Feburary 8 - Noticing Your Neighbor’s Struggles

Sometimes all it takes is opening our eyes
to notice when someone is in pain.

Flor, who lives
in a small Costa Rican city,

was struggling with alcohol
and drug addiction

until she met Arlin,

a Seventh-day Adventist neighbor.

I was lazy.

I was on the street a lot.

I was into bad things.

I was looking for God,
but nobody helped me.

Arlin lived in the same neighborhood
as Flor for many years,

but she never noticed the way Flor lived

until one day, she stopped
and talked to her.

She asked Flor if she needed anything,

and Flor immediately started crying.

That day I went to the shop,
and I bought something for her to eat,

and I gave it to her.

I asked her,

"Would you like me to study with you?"

She said, "Yes,"

so from that day,
I began to study with her.

Arlin told her pastor about Flor.

They brought food and studied the Bible
with her on a regular basis.

I come, and I have prayer with her.

She loves this song,

Give Me a New Heart, My Lord.

In the morning,
when I come and pray with her,

I put that music [on so] she can hear it.

She decided to be baptized.

She was baptized in the church

and all of the members
received her with a hug.

She was so happy

because maybe she has many years
where no one hugged her

until that day.

I felt joy that she came here
to pray with me in the morning,

and that gave me
a beautiful feeling in my heart,

and then I started going to church.

I was baptized, and I am happy.

Flor's life was transformed,

and she is no longer struggling
with addiction the way she was before.

Like Flor, many people
are facing difficulties

and suffering in silence.

They need our compassion,
our support, and our prayers.

As Seventh-day Adventists,

we have a special mission
to share the love of God

with those who are struggling around us.

Let us be aware of the people
who are hurting in our communities

and show them the hope
and joy that we have in Jesus.