Half-human. Half-monster.

"This is who we are," Emiliano covered one half of the drawing... "And this is who we want to be," he said as he revealed the other half.

I analyzed the drawing carefully. It was a face of some sort. Half of it was monstrous-- the skin was gone and only hollow bones remained. Sadness emanated from the empty eye. And the other half was a beautiful human face. Half-monster, half-human.

One week ago the GEBC team was robbed in Barrio Egipto (read previous post). The team was hurt, scared and a little confused. Why would God bring them to Colombia to work with the poor in Barrio Egipto, only to get robbed on the first day? However, we really do serve a God who can and will work all things together for good...

Pastor Elias, who heads up the ministry in Barrio Egipto, immediately began walking around the community and talking to people in Egipto. In order to put pressure on the thieves, he closed down the Buena Semilla. After two days of interrogations and conversations, some new information came to light. Apparently, in Egipto there is a law stronger than the legal law.

No one hurts anyone associated with the Buena Semilla... or else you leave the neighborhood. Or... you die.

The gang members were horrified when Elias let them know that the group they had robbed were on their way to work with the kids at the Buena Semilla. They were filled with remorse and claimed that they had no idea. They felt horrible and immediately wanted to ask the team forgiveness... and wanted to give them a glimpse into their lives.

So on Friday the team members and my mom met Elias and the gang members and their leader, Emiliano. They took turns apoligizing to the leaders and asking forgiveness. Then, they opened their hearts and shared about their lives in Egipto. They grow up only knowing violence. Most, if not all, had witness murders-- most likely, the murders of their own fathers. When the average life expectancy for men is 28, death runs rampant. They have become all but desensitized to sin and the damaging effects.

Emiliano shared a drawing he had made... allowing the GEBC team to see their internal struggle.

Half-monster. Half-human.

Oh, aren't we all? Without Christ we're tormented by conflicting desires. We know what's right, yet we don't do it... and we do what we don't want to do. We must experience the freedom in Christ, when he gives us new desires and transforms our hearts into hearts the beat to bring him glory.

This drawing was simply an explicit explanation of the human condition.

Half-monster. Half-human.

And when the team was able to forgive these men when they had nothing to offer in return... it was an explicit demonstration of the precious Gospel of Christ.

This was the message the GEBC team was able to share with gang members in Barrio Egipto. Elias had tears streaming down his face, realizing that this was an incredible breakthrough... some missionaries live a lifetime before seeing gang members repent.

And yet, this team of high schoolers from GEBC had witnessed this miracle. I wonder if they ever thought a simple prayer could do so much in so many unlikely ways.

"Use us to bring glory to your name."

Perfectly Forgiven

"Because when God forgives us he forgets our sins... completely. Right?" Eight-year old Diego asked matter-of-factly. I smiled and nodded. This was the beauty of child-like faith: what God said was true, because it was. He didn't struggle with overwhelming guilt by carrying a burden that was never his to carry-- the burden of forgiving ourselves.

I spent Sunday afternoon with a beautiful family from church. They are so full of love and hospitality; it was nice to be surrounded by a family here. They had three precious children who kept me smiling the entire time. While we ate dessert, I entered into a conversation with Diego, their oldest. Now, I can't exactly remember what was said to lead us to the point of God's forgiveness, but either way, I was impressed and touched by his genuine faith.

God forgives us and God forgets our sins. Completely. We can't exhaust God's marvelous grace. The forgiveness of our sins is not our task that was simply delegated to Christ. When I hold on to past sins, mulling over them, expressing intense and prolonged guilt, I don't understand the message of Calvary. If Christ says, "it is finished," who am I to say, "not yet, Lord?" His forgiveness was complete and his grace abundant. After guilt has lead to repentance, it has no place in my heart-- I've been set free from guilt by the precious blood of my Savior.

Oh, glorious freedom.