Tuesday, December 22, 2009

48 x too much = ???

48... that's a comfortable number to fit in the little bus. 7 seats on each side, roughly two to a seat, sounds about right, we should be good.
Tonight is a special night. We are picking up kids and their families (those that want to go) to go to the church for the final program of F.L.A.G. Camp. It's a night where all of the kids, who have been going to camp all week long, have the chance to share what they have learned with their family and friends; a very big witnessing opportunity.
As the sky grows dark, we noisily rumble up the mountain, coming up over the hill, 10 sparkling eyes, contently following the bus as it squeaks to a stop. O Good! I'm glad that this family came. I wonder if any other families will come?
We continue on, picking up this kid here and that kid there. Before long, I turn around and a small crowd has gathered by now in the bus.  Nothing too serious, we'll be fine, maybe a little squished...
Two kids turn into four, small families, become larger. The bus is filling, quickly. Will we all fit?
It's gotten to the point now, I think we might have to start turning people away... would Jesus turn people away?... should I just get out and walk?... I'm one person, it's not going to make that much of difference.
We finally arrive at the bottom of the mountain. Not physically being able to turn around, I have to rely on the mirror to see the sea of people standing, sitting and squatting behind me. All of us awkwardly invading the personal space of another.
At the church, I step off of the bus, hot, sticky, drenched in my sweat and that of others. I want to see just how many people we got on this bus.
1 honduran, two hondurans, three hondurans, four...
five hondurans, six hondurans, seven hondurans, more!...
We counted for a number of minutes. I like math, but this was nothing to be solved by an equation, it was pure magic: 116 sweaty people stepped off of that small bus meant for 48!!
On the return trip we took a normal, long bus. Even in the big bus we were packed, people standing in the aisles, definitely still invading the personal bubbles of their neighbors.
On our way back up the mountain, I stood at the front of the bus in awe, shock and unbelief, not quite understanding how we had managed to fit all of these people on the first, much smaller bus!
Discussing it later we could only come to one conclusion: Heavenly Intervention!
I don't know if the bus suddenly became elastic or we all got magically skinnier, or neither of the two, but there was a definite hand of power.
Whether God touched each and every one of those 116 hearts in the church that night, only He knows, but His presence was without a doubt revealed and His power once again un-measureable!

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