a spunky old man, as glad as ever to meet us and more than happy to pose for a photo. Pray that he comes to know Jesus.

People that I suddenly care very much for and who will likely always hold a little piece in my heart. I don't know why their pictures brought tears to my eyes. I really don't. Maybe it is because I care about them and they are all people who need Jesus. But then not one of us needs Jesus any more than another person. You need Jesus just as much as Rudy does or as much as Cesar does. They may be lying in their hospital bed dying or have been abandoned at a very young age, but their spiritual need for a Savior does not outweigh yours. Jesus has paid the penalty for our sin. He paid the penalty for the sin of Cesar's mother. If she repented of her sin and asked Jesus to forgive her, He would! He would do the same for you or I, no matter what size our sin(s). All we have to do is ask Him to forgive us and to save us from the penalty of our sin, which is eternal pain and separation from God. Please, don't put off your decision. Decide to accept, follow our Savior and allow Him into your life.

Maybe that is why I had tears today. There is a burden on my heart. A burden for those who are sick, who are alone, who are weak and who are poor. A burden for those who do not know my Savior and do not have the loving relationship that I have with Jesus. A relationship with the God who loves me and created me. Amazing. Life cannot get any better than this. To know that my life is in my Creator's hands. Even if I do not get around to posting about the rest of my trip to El Salvador, know this. That this was the reason I went: That they may know Jesus. May you too, know my Jesus.