It is amazing how the love of God can change a life! A
Christian should be transformed into someone full of love for others. To love
your neighbor as yourself is the command; but to overcome our selfish nature is
a work of the Holy Spirit living inside us. This is the story of life
transformed:
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| Antonio with his Sunday School class |
Antonio lives in Nueva Era with his wife and three
daughters. He teaches Sunday School and helps with worship at church. Every
time I see him he has a huge smile on his face. He is faithful and never misses
a Bible training here in town. Yet a couple of weeks ago there was a training
and he did not show up. I was told he was bit by a snake and that is why he
could not come.
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| Mike, Ricky and I in Nueva Era |
Upon arrival, he hobbled over to shake my hand, using a
stick as a crutch. He apologized for not coming to the training and said that
until a couple of days ago he could not walk. He invited us into his house for
chicken soup and boiled plantains. Then he told us the story of his snake bite.
Three weeks ago he was out hunting. He was walking home at
9:00 o'clock at night on a dark path when a large poisonous snake jumped up and bit him
in the back of the thigh. He described a struggle with the snake in which he
scared it off but was unable to kill it. With the poison in his body he could
not walk and laid in the path all night. He said all he did was pray.
His wife went in search of him the next morning and at
9:00am found him. He was covered in blood and his tongue was so swollen he
could not talk. He had laid there praying for 12 hours. I can't imagine. The men from the village carried him back to his house in a
hammock. For three days he did not eat as his tongue was too swollen. His whole
leg turned black as did the lower half of his back. He could not get to the health
outpost as it was a three hour walk away and the little nearby stream was too
low to travel. All they did was pray.
After three days he began to eat. For two weeks he could not
walk. He could not provide food for his family or take care of his plantain
fields. Benito, the leader of the village took care of him. He made sure he and
his family had food, a big task when it is difficult to provide for yourself.
To make matters worse, Benito does not have a house. His blew over in a large
wind storm. Benito’s son had a hunting accident and recently had to come to
Yurimaguas for reconstructive surgery on his wrist. Despite Benito’s
difficulties he made sure that Antonio and his family were cared for in their
difficult time.
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| The remains of Benito's house |
Later, Antonio showed us what was left of Benito’s house.
Concerned for his neighbor he asked if we could help Benito. Antonio wanted to
buy metal for the roof of the new house but only had enough to buy half. He
asked if we could help. We did some calculations and half the metal for the
small house came to about $60. Needless to say, we were happy to help.
The thing that really touched me was Antonio’s heart. Here
he was barely able to walk, trying to provide for his family, giving us chicken
soup and yet his concern was for Benito. He did not ask us for help for
himself. He was more concerned for his neighbor.
That evening at church Antonio told the believers that we
are to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” He is an amazing man that not only
teaches this commandment but lives it. He was an example to the whole community
of how to love your neighbor. To see such love is amazing. But the glory should
be to God. Antonio’s life is a life transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I want to live like that. I want people to look at my life
and see a life transformed by the gospel. I want people to look at my life and
see Christ.
I
have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. ~ Galatians 2:20
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| Nueva Era in the morning |
