Two Good Things + Alejandro!

[WARNING: This is a REALLY long post.  Grab your favorite cup o' joe and curl up for the story...]

2nd Corinthians 9:12-15
   So two good things will result from this ministry of giving - the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.  
   As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God.  For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.  And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.  Thank God for this gift, too wonderful for words!


This was a motive check for me.  My aim in giving - especially Pabama-style giving - should be for these two good things: meet a physical need that will lead to the recipient worshiping God in joyful thanksgiving.  Our benefit?  The people we serve will pray for us with deep affection.


I can definitely get behind that list as a set of goals for our crew, I just sometimes need reminded....which leads me to Alejandro...

Me and my brother Alejandro.

  When I found out that I was able to join the CLC youth group in their trip to Honduras, I was excited for the experience.  I knew that I'd be playing guitar to lead worship for the students every night, and that I would also get a chance to play with the worship teams at our partner church, Vida Abundante.  God laid it on my heart that this might be a great opportunity to impact someone by giving.


  I hit up RIT Music in Holland, MI to purchase a new Fender acoustic / electric guitar with the intention of leaving it in Honduras.  My hope was to find someone (probably a student) who showed some promise on the instrument, and a heart for blessing others through music, but couldn't afford to buy a guitar.  Our first stop was the village of La Union, where our focus was installing water filters in homes and building a new classroom for the Vida Abundante school (there's a church plant and school in La Union - the main church campus is in Tegucigalpa).  I kept my eyes peeled over those 3 days to see if the "someone" was there, part of the church / school community.  But the time and place wasn't right.  

Sternberg, waking up in La Union

  We spent a day traveling by bus to the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where we would spend our final 3 days in Honduras.  I spent most of this time apart from our team, and with some of the musicians and staff members of Vida Abundante, preparing to play a Saturday night youth service, and 2 Sunday morning church services.  I had told the three music directors at the church - Mauricio, Rony, and Don Julio - of my plot to give away a guitar to the right person.  Mauricio asked me when I arrived if I still had the guitar.  When I told him that I did, he immediately said that I was to give it to Alejandro.  The three of them had agreed, with barely any conversation needed, that this was Alejandro's new guitar.  I figured they'd introduce me to some 7th grader named Alejandro that night, or the next morning at church.  Sounds cool - can't wait to meet him.


  I was the acoustic guitar player during all the weekend services.  Rehearsals were sparse, and the music was both brand new and difficult.  Oh yeah, and everything was in Spanish (which I don't speak) - written directions for the service, items on the music, spoken instructions in rehearsals....this was a bit of a challenge, to say the least.  But thankfully I had Alan next to me.  He was playing electric guitar, and was the only other person to play every service with me.  Alan had been to Grand Haven once, two years ago, so we knew each other a little bit and had a couple of good laughs between songs.  He was a brilliant guitar player that was easy for me to follow along with.  Without any prompting or instruction, he decided that he needed to take care of me.  He translated notes, kept me in line in the music when I was getting lost, showed me where backstage area was, lead me to the food for Sunday morning breakfast (!), and even translated the entire sermon for me on the fly.  Taxing, exhausting stuff really, since it requires a really sharp mental focus in two languages, and always being aware of a person other than yourself.  (Kinda like having a toddler!).  But he was gracious, always in good spirits, and a brilliant guitar player to boot.  I could see why he was a go-to guitarist for Mauricio and Rony.


  After service, there was a group of people hanging out on stage and talking guitars - they were all taking turns playing my acoustic and talking about how great it sounded.  I told them all about the plot, which they all thought was super-exciting.  Alan was in this group and when I told him that I was going to give the guitar away, his face lit up.  He said something along the lines "Oh man, you are going to find some great students to give this to - they are going to be blessed!  Can I come when you give it away so that I can see the kid's face?"


  It wasn't until Sunday morning between services that I realized that his name wasn't Alan.  Cue embarrassment, right?   Apparently I had misheard a nickname people were using, and his name was Alejandro.  It still didn't click with me that this might be THE Alejandro, since I had already pictured in my head someone that was in middle school or early high school.  This guy was in his early 20's.


  Sunday after the second service, Mauricio points to Alejandro and says "Did you tell him about the guitar?"  It finally clicks.  "You mean THAT is THE Alejandro that you want to give the guitar to?"  What Mauricio said next absolutely floored me.

  "Alejandro has a huge heart for the church.  He's here every time the doors open, asking how he can serve.  He hates when he's not scheduled for the music team because he loves playing - and playing for God - so much.  But he doesn't own a guitar - he can't afford it.  He shows up at the church every night after work hoping that someone has left a guitar there that he can practice on for a few hours." 

  People...this is one of their best go-to guitar players.  He's amazing.  And he can't afford to own his own instrument?

  It was with a great deal of pleasure that I walked back to the guitar to start packing it up.  Alejandro was there: "Is it time?  Can I come to see?"

  "Sure, you can be a part of this" I said to him.  I finished packing up the guitar along with all its accessories, and handed it to him.  "God bless you Alejandro - bring glory to God with your new guitar.  I know it's in great hands."

Alejandro and his new ax.

  Alejandro's jaw hit the floor.  He was speechless for several minutes.  I thought he might cry.  He finally spoke, but only to say "No words.  I have no words."  I think he said that about 30 times in the next five minutes, in between hugs.  He carried the thing around with him the rest of the day, not letting it out of his sight.  He was at a gathering later that Sternberg was a part of, and apparently he kept saying "I have no words!  Thank you!  No words!" 


  I know that the Kingdom of God is being built stronger because Alejandro has a guitar.  He was even able to use it in children's worship at their church yesterday.  He wasn't scheduled for main service, so he went and asked if there was some way that he could play his guitar for the kids.  Boom!  Now we're talking!

Alejandro leading children's worship.

I could go on and on, but I'll wrap it up with this final thought...I can count on 3 things because of this adventure.  1) Guitars might not count as a "need" to many people.  But from my perspective, music is one of the best weapons we have against the kingdom of darkness.  And in that regard, we helped fill a need for Alejandro.  2) God is worshiped in a new, powerful, joyful way because of this.  And the effect spills out to Vida Abundante in so many ways (including children's worship!).  And lastly 3) I know that me, my family, and Covenant Life Church are prayed for with deep affection when Alejandro and his girlfriend and family come to God in prayer.  And the music team as a whole at Vida Abundante prays for us every time they think of us.

That's reward enough for me...I am grateful for God's presence, and movement, and long to collect more stories just like this one!

Soli Deo Gloria...