July 01, 2014 | Mission Trip Stories

God Saves a Dying Man in Costa Rica

Adventures in Missions staff Connie Rock led an Adventures adult mission trip to Costa Rica. She met a man on the street who was dying, and this is what God did:

“I’m dying,” he said with tears streaming down his face. I put my camera down and sat next to him on the pigeon-poo-covered steps while leaning against the old door of a Catholic church in Costa Rica.

Did I hear right?

“You’re dying?” I asked.

Shaking and stuttering he repeated himself, “Yes, I’m dying. That’s why I called you over to take a picture of me.”

“I’m happy to take your picture, but tell me…why do you say you are dying?”

“They’ve given me a short time longer to live. I’m an alcoholic who has been kicked out of my home. My family has disowned me. They have forgotten me, but now, now there is a picture of me. I will not be forgotten!”

“I’m so sorry my friend! Can I pray for you?” I spot Kristen from the team and motion for her to grab Pastor Marcos, our host, and begin praying in English while Pastor Marcos joins us in Spanish.

Then the conversation began over again. This time with even more tears and sorrow: “I’m dying.”

Once again, we began to intercede on the behalf of our new friend, Francisco. It was a messy mixture of Spanglish, Spanish, snot bubbles, hiccups, and tears. In the next minutes following, Pastor Marcos walked Francisco through a prayer of confession and faith.

Simply…beautiful.

Francisco didn’t repeat Pastor Marcos’ words, but instead inserted his own confessions and praises. He was broken and sincere as he looked to the heavens with his arms raised. I sat there feeling as if I was in a scene from a Peter Jackson movie. Light was shining on his face, while the shadow from the century-old church protected us from sun and the statues provided a covering from the pigeons. His eyes once dead, had now seen the light and were alive!

Pastor Marcos went off to buy coffee and tortillas for Francisco while I stayed behind and continued with our conversation. He called me his “angel” sent from God.

“I’ll be your ‘angel’ sent by God! It’s true. He heard your cries and sent me all the way from the US to remind you that God loves you and you are not forgotten! He loves you that much.”

Grinning from ear to ear, he asked, “Will you take more pictures of me, so you will always remember me?” He leaned against the church and fixed his shirt.

“Of course! I would love to! I will never forget you, nor will your heavenly Father.”

“Now how about a couple with me, your ‘angel’ sent by God?” He threw his head back and blushed. Tears began to once again race down his face, dripping off his nose. “Si, por favor!” I turned the camera around and said, “cheese!”