Jesus Sees You
Earlier this year, in January, I, Bruce, went to Peru in partnership with Reimagine. The purpose was to capture content to help create an invitation for the worldwide body of Christ. With the hope for people to come and model the Kingdom of God to the people of Peru. Sharing the perfect love of the Father with his purpose and plans for their lives. Specifically, calling families, young adults, and children to live among and minister to the needs of the community according to His Word.
This would be the first of many adventures with Jesus in Peru. I see this as a multilayered approach using video and photography.
The first step is a video introducing this beautiful community of kind, hard-working people to all believers around the world. A simple ask to pray. See if God is prompting your heart to send a team. A week or two. A month. Maybe much more. Let God get a hold of your dreams and stir up a passion to serve. To be stretched beyond your comfort zone. Surrender your kingdom for His. (This video is complete and will be released next month once Reimagine has had a chance to share it with their home church.)
The ministry of Reimagine has a wonderful church on campus for gathering His flock, Bible study, and discipleship. Leading teams to build homes throughout the mountains of Jicamara and Santa Rosa communities. Weekly, they provide purified water to families. And the crown jewel is the orphanage on the property. Yes, that’s a personal feeling, not speaking for the Father or Reimagine. Though I think I saw Momma Linda (Reimagine leader) levitate with joy over the little one’s arrival.
Kidding aside, I brought a heart mop to the orphanage every day. Their innocence was melting my defenses and robbing me of composure. God would have to put me back together every night. If these sweet smiles of joy don’t tackle your heart to the ground screaming, “I’m taking them all home with me”! You might want to check your pulse and see if you’re still breathing.
For two months, I shot people in the face with my camera. I asked tough questions about their lives and why Jesus was there, all in all. Beautiful testimonies of faith, miracles of provision, and favor over the impossible were told. Sharing stories of God’s infinite touch, making the sick and broken whole again. Relationships coming back from the dead. Little ones blooming in God’s love and hope for the future. A handful of sparkles in Heaven on earth. Fond memories I deeply cherish.
At night, about a month into my stay, I was shooting a time-lapse of the city coming out from under the heat of the day. Going to market, taxis zooming by, dogs barking, and people staring. At me. What is this gringo doing standing in the middle of the street with a camera that could put me on easy street for a year?
For clarity's sake. To capture a time-lapse, I’d set up the camera on a tripod and stand within arm’s reach for hours. Soaking up the eyeballs. Knuckle rubbing the small of my back while my own dogs barked through the leather in my shoes. I always had at least one person for security watch and one translator. Every fool standing in the middle of the street as moto after moto buzzed by should take security and a translator. That’s doing stupid stuff for Jesus 101.
Out of the furthest reaches of my vision, this man, like a statue, was staring a hole through me. It wasn’t the first time questions popped up on the faces of the crowd. But this seemed to be more than that. His granite jaw and steely eyes didn’t waver. One of the first things I’ve learned being in a country or culture so unlike my own was to not assume, and pray when opposition appears to rise. The Father sees what we can’t. Our team gathered to pray about the possibly brewing situation. Do we need to gather equipment and skedaddle down the road? What’s the wise thing to do? We don’t want to respond in fear. That’s not Jesus. It didn’t take but a moment for the peace of the Lord to rest on us. It was clear we just needed to love the man despite his outward appearance. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you!
What happened next was beautiful. And how the Lord brought him to our attention may have never happened if the man didn’t look so angry. Sounds silly. But the enemy was trying to scare us away. Our Heavenly Father saw a desperately lost man. More important than a time-lapse. We silly humans.
He explained how intensely curious he was about what I was doing. He had never seen such a nice camera in person. What could we possibly be doing, pointing the camera at the street for two hours? At the mess of random movement. So I explained.
As the glimmers of joy tried to pry their way free of his face, he said he had lived his whole life, and no one ever took his picture like this. Sheepishly, he asked if I would be willing to take his picture. I beamed, jumping at the chance. I’d love to take your picture! So we did. This is him above. After much coaching and gentle prodding, this was the best smile I could muster from him.
After our quick photo Op he agreed to have us pray for him. In the middle of the hustle and bustle of a night racing by, we pressed into the Father. The maker of the Heavens and the Earth asked what is it you want for the man, and what do you want to say to him, Lord.
The saying “God read his mail” couldn’t be more appropriate in this moment. As I began petitioning the Lord, my mouth became disconnected from my brain. Deep, intimate things only the Father could know came out before I ever had a chance to engage these rapidly building ideas. It was like someone jumped on my lap and took over the wheel of the car, and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it. A picture of his life began revealing itself behind my mind’s eye as if seeing it in real time. He lived on an island in the middle of the city. People came in and out of his life all day long, but he felt desperately disconnected from everyone. He was much younger than he looked. Worked two jobs from 6 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night. And he hadn’t had a day off in over three years. Not one single day to call his own. To check out. To rest under the shroud of sleep as two companions might get reacquainted after a long journey. Three years! Why did he have to do this?
For many years, his parents’ medical needs have been dire, expensive, and chronic. He also has two younger siblings whom he puts through school. One of whom also has chronic medical needs. He is the sole breadwinner in the home. He pays for all the bills, food, medicines, books, clothes, and any other needs that arise. He has no personal life. But Jesus wanted him to know he sees him and has a much better plan for his life. Not a comfortable one, but filled with love, joy, friendships, and a family of his own. Filled with purpose beyond mere survival. He was inviting this man into a relationship that would satisfy his soul. Bring rest to his jilted mind. And give him an everlasting hope for the future.
As we said our goodbyes, I told him I would be back in 5 months with a printed copy of the photo to keep. His face relaxed while nodding his head forward in thanks. I could see his gaze fixed on my eyes. He wasn’t staring a hole in me anymore. It had been replaced with a calm, curious look of discovery. What had he just found? Walking away, I felt this odd mix of hurt and joy. Sad and overwhelmed by the hardships he’s endured. Elated, Jesus chose me to pray and share.
After this experience, the Lord began showing me all the people he had been randomly having me take pictures of. Many were total strangers; no one on our team or the community even knew. But I couldn’t escape the feeling I just had to take their picture. I didn’t understand it at the moment. But when I didn’t choose to follow the still small voice inside me, I felt this splinter of disobedience or twinge of grieving that was just odd. And when I did follow through in the moment. I’d ask. Do you mind if I, a total stranger whom you don’t know or possibly even trust, take a picture? Bewildered. Is he faster than me? Can I outrun him? “ was the most common look returned to me. But after sitting down and connecting with people for a few minutes, all but one person agreed, and most even seemed appreciative that I would want to take their photo. The Lord had a purpose much bigger than the simple beauty I saw in the frame.
The experience with the angry-looking man on the street showed me God wants the body of Christ to rally around whosoever is lost in Peru, and around the world. To find the hidden gems of His Kingdom and pray for them.
This is where you come into the fold. Below you will find a link to about 150 photos. Would you be willing to adopt a person, persons, or family in the photo and commit to praying for them every day over the next four weeks? Whatever scriptures, words, or pictures you get, please write them down and send them to SandersEPICMission@gmail.com so we can have them translated into Spanish and written on the back of their photo. Jesus wants them to know how loved and important they are to him. Will you be a part of the body that makes God known?
If you find someone that you would like to pray for please add your name in the comments box. We hope to have every person covered in prayer.
