I first fell in love with the rain while living in Brazil. I moved to Brazil near the end of their winter, which is also their dry season. After about a month of fair weather (and chilly nights!) the rain started to show up (along with the heat.) At first it was only a few downpours a week, but it quickly turned into a daily ritual that could safely be predicted sans crystal ball.
I never had been a big fan of rain before then, but for some reason the morning showers in Brazil comforted me. I sometimes felt very lonely while I was there, despite the fact that I was almost constantly surrounded by people. The loneliness I felt was the lack of true family.
Our family has always been quite close. We’re a very loving family; one that isn’t afraid to show that love to the whole world. And it was this intimacy that I was lacking. I missed my brother and my two sisters, but mostly I missed my mom and dad. I missed being able to hug them whenever I wanted to. I missed telling them “I love you.” I missed their smiling faces and caring hearts. I had a lot of growing to do while I was in Brazil, but I never expected that to be part of it.
During the middle of the day I would usually stroll downtown. The park was a favorite haunt of mine. Ordinarily I went alone, but this time I took my Bible; I felt like reading in the park that day. I ended up reading the entire book of Revelation … out loud … in English. I’m sure I received quite a few curious stares from passers-by, but I had my head buried in the Word, so I was oblivious.
The most amazing thing happened after I finished the book, though. And yet it seemed so natural. I heard someone call my name. I glanced over to my right to see who it was. There was a throng of people crossing the street (which is quite normal for this particular crossing) and in the midst of that crowd was my dad. He was standing there, waiving at me, and grinning from ear to ear. He was completely delighted that he had so successfully surprised me.
I cannot faithfully express the complete disbelief I had of what my eyes were telling me. It wasn’t joy that my dad whom I hadn’t seen in weeks was a mere twenty paces from me; it was utter shock. The fact was, my dad was still in America. And the more I mentally screamed that fact to myself, the more real he became to me. And after about the same amount of time it has taken me to tell you this, he faded away and disappeared, still grinning and waving.
This wasn’t the first time stuff like this happened between me and my parents, but it was the first time it happened to me visually. Most of the time we just hear one of us calling our name, and that is typically a sure indicator that we should pray for them. I was obviously moved deeply when this happened, and so was my dad when he heard about it. There’s an amazing amount of emotional stress that comes with that kind of long-term separation from loved ones. However, there’s a grace for anything God has called you to do. Just like God called me to go to Brazil, He also called my parents to walk through my absence. And there was an anointing for both callings. Not only will God give you the emotional ability to walk through tough situations, but He will also give you the tools necessary to complete the job.
My apartment was part of that divine intervention. It was situated right at the foot of the “Morro do Cristo” (which is not at all like the “Cristo Redentor” in Rio de Janeiro). Lying in my bed, I could clearly see the statue of Jesus atop the hill. I was most vulnerable to loneliness when I woke up in the morning, but God worked it out so that the very first thing I heard when I woke up was the rain, and the very first thing I saw was the statue of Christ. I realized in those moments that I was never really alone; God was always with me, and He would never leave me. It was His Love that was getting me through this first separation and preparing me for my future journeys overseas.
During that trip I came to love the rain. It reminded me of the times I talked with God on my bed, listening to the soothing “tap, tap, tap” on my window sill. To me, the sound of rain is like the smell of fresh-baked cherry pie: it just reminds you of home. Nowadays, whenever it rains I look up and say “Thank You!” I realize that not all showers are just for me, but I certainly take the time to thank God for letting me experience them.
It rained today. The folks around here would call today’s kind of rain a “torrential downpour.” But in Brazil it would have only passed merit as a light shower. On my way home I spotted a large Box Turtle in the middle of the road we live on, obviously enjoying the rain as I had been. The noise of my vehicle talked him into getting off the road, so I didn’t have to stop. But when I got parked in our driveway I walked back to where he was to make sure he was going to stay off the road.
During the rain, the edge of our yard turns into a small creek, and I thought this to be the perfect photo opportunity. Here I had two things I love: a rainy day, and one of God’s creatures. He posed for me for a minute or two, and then I safely returned him to his corner of the “creek” for further wading, albeit without this onlooker. I’m beginning to see just how interested God is in the smallest details of our everyday life. He absolutely wants us to enjoy things, even if it’s something as simple as a turtle or a rain shower.
~Jonathan
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