The big impression

For some reason yesterday, while watching Delirious? perform (and they were totally mind-blowing by the way!) I was thinking about the people who impact us, who leave an impression on our lives. I think, by looking at the last year, the people who have left the biggest impression on my life, are those who believe in me. Those who know that I am real and struggling but have every faith in me to suceed. I met such a person for only a week a few months ago. I'll not mention names, but from day 1 I got on really well with this person and stayed up late talking with this person and a few others about our views on the Christian world. I got to know this person quite well in a short space of time, and even though I haven't had much contact since then, I know that this person believed in me. This person knew that I would succeed in wherever God was going to lead me. I could have told this person almost anything and they wouldn't have laughed, they would have taken me seriously and make me look at the bigger picture. I can remembed conversations that I had with this person. I can remember things this person told me. Even if it was just seeing me say goodnight to the little kids while I tried to walk quietly past their bedrooms and got spotted, they believed in me with the kids. They believed I was genuine and I had/have a genuine love for these kids. It isn't too often you meet people who genuinely believe in you. A lot of people who you meet for a week, or even much longer, you can have nice conversations with, but it isn't too often you meet someone who you 'connect' with in such a short space of time, and you know that if you ever needed someone to turn to, you could fly half way round the world and they would welcome you with open arms. It isn't often that you meet someone who you can talk to about anything and tell them anything and they will take you seriously and keep you strong in God's way.

Then there are the people who in the 6 months in Colombia had a big impact on me simply because they irritated me so much I can't help but not forget them.

I'm not saying that this is the only type of people who have an impact on me. Of course it isn't. I watched many people, while working tough jobs that I wouldn't enjoy, do it with love and servanthood for the kids. That leaves a big impact. Then there are the people who have transformed their lives. Like one man used to be a drug addict. Now he has come to know God, his life has been completely turned around and he is working full time for God. And there are the kids. They have been through such shit in their lives, but they have such a sweet, natural spirit about them. When a 6 year old looks after you and cares about you, that when you have forgotten that you had a sore stomach or a cough the day before, he will come up to you and ask you how you are and check you're ok. Not much beats that feeling. Or when the kids want to show off to their parents the songs I taught them (10 little monkeys jumping on the bed...), that impacts you because the appreciation you get from the kids, and from the parents, makes you feel like you're doing something right and that you are impacting their lives.

I went quite a long way from the original point here. I'm a little tired people, and have to do stuff at church this morning so my head isn't entirely right! But you get what I mean, yeh?