A couple of weeks ago, I had no idea that I would be unable to attend the One-By-One Conference that had been in the works for quite some time. Staying home with a measles-infested son was on the menu for that April weekend. But in preparation for a workshop that I had agreed to lead (and that my wife was kind enough to fill in for), I went with my friend, Junior Pereira, to shoot a video downtown. The subject? We went to find English-speaking Europeans who could give us their opinions about what part religion in general (and Christianity, specifically) plays in Europe. The responses were not positive. I mean, people responded positively to the topic at hand. It’s just that the perception of Christianity in Europe was quite negative.
When we weren’t conducting interviews, Junior and I talked about what we (generally speaking) are doing wrong here in this part of the world. In so many countries around the world, Christianity is growing. With the exception of some groups of Christians that just don’t get it, we are showing love and grace, and telling others about Christ’s salvation and restoration. Even in areas where believers are persecuted for their faith, this Message of faith, hope and love continues to spread. But not here, apparently. While waiting for the next person we could strong-arm to answer our quite loaded questions on camera, we found ourselves in a humorous banter with a group of young, Romanian men. Eventually, one of them came over to where we were, and offered to give us his opinion. It was real. It was harsh. It was laced with profanity, with feeling, with personal history. Somewhere, sometime, we, as Christ’s disciples, had failed this young man. It showed. However, it was after the video that we REALLY began to talk.
As we talked with this young man, his friends slowly joined us. We explained what we were doing, and who we ARE. Not the normal evangelistic resume we are taught to give, but just the raw facts. And they listened. After half an hour, we had made new friends. We exchanged contact information, and they brought over their wares: bracelets they make simply to earn enough money to survive. They gave us each a bracelet, so we would always remember our time together. As we talked, and laughed, and shared, I got an overwhelming sense that of all the ministries I have been a part of here in Spain, this might have been the ministry most like that of Jesus. And in that moment, there was healing…for all of us.