Week 3: Visitors

I still remember those years in Peru.  My youth group's leaders would take us, often on a bus (an adventure in itself for a middle class Chinese Peruvian like me), to a different part of town, often a part of town that was less familiar to me, to go and 'visit' people.

I was young.  Maybe 12?  Maybe 13?   What did I know then?

But we would go to visit Mr and Mrs Wong, the shoe store owners.  We would visit Mr Chao, the hardward store owner.  We would visit Mrs Mok, in the local market....and the many Mr or Mrs Lees or Chans, or people I cannot even remember any more

But there was one particular visit I remember vividly.  After some inquiring this week, I remember now her name.  Her name was Paulina...and all I could remember was that our group went to visit her.  We were told she had a handicap but I didn't ask for more information.  I remember the entrance to her home being a narrow steel door.  We rang the bell and the door would open.  A long and narrow stairs to the upstairs was all we could see.

Once upstairs, we saw Paulina, in her wheelchair.  She could not speak clearly and we had trouble understanding her.  But I saw...I observed.

I saw that in the midst of her physical struggles, she smiled

I saw that our youth leaders reached out to her to touch her, to talk to her.

I took it all in.

And then, we, as teenagers do often, looked at each other and wondered what next.

And so we followed our leaders.  We sang a few songs.  The leaders explained to Paulina we were here to visit her and cheer her up.  We prayed for her.

And then, we left.

As I entered the third week of my recovery, people started to come and visit and I couldn't help but let my thoughts take me back to those years when I was 12 or 13.  And I thought of how mom and dad would take us along, often on Saturdays or Sundays, to visit people round town.

Now I get it.

Matthew 25:31-40 comes to mind.

34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

There has been days when, though I wanted visitors (see Week2 blogpost) I didn't really want them too.  But as I accepted visitors I got a glimpse at God's love and care.  I heard Him in different ways. And I was touched.

For many of my visitors shared lunch with me....cause I really was hungry :D

For many got me drinks when getting a drink becomes difficult

And I was sick...and they STOPPED to visit me.

There was a time in my life when I felt visiting people was 'old fashioned'.  There was a time in my life when I felt visiting people had no life changing purpose.  But God is causing me to revisit the value of visiting.

It is all about letting God use us to touch others.  For those visiting, be Jesus' hands and feet today.  For those, like me, who have a choice to accept visitors...let Jesus touch you through the peole He sends your way and give them a chance to be used by Jesus.

And like all those who have come before me...do not stop modeling this to others....This, is part of 'doing life together'