A pastel portrait testimony

Eva

left a glowing mark on me back at training camp in the fall.

 

 

She wasn’t on the same route as me, yet she an emblem of what racer community has meant.

Inspiring, resilient, kind, vulnerable, burning for Christ family to me they are. We all came from vastly different places and personalities, yet the same passion and rebirth experience rushes through our veins.

The power of her story even beyond what I share here shakes the earth, and it was my honor to do this piece for her when she asked. And so rewarding when she said Ekkkkk I’m so excited. So blessed I got to meet you and GIRL IM IN LITERALLY TEARS RIGHT NOW. IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT. THANK YOU GOD AND THANK YOU to it’s amazing.

She is one of 500+ racers sent home due to covid. Eternal international connections of love stick with us. This pastel portrait depicts and preserves Eva’s connection. 

As I formed each curve and shadow of their faces, I began to wonder what was behind this moment for Eva.

 

 

  

I wanted to be there. I wanted to know these children and witness the purity of their joy. I wanted to be back on the Race.

So I asked her to write on it that I could share her words with my post of this portrait on Instagram. Again, she blew me away and moved me in the power of her testimony. And that is why it turned into a blog. 

A picture says a thousand words, but really I knew none of it: 

 

“God is going to work it all out for the good. All the pain. All the frustration. All the heartbreak. Somehow and someway He is going to use all the broken pieces to make a beautiful master piece.

-Ashley Hetherinton 

 

 

 

As I sat here with a lap full of little boys picking at me, writing in my journal, snatching my hat off to make me run after them, giving me hugs so tight I could feel the love they long for.

As I sat here ticking these little boys, I could see the reason I never was able to have my child I miscarried 6 years ago. 

 

Because these little ones needed my unconditonal love. 

 

But God allowed me to have a taste of what it would feel like to show a love that only I could have showed them because of what I’ve been through.  

Ministry to them was loving them through the testimonies they had. 

 

Man were they deep ones. 

 

Treating them like little 5 -7 year old boys and not a bag of trash no one wants. 

Seeing them through the eyes of Jesus. 

God also took me back to the place of being that little child wanting love from a father. 

Sitting at his feet watching every move.

God was shown through me. Leading up to this moment of a smile that could light up the whole world for years and years, little boys, set up for failure by there own family.  

Hating every gringo that walked through because of the reputation that the gringos put on these little boys.  

Only to see that this is all they wanted… 

 

God’s love. 

 

That never ending never failing always there omnipresent always no matter the cost or the life we lived type of love. They just want hope. They just want love.”

-Eva

 

 

 

Okay, I have to share with you one of Eva’s testimonies from training camp that deeply impacted me.

One worship night, Eva got up in front of all the squads launching in January, and, in humble tears, took the brave step of sharing a story that needed to be shared.

You can read the whole story in her blog “Training Camp and Little Books”:

 

 

 “God really blessed a lot of us this week, and yesterday, we had a chance to go out to evangelize in Gainesville Georgia…

So we were walking down the little shops and stopped in Uppsy Daisy boutique…This little book just stood out called love you little girl…

Jesus kept reminding me of a little blonde haired girl…

As we sat down I had a feeling that I needed to write in the little book.  So I wrote what was on my heart which was your father loves you a lot.

Then I wrote two scriptures down. One was Proverbs 3:15 and the other was Psalms 68:5.  

Then I signed the book and asked again God please show me who this book is for. His response was a blonde haired girl…

As our night was coming to an end, I kept praying where is this blonde girl at God?…

As we walked across the crosswalk, I looked back over my shoulder and saw a mother walking with a baby stroller and a little blonde haired girl with a little dance outfit on.

I take off across the street…  

As I was walking towards the mother, I don’t know why but I noticed she had a ring on her finger.  As I got closer, I just started to introduce myself and asked her if I could give this little book to her daughter.

As I gave it to her, I just started talking and told her that her father in heaven wanted me to give her this book.

 

The mama just started bawling her eyes out, and I got a hug from the little girl. The mother said to me that her husband passed away two months ago and Lurana (the little girl) was taking it really hard.

…The mother said that she was six years old. She is the same age I was when my father passed away.

 

At that very moment in that time of hugging that little blonde haired six-year-old, I could feel the hurt she had in her heart.

I looked her in the eyes and said you won’t understand this book right now but one day you are going to need it.

 …I walked on my way with such joy and peace in my heart knowing that God has perfect timing, and even when I feel like I myself missed a so called perfect opportunity, God had a better opportunity.

..that the godly father will be there to fill her emptiness inside her heart…

God told me at 10 years old he had a plan for my life…every situation I go through I am going to use it for the kingdom of God.

So once again I say numerous times over and over again here I am lord send me!!!!!”

 -Eva

 

Praise to God. I heard it said, every time you share a testimony, it is asking God to do it again. 

Lord do it again. Use the reader’s trials and tribulations for good. to help others. for the Kingdom. 

Lord send more. Lord thank you that Eva asked me to do this portrait that I could share the glory you set in her. 

Lord has glory and a plan for you too

Grace and Peace to you reader

@hanjanmit