Rachel had a sad question
As we drove home from our most recent adoption interview with Social Services, I said to Rachel and Rajim, “They want to make it happen soon because Rachel turns 18 in August.”
Rachel responded with a sad question: “And if it doesn’t happen before I’m 18, Dad, what happens? Will I just belong to no one?” Ouch. Please pray that the process concludes soon, with a happy ending. We are at 6½ years and counting, and these kids deserve to know they belong, with no room for doubt.
Jaziel had a tough afternoon
Jaziel, like our Rajim, is 14 years old. The two are buddies. A few days ago Rajim came running up to me and blurted, “Something is going on with Jaziel, I gotta go help him,” and, without another word, took off running again. I smiled to myself as I realized that this is what I’ve often done to Veronica over the last 48 years. There’s a crisis, and Marcos goes running!
The two boys showed up an hour later. There had been a fight at home and Papá had kicked Jaziel out of the house. Sobbing, he asked if he could stay with us. Veronica and I looked at each other, reading each other’s minds. We’ve already previously agreed we won’t take in any more kids, but neither of us hesitated to say to Jaziel, “Yes, of course.”
Later that evening, Papá called Jaziel and invited him back home. Jaziel gratefully thanked us for the “almost” and said to me, “Marcos, I like the way your family lives, and I like the things Rajim tells me about Jesus. I would like it if you could give me classes about God.” Jaziel has a Jehovah's Witnesses upbringing. Perhaps “classes” is their vernacular for what I would call sitting down and opening the Bible together. Either way, we were scheduled to begin today, but Jaziel’s mama nixed it before we could start. That’s OK, God is in charge.
David is evaluating his choices
Let me tell you about another young man. I will call him David. He is a sharp 17-year-old, making some unsharp life decisions. We sat down and talked brass tacks. He is thinking hard. Please pray for him.
Isaac’s heart aches
Isaac is a 29, he is Bible student in my Missions class. He first heard me speak on missions when he was 14. Isaac has a burden for the people of the Philippines. “My denomination tells me I do not have a call to the mission field. Marcos, do you think they are right?” I’ll let you reach your own conclusion about how I responded!
We ask you to pray:
1) Rachel’s and Rajim’s adoption to happen soon!
2) Jaziel and his family. That they would become “Jesus’ Witnesses.”
3) David, that the Spirit of God would give him the ability to see things as they really are.
4) Isaac, his heart aches for the Philippines.