We arrived at our hotel Monday afternoon. Monday turned into Tuesday, Tuesday into Wednesday, and the agenda didn't change much. Sleep, Beach, Food, Beach, Food, Sleep. Nothing out of the ordinary happened and no extraordinary adventures occured. Wednesday night Kelsey and I decided we didn't want to turn in early, so we put our swimsuits back on and headed downstairs to our hotel's hot tub. Keep in mind, we were in Panama at the same time as hundreds of kids on their senior trip. Needless to say, we shared a hotel with a large number of them. So we hop in the hot tub, and not long after that so does a group of seniors from Georgia. We bonded with them easily, relieved they weren't jerks or trashy like previous seniors we had come in contact with. Before we knew it, hours had passed and we had gotten to know these strangers pretty well. The next day, our last full day as well as the group from Georgia's, we saw them again at the pool & met more of their friends.
We hit it off with two of their friends, Andrew Baker and David Danger Ranger Barnes, instantly. And when I say "hit it off", I don't mean in any flirtacious way. They were just cool people that were easy to talk to. They came across as partiers, but who am I to judge, unaware of their background at all. Hours of conversation and swimming passed and it was time to go get cleaned up for dinner. After dinner, we met up with them again on the beach. They told us they both drank, as well as everyone in their group, and asked me if I did. I told them I did not, and they were curious as to why. Here it was, my opportunity to testify how Jesus changed my life. I was able to share my story about how my senior year I went downhill & got caught up in the party scene, and how Jesus turned my life around. Come to find out, Baker and David were both Christians that had got caught up in the wrong crowd their senior year also. Baker began to tell me about his life, how his dad had an affair with their pastor's wife back at their home church, obviously causing them to leave the church. Since then, God just didn't make much since to him. If the people in church were turning away from God, then why shouldn't he? David's story was slightly different, but he had a past of leading many kids to Christ in previous summers at church camp, and was disgusted at what he had become, but enjoyed it too much to turn away.
I could relate far too easily. I knew exactly what they were feeling when they discussed how they felt so guilty living in sin, so horrible for enjoying it. God proved Romans 8:28 to be true once again, as He seems to do daily; He used my mistakes, my past, my sin, for good. He truly does give beauty for ashes. It was so refreshing to be able to show God's love to these two guys from Athens, Georgia, that I will probably never see again. It was amazing that it was no coincedence my family went to Panama the same week these seniors went to Panama. Baker told me he was about to turn away from God completely, then Kelsey & I come out of nowhere during the craziest week of his life and am able to witness to a guy that knew more about the Bible than most. The kid told me that I had made a difference in his life after knowing him less than 24 hours, and was proof God still cares about him. We exchanged numbers and still text. He is definitely still struggling with sin and difficult issues in his life, and I am completely aware that I did nothing to just turn his life around at the snap of a finger. I know apart from Christ I am nothing, and take zero credit for anything. I'm just thankful God used me as an instrument to do what we are called to do, which is bring Him glory. Cause it's ALL about Him. I can tell God's still up to big things this summer. And I'm praying for David & Baker daily, excited to see how God works in them over the next few months.
