"Lord, lead me to not only bring impact into your afflicted children, but show me the ways you want me to live." A simple thing to ask of the Lord, yet an extraordinary result is the answer I received. Through a mission trip to Pensacola, FL I was able to find a peculiar fellow, who has left an overwhelming imprint in the way I will see life from now on.
The first day of mission work I bumped into a tall, dark-skinned, aging man with a certain limp that could be picked up from a mile away. When walking, he would lean his whole body to the side, properly lift up the right leg, and then let the left just fall on the other side. As most of the people we were working with were former homeless drug addicts, my first impression was that this man was on drugs.
The man soon introduces himself to me as Merrill, a retired Marine who had lost half off his life to drugs, women, and parties. Throughout the week, Merrill would come out and talk to our small Track Group as we cut hedges and tried to clear up the small community center he lived in. He had the attitude of one who enjoyed talking and making people laugh. Often, he would take the time just sit on his porch, enlightening whoever would listen with stories of his youth and early adulthood. Merrill's face would light up when we gathered around his porch, sometimes to briefly eat lunch and other times to just take a breather from the blazing, hot sun's rays.
"You resemble my daughter to a fault," Merrill would utter softly. Shaking his head he would look off into space, remembering a daughter who had just left the living a few months ago through suicide. The pain and ache of losing his daughter had not yet left Merrill, it was too soon for him to let go. He talks about all the dreams he had placed in his daughter's heart, how he had wanted her to go so far. Places he had wanted to live and people he wish he had met. But most of all, Merrill loved to talk about the person he wishes he had been.
As a young man Merrill listened little to his mother's advices. He would go out and do whatever his mind was set on, whether it was good or bad. He joined the Marines at the young age of eighteen-thinking he was ready to take on the world. After a few years in the Marines, Merrill tells me how an accident left him scarred for life. At this moment he takes off his Nike sandals and shows me a torn limb that used to be a whole foot. Half of it was gone and all that was left was a shriveled layer of skin and a limp to remind Merrill of his past.
When Merrill returns home, instead of living the life of a respectable young man, he wastes it on the enjoyments of life. "Things that I regret doing because of where I've ended up," he said and shook his head at the memories being drawn up. Merrill's attentive eyes focus on me and he stares me down. "Don't make the same mistakes I did child." After a life filled with violence and other distasteful things, Merrill looks around him and all he sees is a past full of errors.
As the week draws to an end, Merrill repeatedly tells me to continue living a life that serves God. He advices me to keep the friends I am with, those that would lead me to find all things good and righteous. "Friends are the ones that lead you astray often, watch out for yourself. And stay in school!" He reminds me many times to stay in school, get my education and achieve the thing my heart is set on. Everything has its timing, use the life God gave you to "serve well and love all".
Although I only knew Merrill for a small amount of time, I can say the things he taught me will be influencing many of my decisions. Serving God and finishing my education are key points bound to not leave me hanging. Merrill taught me that the decisions we make as youth and young adults follow us until we leave this earth. He has left a significant impact in my life as only a stranger and friend could. For that I am truly grateful.
The first day of mission work I bumped into a tall, dark-skinned, aging man with a certain limp that could be picked up from a mile away. When walking, he would lean his whole body to the side, properly lift up the right leg, and then let the left just fall on the other side. As most of the people we were working with were former homeless drug addicts, my first impression was that this man was on drugs.
The man soon introduces himself to me as Merrill, a retired Marine who had lost half off his life to drugs, women, and parties. Throughout the week, Merrill would come out and talk to our small Track Group as we cut hedges and tried to clear up the small community center he lived in. He had the attitude of one who enjoyed talking and making people laugh. Often, he would take the time just sit on his porch, enlightening whoever would listen with stories of his youth and early adulthood. Merrill's face would light up when we gathered around his porch, sometimes to briefly eat lunch and other times to just take a breather from the blazing, hot sun's rays.
"You resemble my daughter to a fault," Merrill would utter softly. Shaking his head he would look off into space, remembering a daughter who had just left the living a few months ago through suicide. The pain and ache of losing his daughter had not yet left Merrill, it was too soon for him to let go. He talks about all the dreams he had placed in his daughter's heart, how he had wanted her to go so far. Places he had wanted to live and people he wish he had met. But most of all, Merrill loved to talk about the person he wishes he had been.
As a young man Merrill listened little to his mother's advices. He would go out and do whatever his mind was set on, whether it was good or bad. He joined the Marines at the young age of eighteen-thinking he was ready to take on the world. After a few years in the Marines, Merrill tells me how an accident left him scarred for life. At this moment he takes off his Nike sandals and shows me a torn limb that used to be a whole foot. Half of it was gone and all that was left was a shriveled layer of skin and a limp to remind Merrill of his past.
When Merrill returns home, instead of living the life of a respectable young man, he wastes it on the enjoyments of life. "Things that I regret doing because of where I've ended up," he said and shook his head at the memories being drawn up. Merrill's attentive eyes focus on me and he stares me down. "Don't make the same mistakes I did child." After a life filled with violence and other distasteful things, Merrill looks around him and all he sees is a past full of errors.
As the week draws to an end, Merrill repeatedly tells me to continue living a life that serves God. He advices me to keep the friends I am with, those that would lead me to find all things good and righteous. "Friends are the ones that lead you astray often, watch out for yourself. And stay in school!" He reminds me many times to stay in school, get my education and achieve the thing my heart is set on. Everything has its timing, use the life God gave you to "serve well and love all".
Although I only knew Merrill for a small amount of time, I can say the things he taught me will be influencing many of my decisions. Serving God and finishing my education are key points bound to not leave me hanging. Merrill taught me that the decisions we make as youth and young adults follow us until we leave this earth. He has left a significant impact in my life as only a stranger and friend could. For that I am truly grateful.
