Anthony is resurrected this Easter!
Anthony looked 
like a Nicaraguan Justin Bieber. A street kid with his own special charisma, Anthony trusted Jesus because Lisa Smith cared enough to practice the incarnation in his home town of Candelaria.
like a Nicaraguan Justin Bieber. A street kid with his own special charisma, Anthony trusted Jesus because Lisa Smith cared enough to practice the incarnation in his home town of Candelaria. She went there first as a World Racer and later she moved there as a missionary. She did so because she loved Anthony and his friends.
Lisa thought of Anthony like a little brother. (You can read about how their relationship in these posts: Raising Up Powerful Men & Reaching Past the Facades).
When she first met him, he was a kid that had no dreams and no
relationship with the Lord. Over the course of three years, she saw him transformed –
baptized, beginning to dream and live a normal life. She laughed at
him about his crush on the girl that works at the food stand at the
park. She battled for him in prayer and called him out when he
side-stepped the Lord’s path.
relationship with the Lord. Over the course of three years, she saw him transformed –
baptized, beginning to dream and live a normal life. She laughed at
him about his crush on the girl that works at the food stand at the
park. She battled for him in prayer and called him out when he
side-stepped the Lord’s path.
A terrible tragedy happened this week. Lisa relates the story:
On Tuesday
morning a group of youth and families from our church decided to go to
the beach to celebrate for Holy Week. Several of the youth
went out swimming and while they were in the water they were pulled out
by strong currents and stuck in the waves. There were a total of 8 youth who
almost lost their lives. Some were pulled out by youth. Some were pulled
out by random people. Some were thrown back to the shore by giant waves that the Lord Himself sent. But Anthony was swept out to sea.When we received the call that Anthony had drowned, I couldn’t believe it was real. I just started repeating silently “God. no. no. no. God no” over and over as I slowly slid down to the ground.
I just sat there in
complete shock. Then came
the tears. Then came the uncontrollable sobs. I vacillated between
sobbing, screaming out in anger, and the complete inability to breath.The youth
had watched as Anthony was pulled out beyond their reach. One of them, Emerson, actually had grabbed Anthony’s hand at one point trying
to pull him back in, but the current was too strong and just pulled him
out even farther beyond their reach. For another moment after that, they
could still see him struggling against the waves.
It’s an unspeakable tragedy. At the funeral, Anthony’s best friends shoveled dirt on top of the
coffin. Some sobbed uncontrollably.
coffin. Some sobbed uncontrollably.
But right before they lowered the coffin into the ground they talked
about Anthony stepping into life and, with a lump in their throat and their eyes wet with tears, everyone shouted out “Anthony vive!” (Anthony lives!).
about Anthony stepping into life and, with a lump in their throat and their eyes wet with tears, everyone shouted out “Anthony vive!” (Anthony lives!).
He is risen indeed. And with him, the hope of resurrection for you and for me, and for all those who would dare to trust in Jesus. This Easter, when we sing “Up from the grave he arose!” we refer not only to Jesus, but also Anthony.
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Yes…Anthony vive! because Jesus vive! We will always remember you & love you Anthony, and we’ll see you when we come “home.”
“Our God is Greater…”
What a living hope amidst sadness!!!