just building a friendship, then something happened. I literally saw a
new form of love, a new tangible presence of what love is, of how to
love, it was cool. It is nothing like I can even explain properly it
was a new insight, awakening, of a piece of God’s heart. Seeing this
man change in front of my eyes, seeing in his eyes lost and despair
turning into hope and compassion, what a sight, what an experience!
Truly I cannot even explain in words, it was a new teaching a new
lesson that I, we, need to learn. It brought many answers, but, more
questions. Is this all Love is? How much Love do I have? How much am I
lacking? Does anyone else see Love like I see it? Have I even been
Loving properly? Have I even been Loving? What is Love?
This man has truly bonded with me, when I come in I see a change in his
spirit. He greets me as he says, “Hello my closest friend, I have
missed you this week (even if it is only a few days since I saw him
last) I have never stopped thinking about you, have you forgotten me?”
In response I say, “No, Babe (Siswati for father, it is a form of
respect) I have not stopped thinking about you, I missed you very very
much and I am happy to be with you right now.” I love this man so much,
although He is being affected by AIDS our conversation (with or without
words) are not affected, the love that we each feel from each other is
so over whelming and strong that most of the time we don’t even say
anything, we just laugh and smile and tell each other how much we love
each other.
Sometimes I think about it, a lot of what we do is just tell each other
how much we love each other, his family and other people in the
hospital laugh at us because of it. But, I think about it, What would
Jesus do in that moment? Jesus was (and is) all about Love, I mean “God
is Love” (1 John 4:8). So isn’t that all we need, Love. Such a small
word with so many meanings and so necessary. Although it may sound
weird to the people in the hospital that I keep telling a man how much
I love him, I think to myself, this is all this man needs to hear, and
isn’t that what we all need to hear? To think that God is always
sitting by our bed side (as I am sitting by my friend’s) just telling
us how much He loves us (whether we are hearing it or not), waiting to
have that conversation with no words but just laughing and smiling with
us. I believe when Jesus came to earth He didn’t come here to just
preach messages, but to love. What did Jesus do when He was with His disciples just sitting, I believed, He loved them (that tangible
presence of Love I was describing earlier). But, this is were we come
in, when are we going to respond, accept the conversation and just look
back at our Daddy, our Friend, and tell Him how much we love Him. It is a two way conversation, Love, the ultimate form of communication.
Kevin, I am keeping you in my prayers! I am so glad you sent us an update, I was beginning to wonder about you and how things were going.
I miss you a lot, and I am praying for you. Keep on loving, and keep on going deeper and deeper into the love of Christ. You are very precious.
Your new friend is very blessed to have someone like you come and visit him every day. Hospitals can be lonely places. Thanks be to God who walks with us and gives us everything we need.
Much Love,
Heather.
Kevin,
I can’t begin to tell you how amazed I am of you and what you are doing. I pray for you in everyway while you are there.
You have taken a big step in your life going to this country not knowing a soul and experiencing such an incredible journey that will stay with you all your life, and make you an even stronger person. Keep up the great work and take in all you can from this journey so that you can share with us this experience at home, with all of us here in the states that tend to take things for granted from time to time.
You are missed and loved and we will see you in about a month. Keep the blogs and emails coming until then.
Take care of yourself there.
Love you – Auntie Bren
Kevin my friend, You are in my thoughts and prayers! Im so glad for the update! I miss you a whole bunch, I can’t begin to explain how this blog touched my heart as I was reading it! As I can’t even begin to explain how absolutly wonderful the love of christ is and how much it is needed. You are so blessed my friend. The love of christ is so wonderful that I found myself in Kuehns room this morning crying my eyes out and accidently stabbing myself with paper towels. Your friend Must think himself so blessed by you just comeing in and loveing on him as much as you do. Your doing wonderful thinks Kevin. Take care! Keep updateing we miss ya!
Love,
Kassandra
i miss you and love you. can’t wiat to have my annoying brother around again. april