In the Words of My Friend Adam

Adam is one of the interns at Back2Back that I had the opportunity to serve alongside during the month of June. He is an intern for June and July though, and has a lot to say about what he has seen this past week and a half as Hurricane Alex has hit, caused devestation and already left again. Here's what he says:

Understanding God

This past week we have experienced many difficulties and challenges. The things I have seen and experienced at the places we serve, I can't even fully explain. Last Tuesday the rain started and didn't stop until Sunday. We have had thunderstorms and flooding all week.

The Hurricane hit us Thursday night last week, and as you could see from the video the damage that we had on our property was pretty bad. This weekend we went out to the Rios where we serve, and I was in shock at what I saw. The river was 50 yards wider, the ground was 10 feet lower, and not a single house or remnant visible.



2 days ago we walked down to a house where we know 2 ladies lived. The house is made of cinder block, and was still standing, but was full of 4 feet of mud. One of the ladies is 80 years old, and she lives with her daughter who is 61yrs old and her daughter's husband. They are both missing a leg due to circulation, and are in wheel chairs. The house is only 15x10ft wide. They barely made it out before the river rose. We walked down to the house because one of the ladies left her passport and visa there, so we went to try and find it. After 2 hours of digging through the mud and sludge in the house we still hadn't found them. We searched every inch, and couldn't find it.

Out front they had an old minivan that didn't run. It was also stuck in 4 feet of mud. They wanted to get it out and sell it so that they could get money to build a new home closer to the road and away from the river. So we started digging, and got the tires and side uncovered. There was still mud under the car that we couldn't get though, so we asked a guy that was using a backhoe if he could help us. After serveral failed attempts and some good laughs, we finally got it out. Unfortunately my camera died and I didn't get a video of us pulling it out, but here is one of the failed attempts haha.



After we got the car out, I was behind the house looking at the river, and there had been a little boy that was hanging out with us all day. His name was Antonio, but we called him Tonio. He is always at the church and loves to help us out pouring concrete and digging. He is only about 6 years old, and has a good little Heart. Anyway he was hanging out with me, and all of the sudden he said, "hey come here lets swing." and I looked at where he was pointing, and saw an old swing set buried in the mud, and it was on a slant. My first thought was are you kidding me? lol. and he said again, Come on "Vamos", which means "lets go". and he went over to the swing set and unrolled the swing down and started to swing. he only went like a foot, but he didn't care. After a minute he said, "Vamos Adam" and he got out of swing and unrolled the other swing down for me.



And I think of the Heart of this little 6 year old...having nothing, and yet he still wants to give. This past weekend I was reading a Verse in Matthew, 18:3, and it states "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." .....And I thought of this verse as little Tonio asked me to swing with him. And the verse just clicked in my head. Here is this little child, who could care less about the broken swingset he was on, or the wet cloths he was in, or even that he no longer had a home. His heart was full of Joy. I feel that this is what God wants us to feel like. He doesn't want us to worry about what to do next, or how to do it. But he does want us to enjoy what is right in front of us.

As we get older we get smarter, well some of us, and we begin to feel as though we can take control of our lives. Planning things out, schedules about tomorrow or next week. But God says why plan something that you can't control? As a child our minds don't think this way. We are clueless to many things, and we don't have control. Our mindset is to find the Joy in things that are right before our eyes. And God says if you continue to look to the future, you will miss what I have to offer you right now. We are Gods Children, and he wants us to act and be his children. But we cant do that unless we completley understand how to not just be a child, but a child of God. He loves us sooo much, and all he wants us to do is Love him Back, and Follow in is Sons Name. I challenge you to see where you may need to loosen up a bit, and swing on the swings with Tonio and I.



I have enjoyed this past week even though it has been crazy and the devestation I have seen is very bad. I have grown in my fellowship not just with the other interns but also with the staff. Lately I have trying to turn my perspective around, and truly realize God in the worst situations. Now I haven't a clue what the Big Man's plans are, but I think as a true believer and follower, that even when we may feel down or sorrowful, and ask God why, that we must realize that he has a plan in all this. I have seen families homeless, in wet cloths, sleeping in raw sewage, and on dirt and mud. I have seen destruction and hurt, and pain. I have seen starvation, and neglect. But I have also seen families growing closer together. I have seen more community in the people. I have seen the men coming to church for the first time. I have seen people who dont even know Christ asking, "who is this God, and why does he care about me. I have seen God in the hearts and eyes of the people when we ask, if they need something. I see God in the strange look I get when I ask " Can I pray for you?" And I see God in the Kids even when they sneek back in line to snag another hotdog. God is in Everyone, and is everywhere. Even in the destruction of of this storm God says, I love you, and I will take care of you. For God who has the whole plan, the whole map of my life, your life, and everyone elses life drawn out, he says, "trust me , I know what Im doing up here."



The other night all the interns were praying about the storm and the people in the Rios. And I was thinking of a song that Kim Walker sings called "How he Loves". and the lyrics say that God's Love is like a hurricane and I am a tree, bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy. and that verse just stands out to me. If we have our full trust and Faith in God, this Hurricane can never and will never rip us out of the ground. Now it may make us sway a bit, but the root of our faith, my faith and your faith has to be completely solid in the ground, in order for us to understand Gods purpose in all this. We will never know Gods plan, but we must plant our selves deep into his Love and mercy and accept all that he has to offer, and truly experience the Joy of him in each and every day.



This week Our church comes St. John Nuemann. I am exciteced to see my parents and my uncles and Cousin and also our church comunity. I am very anxious to see how God is going to work in there Hearts, and I am anxious to share my passion for minisrty and my Love for these kids with them. I ask that you please keep this group in your thoughts and Prayers. God I pray that you completely overwelm this group with you Love and that you show them How to become a true child of Christ.
I wish you all a great weekend
Much Love
Adam

Here's a video that Adam took of Rio III.