I dedicated the pearls and string I had to God, and He used them. I went ahead and posted the previous two entries so readers can see my thought process. (I write as things cross my mind, but I have to wait till I have Internet access to actually post which is why posts come sporadically and in mass.) And now for results of the pearl debacle:
Friday was an unusual day (Well, who am I kidding, every day in a Guatemala is unusual. I have yet to see a day where they stick to the schedule.) But Friday was special because there was a coronation of Senorita La Esperanza. (La Esperanza is the name of the school.) It's like Homecoming Queen. The whole school voted, and the winner was the queen. Last year's queen crowned this year's queen, and there was a court and everything.
Anyway...in order to get ready for the fancy affair, the kids involved in the ceremony left school in the afternoon to get dressed up and then return for the dance that evening. Others, like myself, stayed around the school and had a lot of downtime. I had brought my pearls and string in case an opportunity presented itself though I didn't know if there would be a chance to get them out. Well, it turns out me and some of my girls were just hanging out, and I asked them if they wanted to make more bracelets, and they said yes. So we began. Plenty of time to relax and enjoy and discuss anything at all.
My girls invited some friends, and so we had a little group. As they strung their beads, I told them that these beads were special. I explained that they were a reminder of God’s love. I said God carefully made us just like we were carefully making these necklaces. And I said that the white represented Jesus’ forgiveness. They nodded in agreement. I said I wanted them to remember these things every time they saw their pearls.
One girl was particularly responsive, so I asked her about her religion. She is Catholic. I asked her if she reads the Bible very much. She said she reads it sometimes. I told her I thought it was very important to read the Bible for oneself. I asked her what she thought the most important thing in life is. She said every day is a new opportunity to do good things. I told her that I have learned a lot about grace this year and that it is big and important, even more important than good things. Then that girl had to leave. Shucks.
Other kids saw that we were up to something and came to check it out. Including boys. Again, I found it extremely interesting that the boys wanted to make pearl necklaces. I told them pearls were usually a girl thing and that maybe they could make gifts for their sisters or mothers. One boy said, “No, I will wear it. I don’t think it’s bad.” OK then.
As new students came, I explained the symbolism again. Then as more kids came, I asked the first ones if they would tell the new ones about what the pearls were for. So they started telling each other that the white represents Jesus’ forgiveness and that the pearls are a reminder of God’s love for us!
We had plenty of time to sit and chat, and at one point, they asked me to sing. This is not terribly unusual. They like hearing me sing. This time, I sang the song that had been on my mind during my weekend at the Guatemalan beach. The lyrics are in my August post “Sunday Morning at the Beach." Anyway, they all thought the song was very pretty, but of course they didn’t understand it. I asked if they wanted to know what the song meant. I got a resounding "yes." One boy even told other kids who were talking to be quiet because he really wanted to know the meaning of the song I had just sung. I told them it was about a person who knew about God but then later learned that God actually wanted a relationship with him.
I have no idea if any of what I said meant anything to any of the kids. Maybe the words just went in one ear and out the other. But maybe seeds were planted. Seeds to point them to the fact that it is by grace we are saved through faith and it is not by works so that no one can boast.
I still have another full week here, and now I have made it clear that I care about things of God. Oh, how I hope to be able to communicate even more in the next week. I feel that God is in this and using me, and that thrills me to no end. It is Him Who orchestrates ways to point people to Himself. To God be the glory.
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