Empty Head and a Full Heart

Right now that about sums me up. But I wish everyone could feel this way. I spoke three times today finshing about an hour ago and counseled many people in between. My brain is shot but my heart is full. I cannot describe the experiences of this day adequately. I have never experienced what I have here in Argentina. The Lord just blessed me in so many ways. The people responded with applause or tears or hugs...their response was not measured. They responded out of the overflow of their hearts...and they had no intention of holding back.

When speaking on the subject of encouraging others I felt a strange leading to invite anyone who was discouraged to come and sit in the chair in front of everyone else. For a few minutes no one came and I was wondering how I was going to get out of this. Then one clearly heavy-hearted man came forward. I had someone bring him mat`e (mah`-tay) a traditional Argentine beverage meant to be shared with others. It makes Argentines feel better and gives them good fellowship with each other. I love what mate represents in Argentina and I felt like it was appropriate for this hurting man to feel loved and accepted.

Then I invited anyone who wanted to encourage him to come forward. Several hugged and kissed him. One saintly older woman came forward and held his face in her hands and looked in his eyes and said she loved him. I felt like I was looking over the shoulder of an angel at work. Then an alcoholic man walked forward and asked us to pray for him. The smell of alcohol was potent but this man was prayed over, hugged, and kissed just like the other man.

Then later in the lesson I spoke about being an example as a leader. I felt for some reason that I needed to sing, "His Eye is On The Sparrow" because it was the first song I remember hearing a singing group perform. To my knowledge I have never actually performed it publically. It absolutely blew the place apart. We sang it at the end of the conference again with a band and the words on the screen for 7-8 minutes in Spanish.

I finished the day speaking to the youth at the First Church of the Nazarene in Neuquen. And I was incredibly blessed again. By the way, just guess what we had at the youth meeting? Even in Argentina, we had pizza...but man was it good.

It was simply an amazing day. I must say muchas gracias for your prayers and support! I have wonderful friends now in Argentina and North Carolina, the home of my co-teacher Doug McClay. But I look forward to seeing all who read this blog soon.

Bendiciones! (Blessings!)