Reynaldo’s New Desire to Live 

Amazonian Wednesdays 🌴

April 2019
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“When I heard your voice, I hid.”

There were Reynaldo’s words to Pastor Carmen the day that they met. Reynaldo is a precious young man in his late teens. Do his words sound familiar? They are the same words that Adam said to God after he sinned!

Just like Adam, Reynaldo was reeling under a heavy load of shame. Indeed, shame has been a devastating enemy since the very beginning of creation. Today, it continues to be deadly.

In fact, Reynaldo had almost succeeded in killing himself a few days earlier. In absolute despair, he had purchased the poison. He was poised and determined. The voices screamed in his head, urging him to hurry. He began to move the lethal substance towards his mouth…

And then his mother walked in. She saw the deadly chemicals in his hands. In anguish, she cried out, “What are you doing??” and rushed at him. She violently snatched them away from him with a wail. The enormous wall between them was palpable. He just stared at her, in anger. She stared back.

“I am leaving for a women’s retreat today,” she said carefully. She wiped her eyes, looking at him sorrowfully. “You are going to have to come with me. Obviously I can’t leave you here alone.”

In this way, Reynaldo showed up at our Women’s Encounter a few weeks ago. A short while after he arrived, Pastor Carmen came into the room. When he heard her voice, he hid himself under a blanket.

Pastor Carmen went right to him, curious. When he realized he’d been spotted, he cautiously stuck his head out. “Well, hello!” she exclaimed, surprised. “I’m so glad you’re here! I was just needing a strong young man’s assistance. Would you please help me carry these boxes?”

He jumped up, also surprised. “Uh, okay…”

Led by the Holy Spirit, Pastor Carmen engaged him in conversation. Soon, he was pouring his heart out to her. He told her everything. His dad had left with another woman. “That disgusting man! He’s a thief, a liar, a drunk, a cheat!” Reynaldo spilled out his pain, remembering. His father had completely cut him off. With a parting snarl, he had growled to his son, “You are worth nothing!”

He had left Reynaldo penniless, with no way to get through school. His father’s rejection tore through his soul. Feeling like his mother didn’t love him either, the boy wanted to die.

That is, until this moment. Of all the places, Reynaldo discovered Jesus’ love for him… at a women’s retreat. He encountered Him in the face of a cheerful, down-to-earth pastor… asking him for help with her boxes.

Pastor Carmen spoke with him for a long time that day. Afterwards, he eagerly sat listening to the teaching of God’s Word. By the end of the weekend, he was ready. He surrendered his life to the Lord.

The other day, Pastor Carmen joyfully shared with me about her interaction with him. “He had been so closed off and sullen when I met him. But then the Lord enveloped his heart in His love! He wept and hugged me as we parted. He is determined to become a regular part of our church now!”

Nothing – absolutely nothing – is too hard for the Lord. He sees every one of us, and He cares more than we can ever imagine. He saw this broken youth’s suffering and was deeply moved with compassion. He reached down, and rescued him. 

 Today, Reynaldo wants to live. And he will live for all of eternity!