Puerto Rico
Beautiful eyes! Sad eyes. Empty eyes. I saw them for the first time when we arrived at the community of Rio Chiquito in Coamo, Puerto Rico. Those eyes were looking at each of us as we visited the community. They followed who continuously took photos and videos.
“He has the eyes of my father.” His dad told me. Minutes later I saw those eyes again. They were pretending to play with some stray dogs, but those eyes returned to follow, with great caution, the visitors.
A Spanish song
Sad eyes! Empty eyes. Beautiful eyes. “Be careful what you ask for”, they have told me repeatedly. In prayers I have asked the Father to have His eyes. To see what He sees. Feel what He feels. There is a Spanish gospel song that goes as follow (translation):
Give me your eyes, I want to see
Give me your words, I want to talk
Give me your heart
Give me your feet, I want to go
Give me your wishes to feel
Give me your heart
Give me what I need
To be like you
Be careful what you ask for. “Pastor Rafy, Daniel* is here. He asked his mother to bring him to church.” I saw those beautiful, sad and empty eyes again. They were there … staring at nothing. Time stopped. Everything around me was blurred except those eyes. Beautiful eyes. Sad eyes. Empty eyes. Through those eyes I saw his own being. I saw his own soul. I saw his fear. I saw uncertainty. I saw as if Hurricane Maria had ruined his childhood, destroying his dreams and hopes. In those eyes I saw desolation and abandonment. I saw the Island of the Lamb with fear of what could happen.
The eyes of Christ
Empty eyes! Beautiful eyes. Sad eyes. Eyes of Christ! Eyes that allow us to see what Christ sees. Feel what Christ feels. We have the feet to go. We have what we need to be like Christ. It is not just to only say: “we are praying for you.” It is walking, listening, feeling, acting. There is still much to be done in the mission field of Puerto Rico. There is still much to be done so the sad and empty eyes of many may be precious eyes that shine the light of Christ. May they see hope, joy and big dreams.
We want to go back We want to return to the shore of the stream in Rio Chiquito and with the family of Daniel to share and celebrate the greatness of our God. That together we can hold on to what we believe and to Whom we believe: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
*(Daniel: not his real name)
