Wally and the man

“Time to get up Wally. Time to get up.” The sounds seemed so far in the distance that they didn’t seem real, until he heard the stirring of the other children in the orphanage. “Here we go again.” he thought. The morning felt damp from last nights rain, as it usually did when the weather blew in. The roof had a series of holes and always left puddles on the concrete floor. Nothing out of the ordinary, just another day in the small Haitian orphanage. Wally was one of thirty-three kids that lived there with Joseph and his wife. They too were Haitian and worked as the house parents for them all.

Life was usual for Wally and the others, chores to do, school work, get things ready for lunch, which was almost always rice and beans. But little did they know that today would be different.

Just after lunch a missionary came to visit them. They hadn’t had visitors in a long time. Excitement filled the air as the children played with the missionary and took pictures with him. Wally had a hold of one leg and someone else the other, holding on as if he could never leave as long as they didn’t let go.

Things finally settled down for a short story time. The missionary talked a lot about God and how he loved them, but it just seemed like a story. Not like back when his parents were still alive. He remembered sitting next to his dad and hugging him with all his might. But like so many others in Haiti Wally’s parents died young and left him to the streets. Wally was grateful to live at the orphanage, but there he never felt ‘that’ kind of love.

The missionary brought a small present for them. When he pulled a small stuffed lamb out of his bag the excitement almost over took them. He had one for each of them, and the collar even had their name on it. He could read it plain as day ‘WALLY’. In the orphanage nothing belongs to you, everything is common, including clothes and soap. But this was special, it was His. He jumped into the man’s lap and hugged him with all he had. As the missionary hugged him back, the two shared a moment of mutual caring and love. As the embrace seemed to last forever, all was right in the world for Wally. He felt the love of long ago, and could even feel it with his own arms.

Down deep on the inside we each need approval and affection from others. Love is one of life’s most basic needs. The real Christmas story isn’t what we see this time of year in the stores. It’s really a love story. It’s about God giving you a gift so special it even has your name on it. It’s about a relationship, like Wally had with his Dad. This year instead of just presents, give Love.

Dedicated to Mary Jones and Walinski (Jimenez orphanage, Ouanaminthe Haiti, 2007)


Remember Look Up, Live Life, and Be Thankful


Kevin

Twelve feet

The wind blew cold and brisk as it came down the road. Night had settled in and was at that point of darkness just before the stars begin to really shine. I could hear the traffic driving by as I was working. I was in the construction zone on I-20. I have grown accustom to the constant noise of traffic driving by, this is my office, I’m a construction worker.

I walked towards my service truck to get a set of plans as I do so many times a day, when something caught the attention of my ears; I stopped just inches outside of the live lane of traffic as a Suburban came through. For a moment I stood still, almost frozen, then the adrenaline kicked in and I backed up. I realized I was just inches from what surely would have been my end. Even with all my years, I almost broke the cardinal rule, look before you cross the road.

This put me to thinking… twelve feet. Twelve feet is the width of a driving lane between the lines on the road. Twelve feet is the difference between safety and tragedy. No Christmas with the kids, no playing ball in the yard, no steaks on the grill, no butterfly kisses, no story time. Twelve feet is the difference between being warm inside the house, and freezing outside homeless. Twelve feet is the difference between being on land in Florida and safe from Castro, or caught by immigration still in the ocean and sent back to Cuba. Twelve feet is the difference between inside the gas chambers of Nazi Germany, or separating the clothes and shoes outside of it. Twelve feet… I never had given such a short distance any thought. A car driving 55 mph travels 80 ft a second, twelve feet only takes .15 seconds. It’s the distance for me between life and death.

As Christ hung on the cross he looked down at the soldiers and said “Forgive them, they have no idea what they are doing.” Later he looked up to God at the moment before he died and said “It is finished!” Twelve feet is the difference between dying for all of humanity and just watching. Twelve feet is the distance between the front row of pews and a place to pray at the alter. It’s been said “you don’t have to go to church to go to heaven.” And that is true, but I wouldn’t let twelve feet stand in my way either. Twelve feet for me was the difference in making it to safety, or loosing it all. I hope my words have caught the attention of your ears just as God caught the attention of mine, just before I walked into traffic. God loves you and has a present for you this Christmas. And it’s a good one.

Remember Look up, Live Life, and Be Thankful

Kevin

Sacrifice

His Sacrifice

Two more days, that’s all he had left. His bags were packed and by the door. He would spend the last two days with his wife and kids. Christmas brings many surprises, but this year Christmas came early. By the time Christmas comes he will already be flying combat missions in Afghanistan. His life as an Apache Pilot has brought him another tour of combat in the war on terror, his 4th to be exact.

I saw with my own eyes how the sadness was setting in and the reality of his leaving is like a landslide with no way of moving out of its path. His sacrifice and determination to accomplish the mission, ensures that my Christmas will be one without bombs, IED’s, sniper fire, or tragedy at my door step. My friend will spend his Christmas away from his family while I snuggle up with mine in front of the fireplace. He does it all without complaining, that’s his job. That’s his mission, he’s an officer. There is a job to do, and he’ll see it done.

God looked down from Heaven at the earth he created and the sin that had covered the land. The people were lost in a sea of wrongs with no way of rescue. God’s heart was broken at the thought of his people drowning. He searched all of heaven for a way to save them. Jesus looked him squarely in the eye and said “Let me go.” God knew that without him all was lost. The enemy would win and terror would rip through the earth without a way of escape. Jesus left heaven with one purpose in mind, to fight for and to save all of humanity. To build a “bridge” to safety; a “bridge” built with love, hope, kindness, and the ultimate sacrifice. His mission: to lay down his life so you and I could walk to safety thru a life with God.

This Christmas I pray we look past ourselves, our pettiness, our grudges and arguments. That it wouldn’t be about what we can get, or even what we can give. But that we would honor him with hearts full of gratitude and love. Spend time with your loved ones, there are those who cannot. Cherish the life you have, by sharing it with someone else.

God bless our troops around the world, and may Christmas find you loving your family.

Dedicated to CW3 Marcus Hazel 101st Airborne deployed to Afghanistan. Thanks for all you do.

Remember Look Up, Live Life, and Be Thankful

Kevin