We were blessed with a weaker portion of the storm than many others. The day after the storm, you could hardly notice that any damage had been done.
Well, until all of this hit home. Until it affected someone I knew very well. His name is Fritz.
 |
| An old photo of Fritz studying |
Fritz doesn't have much by the standards of this world. He lives in a tent camp for internally displaced persons called Caradue. He is 32 and lives with his elderly mother. As Issac approached, his mother fled the camp, and Fritz stayed behind to weather the storm and protect his family's belongings.
During the night, around 3 a.m. the winds picked up and destroyed his tent. The same winds, that my family slept through without even noticing in our concrete house. There was no sleeping for Fritz, or his neighbors, who in the commotion ransacked his home and stole his belongings.
When we returned to Karadue 48 hours later, we greeted our students and learned that all of them had weathered the storm with little effect. Everyone except Fritz. At first glance, it was a typically day, hHe was dressed in one of the same 3 or 4 outfits we always see him in. However, this afternoon we didn't see the engerized, warm and welcoming spirit we've come to know in him. This day, we saw a man hurt, who's spirit had been broken. He told me the story of what happened, and how he lost everything.
Fritz took John and I to visit his tent, this is what we found....
 |
| All that remained of Fritz's home and belongings |
We took him home with us that afternoon. He spent the night at the guest house, and we found him some clothes, fed him, and talked on the porch for hours.
The next morning, all Fitz wanted was to return to his friends, neighbors, and family in the tent camp. He never asked us for anything, he was very appreciative of the hospitality we had given him. We gave him a new tent, and he returned joyful to his home. We checked in on him a few days later, and he was so happy with his new tent. He was proud of his new home.
My interactions with Fritz crushed me. In the begining, I was so worried about bringing him home with us, I was afraid we would never get him to leave. I WAS WRONG. I was worried that he would ask for things I couldn't, or selfishly wouldn't give him. I WAS WRONG. I was afraid that once Fritz saw how we lived it would put distance into our relationship. I WAS WRONG.
I allowed the devil to creep in and cast doubts about helping Fritz. Fortunately, I didn't rest in those thoughts. I didn't not choose to distance myself from the poverty that we are surrounded by. Wouldn't you know, my God honored that decision. He has brought so much depth to my relationship with Fritz because of that situation, that I cannot begin to explain in words.
Phillipians 4:9 reads "Do what you have seen and heard in me, and the God of peace will be with you."
Over the last few weeks I begun striving to live this verse out daily. I am committed to living out my days serving the God that loves me more than I can fathom, even though I do not deserve any of His love. When I have moments of doubt or selfish thoughts with regards to helping someone I am choosing to charge past them... I am going to give until hurts. I am going to live by the example of my heavenly Father, who hurt so much that He gave his own Son to die for me.
