I knew that they would be there, even before I reached the end of the decrepit, cobble stoned alley and turned the corner to confront the Dominican Republic's idea of a park. While the other children carried books and lunch pails on their way to school, they carried rags and grease and wooden crates masquerading as stools while they made their way to nowhere. Searching the faces of the local shoe shine boys, I spotted Moses at the same moment he spotted me and we both beamed. Young Moses's confidence and natural intelligence made him so endearing. It broke my heart that he would probably never get an education. Like his father and his older brother, he seemed doomed to be a shoe shine boy forever. And I felt so sorry for him.

Each morning at the mission, we would start the day with quiet time and a praise and worship service. The worship was lackadaisical to say the least. And I take full responsibility for my part in that. All the songs were in Spanish. We didn't want to sound stupid mispronouncing anything. Even though I was being blown away my Lord everyday at my job site and even though my soul was Hungry for musical worship, I suppressed my need to sing out my joy. These reservations that I had to sing out reflected the reservations I had in life. Sure I was serving and loving, but only within the confines of my comfort zone. At this point, being bold was not something I felt cut out to be.

 

One morning, locals came to join us for our worship service. The first chord of the intro progression had barely been struck when a small voice started belting out "Te amo mas que a mi vida!!", 'I love you more than my own life'. My heart strings were pulled to their limit when I saw that it was Moses. I went from feeling sorry for him to being convicted by his bold declaration. As he continued to sing those words (Off beat and out of tune), I could almost audibly hear God asking me, 'Do you daughter? Do you love me more than your own life?'

 

It was like someone had pinched me awake. I loved my comfort, my pride, my overly guarded heart, my LIFE more than Him who gave me life!

 

The Holy Spirit rained on us that morning. It reminded me of Acts chapter 4 when the holy spirit filled Peter and John and gave them boldness. I had been changed in a moment.

 

I spent the rest of my time there loving boldly and with vulnerability. The heart change that occurred there only continued to manifest itself in me and in the way I loved others when I returned home

 

I had heard my Lord's Voice, encountered the Holy one, through the boldness of a shoe shine boy.