Meet Saulo

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Saulo Leonel Celada Lopez is 7 years old. He lives with his family in a small apartment by the school in Santa Ana where we teach on Wednesdays. Saulo stands out in the school yard. All the other kids have clean white shirts with nice navy pants on. And there is Saulo wearing torn clothes, broken shoes and he is always covered in dirt. He very rarely goes into the school but sits outside of the school playing in the street or just sleeping on the ground. He will wake up and to play with the other kids when they come out for recess. But the kids will not play with him and call him names because of his family. Saying that he will be a drunk just like his uncles. This causes Saulo to start to fight with the kids. Which in turn makes the other kids hate him even more. This happens every Wednesday.

But since the bus ministry has started in Guatemala Saulo has faithfully been attending. He says that he comes because he likes the music. But I know that he comes here for a different reason. I honestly think he comes here because he can rest. All of his life he has fought. He fights for respect, he fights for attention, he fights to survive,he fights for love. This is what he knows. And in coming to Potter’s Field Kid’s Club he is learning about someone who died so He could have rest.  On one of those days were He had just got done starting a fight with another kid I sat down and just held him. For the first time he sat still as I pulled him closer and told him of Jesus. I told him that Jesus and I were not mad at him. I told him of how Jesus died on the cross for him and how when Jesus arose on the third day He made it so we could have eternal life. He sat there staring as I explained how God wanted to clean his heart and take out all the bad things. I asked him if he believed what I was saying and he slowly nodded his head yes.

It would be so easy to say that he isn’t allowed to come to Potter’s Field Kid Club anymore. We have every reason to kick him out. But we allow him to come because as Pastor Mike says, “There is not a pair of eyes that Jesus didn’t die for.” And that same Jesus who died for Saulo died for me. How could I not look at Saulo and see the grace that God gave me.

I beg of you to remember to pray for him. Pray for his family that they would come to know Christ. Pray that Saulo would receive a peace that passes all understanding and that God’s love would be evident to him. God loves him and wants to give him rest.