Helado Simple

It is amazing how one simple scoop of strawberry ice cream can change your life.

It changed mine about an hour ago.

It is Wednesday night, February 27th here in La Paz, Bolivia. The team that is here from my church will be leaving Bolivia tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. It is been such a blessing to have them here this past week and God has really blessed our time. But I am tired and I am worn out. I love them so much but I won’t lie…I am looking forward to some time to myself. Hosting people is not my gift and there were about eight people staying in my house. Yikes.

But tonight God sent me Laura.

Laura was a little girl begging on the street tonight when we left the restaurant. She followed myself, my pastor Foley and my friend Chuck up the street tonight after dinner. She was asking us for money. We told her “No”. Then Foley stopped to buy an ice cream and Laura was still with us. She asked me to buy her an ice cream and I said “No.” Foley got his ice cream, Laura looked at his ice cream and then looked him in the eye and we walked away.

As we walked away I felt the Spirit leading me to go back and buy her an ice cream. It was a strong feeling. I mean…I normally do not give money to the people begging on the street…but I thought, “Buying a little girl that is the age of my niece Carolyn an ice cream is something totally different.” Foley and Chuck felt it too. We all felt lead to do this so we turned around and walked back.

The little girl was walking up the street straight towards us as we turned around.

I asked her if she wanted some ice cream and she said “Yes”. I asked her what flavor she wanted and she immediately said “Strawberry.” I asked her what her name was and she said “Laura.” I told her my name was Miguel and I asked her where she lived. She told me where and turns out she lives in a poor neighborhood about two neighborhoods to the South of me. A pretty good hike for her I might add.

Well as I was buying her the ice cream one of the guys from the restaurant came up and asked her if she wanted a little bit of food. Double blessing. I thought…are you telling me that if we had not walked her back to get her an ice cream that she might not have gotten food tonight? Oh man, this is too much.

I don’t know if she would have gotten food tonight or not but I DO know that sometimes compassion leads to more compassion. I handed her the Strawberry ice cream and I told her that Jesus loves her. It was the first time that I have actually looked a kid straight in the eye since I got here and told them that Jesus loved them. It was incredible. She was dirty and she had a big scrape down one cheek and I asked God to bless her as we walked away.

I am just in awe of God’s timing. I was tired, frustrated, a little burned out and ready to go to sleep. And God sent me a little girl named Laura.

I was down in the dumps and He sent me a little reminder of why I am here. He knew exactly when I needed a reminder. It could not have come at a better time.

He sent me a little girl named Laura who just wanted a scoop of Strawberry ice cream. He sent me a little girl named Laura who needed to hear tonight that Jesus loves her.

Wow. It’s official now. I’m staying.