One day the richest man around came over with two women. One of them appeared to be astonished and disgusted with every thing she saw and heard from us. She motioned to the children standing around us and demanded to know why we had 10 children and looked at them like they were so many sick stray dogs.
We answered, "they are gifts from God". Later when she asked again we answered, "we don't say, 'why God', we say, 'thank you God' ".
She was dumbfounded. When she regained the power of speech she asked, "aren't you tired from having so many? Isn't life difficult?".
I answered that, "yes life is difficult and life is also beautiful".
Later she asked Leon again. He answered simply, "we love them"
She asked us, "your son is 18, why is he still living here.
I said, "we are happy together. We work together, pray together, read together, love our neighbors together, sing together, love God together, we fight sometimes too.
She gaped at the inside of my house. I couldn't tell what was causing the shock. I was so proud of our beautiful, charming, clean and warm home. Either she had never seen such a small house or maybe she thought she was walking into the early 1800's. I often feel that way and it makes me feel very content and enchanted with my life. She seemed to not like the feeling it gave her.
Some of her other questions were, "why are you here in Chile?"
We told her that , "we could live anywhere and be happy, we live here now and are happy because our peace is in Jesus."
She asked, "What were you doing when you were in the United States?"
we answered, "The same as here."
The most amazing part was when she got me alone and demanded to know what religion we are and what is the name of the church that meets here every Sunday. I told her that we don't put a name on it. We worship the Lord, pray, read His word the bible.
She stopped walking, turned to me and said, "Why?!".
Why we would want to worship God?... No ones ever asked me that before. In the United States when I try to talk about Jesus to the lost, they won't listen to me. Here in Chile, they barge in, onto my property and demand me to tell them the reason for the hope that is in me. I feel like they are starving for answers and I have what they need.
In answer to her I said, "He died for us so we love Him. We love him because he first loved us".
I've known that answer since I was a little girl in Sunday school but no ones ever asked me.
When I came to Chile I seem to have left behind the nervous and defensive tone that I always defaulted to when I was trying to convince someone that they need Christ. I have a happy boldness that I've never had before. I'm just answering questions.
Later, my children said, "it's weird having rich people in our house".
I looked around smiling at each of them and said, "I'm more rich than she is". "yes" agreed Leon.
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